Thread 25 - Covid Cohort - Christmas Trees, No Omicron Please!

[OrangeCinnamonCocktail]

This is a thread for supporting all young people post GCSEs 2020, regardless of their educational setting. It is respectfully requested that all are supportive and helpful to each other. If you want to start a debate, e.g state vs private, please don't within this thread. Please also be sensitive when responding to posts about grades.

Some of us have been here since first thread back in yr10, some will be new. Everyone has been friendly and helpful in the past. Everyone is welcome. It is hoped this goodwill continues.

Our DS/DD may go down various paths (such as employment, apprenticeships, higher ed) We have decided, for anyone interested, they will most likely find us within the Further Ed board.

Orange Cinnamon (Head Monitor )
Previous Thread Found Here

Just managed to book DS’s booster online. A benefit of insomnia was no problems accessing the website.

@Delphigirl he's my oldest. Ds2 (this age group) wouldn't message him, I don't think they've even shared mobile numbers, though I'm sure if they needed each other they'd find the other through social media. Ds2 is laughing about him. Calling him an attention seeker. I don't know what to think really. I'm annoyed with him though.

I woke at 3am worrying about ds1 and about his dissertation stuff etc. Also thinking of my drive to my mums. I don't like motorways driving anymore, especially as we don't have any in our area. I go A12 all the way to M25 I only have a short bit of m25 though as I think it's Sevenoaks I get off.

Ds1 assured me if he's still no better he will see a dr. So I'm going and have to trust that he will. He's made me cross though.

Good morning @Volterra I've been awake since 3am 🥱

Good morning IcanbewhatIwant. Sorry you have been awake since then, I have too as my hip hurt, hope a few days of new meds will sort it out.

How worrying for you with DS1.Totally understand why you are cross. Think you are sensible to go to your Mum’s and try if possible to switch off from him a bit - I know this is easier said than done though. I’m not keen on motorways, though I think the thought of it is usually worse than the reality. Hope you have a smooth journey.

I've been awake for ages too, DH had a close positive contact at the end of last week and went for a pcr yesterday, bracing myself to go and do an LFT, there's a lot hanging on these results (we both work outside the home and are taxis for the DCs, DS is due his booster next week, we live semi-rurally with minimal public transport). Also completely and utterly confused as to what the rules are now, when SI would start and finish etc.

@icanbewhatiwant I hope DS1 sorts himself out with a doctor. Frustrating having to delay your plans.

@Volterra sorry you're awake too.

Latest from DS, the UCAS coordinator at school is going to go over his references with him today and then submit his application.

Phew, pcr was negative.

I've too have been awake often at 4am sporadically, for the last couple of months.

So sorry to hear that Horace. The high rate of young men committing suicide is so very sad.

Well done to all offers : zebra, and Delphi you know I love a good Plymouth.

AnneOfC and Orange I really loved hearing about your dd's dancing solo and singing solos. I just love it.

icanbe, sorry but I laughed at your Ds2 saying Ds1 was 'attention seeking'.

icanbe, your DS2 sounds like a PITA about this. Go to your mum’s and let him and your DH sort things if needed.
I have developed a bit of a phobia about motorway driving too; I think it’s another peri menopause side effect - friends of a similar age say the same thing.
I force myself to do it because I realised I was letting DH drive all the time and I don’t want to stop being able to do it - I want to be able to visit DD at uni etc.

AofC, your description of your DD’s dancing is really moving. It’s such a special thing to watch DCs perform; you get to see a side of them you don’t see in everyday life.

Such lovely tales of concerts and shows! DS us the musical one, but missed out on all his last concerts, services and performances as that was 2020. Really miss them. DD didn't get her final dance show this summer either.

I really quite enjoy motorway driving these days. It wasn't something I did that often until I started open days with DS, and have obviously done loads more with DD now. I do London to Bristol and back again quite happily in a day now. I collected and picked DS up for each start and end of term last year due to covid/lockdowns etc so really used to it now. The only downside is due to where we live (London/Surrey border) every trip starts and ends with the bloody M25 which really is a different style of motorway!!

If I'd known everyone was up I would have logged on! Maybe we need to check out Night Owls...

My DSD has Covid, and we saw her Sunday when she was well. So we're all super stressed now with worry for her as she has lung issues, and worried we'll get it. So nobody slept well last night. Naturally, all feeling lousy which is feeding the paranoia!

@icanbewhatiwant when will your DH be dropping the laptop back? That will be a good opportunity to check in with DS1. He is an adult, all you can do is make it clear that you are there for him. I assume there is no girlfriend to intercede for you? DS1 became much better at being an adult when he had a GF. Hope you manage to enjoy your time with your mum.

Lovely to hear of "AoC and Orange*'s concert. We have had a few concerts and it has been great, although the numbers doing music have been hit hard by Covid, in DS's city wide choir there were about 20 sopranos, 6 altos, 1 tenor and 2 basses - last concert before lockdown there were more on all parts and at least 3 times as many men. I think ensembles are going to have to work to get back to pre-Covid standards.

Fingers crossed, wheresthebeach. I hope your DSD doesn’t get properly ill - such a worry.

I’ve come down with some kind of lurgy last night. DS started it on Friday and DD also came down with it overnight. Sore throat, stuffy nose and general malaise; LFTs all negative.
Bad timing, as we are about to hit the busiest 5 days of the term.

So lovely to hear about Christmas concerts with singing and dancing AnneofCleavage and OrangeCinnamonCocktail. Coventry Carol is one of my favourites. There is no feeling like watching your child transformed by their performance. Dd2 has her carol service tomorrow (touching every wooden thing within touching distance) and I can't wait. For me Christmas without carol services and mince pie concerts is just wrong.

Dd getting ready for her counselling appointment - will she be on time? There's a 50/50 chance...

Glad its not Covid @Alsoplayspiccolo although the timing is bad.

Ann and Orange the performances sound lovely. Ann amazing that your DD only started dancing in yr 7. Sounds like she's made amazing progress (can I say it sounds like she's 'come on leaps and bounds' .

Lovely to hear about beautiful and emotional performances. So glad you've had the chance to see these this year before they fly off.

Fingers crossed those feeling poorly and with negative LFTs mean it's just a bad cold. Wishing a speedy recovery to those & family members with covid.

@HibiscusIsland Wow at paid it without telling you!

Eurgh I have a cold but now an eye infection so I’m feeling very sorry for myself.
I’m not sure what is worse, the infection itself or having to go into work without wearing mascara

sorry to read the sad news @Horace123. Really pleaed to read your good news re health @Volterra.

We've had a letter from school about having to do PCR tests when they go back in Jan, so staggered starts. DD miffed as Yr13 are first in for their tests so don't miss any school...

Also told that "from Tuesday 14 December, a new national approach to daily testing for contacts of COVID-19 is being
introduced (including until the end of this term). All adults who are fully vaccinated and children aged 5 to 18
years and 6 months, identified as a contact of someone with COVID-19 – whether Omicron or not – should take
a lateral flow device (LFD) test every day for 7 days instead of self-isolating. Daily testing by close contacts
will help to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Daily testing for contacts of COVID-19 will help protect education settings by reducing transmission and will
also help keep pupils in face-to-face education".
So looks keep school open at all costs? Until all the staff have actually caught it themselves...

A friend is trying to insist I go for a PCR test.
I’m not sure what to do; I’m pretty sure it’s just a cold, as DS has done LFTs since Friday, all fine, and if I take a PCR, waiting 72 hours for the result will put pay to everything the DCs have on between now and the weekend, as I have no back up.

Would it be terrible to sit it out and keep doing LFTs?

EwwSprouts Yes. She possibly forgot to ask me then decided to pay to get it off quickly then forgot to ask for it back. She tends to build up a lot of money as she's mainly interested in minecraft and not into clothes etc, so gets money for birthdays etc and had a job In Year 12 but doesn't spend much

@Delphigirl

Eurgh I have a cold but now an eye infection so I’m feeling very sorry for myself. I’m not sure what is worse, the infection itself or having to go into work without wearing mascara

@Delphigirl I feel your pain - I look weird without my mascara! I don't wear much make up but never leave the house with mascara and lippy.

I had an awful cold (still got it) and also had mild conjunctivitis in 1 eye, along with mouth ulchers. Still got a very sore throat and chesty cough so I'm guessing it's all part of the same bug and that we are all very run down.

Great to hear about concerts and plays etc. DD school has cancelled everything and put it all online instead. The juniors all did their nativity play online yesterday and it must be nice for the parents to have that to keep. We don't break up until Friday lunchtime so fingers crossed can keep clear - although DD playing on going out to Liverpool Thursday evening anyway! DH and I have just had boosters. Brilliant walk in centre on Sunday morning. Went in around 10.00 - out by 11.00am. Very well organised. They moved us around to different room every so often so felt that it wasn't a long wait.

@HibiscusIsland - I would definitely get your DD to log into UCAS or check her emails daily. You never know there could be an acceptance in there :-) DD has only heard from Nottingham & Sheffield Hallam so far - waiting on Loughorough, Sheffield & York. Good luck :-)

I will after her exams this week. Just thinking if she got a rejection it might dishearten her. She could have already had one but prefer just to tell me of any offers. I did ask her yesterday if replies come by email so it may have reminded her to check. Might be harder to get in this year due to covid deferrals which is a shame for them

Thanks for the good luck wishes and good luck to your dc and well done on the Notts offer

And Sheffield hallam

@Alsoplayspiccolo - I've been in the same dilemma with cold symptoms, but DD and DH have also had colds and we have tested negative by LFT throughout so I decided not to PCR. DH did PCR yesterday because he had a colleague test positive on Mon and they had been working together unmasked on Friday but there is a walk in test place close to here so it's fairly easy for us.

Sorry so many are suffering with colds etc, this is my second this winter and I normally get maybe one every two years if that.

Lovely hearing about all the concerts and performances.

I've been talking to friends my age about driving too, we are all starting to find in our 50s that our night vision isn't as sharp as it once was, I have had to start wearing glasses with a very mild prescription on top of my contact lenses for night driving and it makes a huge difference (if I had the contacts at full strength I wouldn't be able to read in them). I've always been a fairly confident motorway driver but agree that the M25 is a whole extra level of complexity.