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

@icanbewhatiwant the amount of people who have had the same or similar experiences is incredible. I think in my case it was based on jealousy that my DM had chosen me and my sister (the youngest two) to do this over them, they thought they were more special to her than any of the rest of us. That and plain greed.

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn MIL chose DH because he lived on the farm with us, they lived in Australia. The sisters were furious when they gave him power of attorney too. But how could they pay bills and sign cheques etc. from Australia? We will try to leave things fairly for our dc's. But there's bound to be arguments. I've already said DH's older 2 dc's think it's not fair already.

@icanbewhatiwant yes DM asked us to be POA for her money and medical care too but she passed away before it could be processed. I imagine it would have been much worse from those siblings if that had come to fruition. Your MIL had very sound reasons for doing what she did, as did my DM, but sadly some people will always look for the nasty side - it says a lot about them. I hope your DH doesn't dwell on it too much, I have tried to put it right at the back of my thoughts as otherwise you can't move on with your own peace of mind.

I hope most people managed a great family Christmas.

We decided on our first Christmas never to do Christmas Day with either set of parents or our siblings.

We focussed the day on our children and us. We work hard all year and Christmas Day should be relaxed. Never regretted it x

BTW all families have bullies, drama queens or jealous types etc; everyone has dysfunctional elements to their families … DH family took 5 years to come out where as the bonkers ones in mine were there from the beginning. Don’t believe the Social media posts of blissful perfect families 😂😂

Compliments of the season to everyone. I have no idea whether I've posted on this particular thread already but the title looks very new to me...although seeing as it's 16 pages long there's every chance might have . Anyways, hope everyone had a jolly Christmas? I don't imagine there's been any new offers over the Xmassy days.

Hope everyone is well and those who aren't are recovering. I may have had Omicron but not sure as our testing kit at home seems to have expired and didn't work. I've had aching vocal cords for weeks now, now (yes, I've done a bit of shouting but not to the extent of not been able to open my jaw). Rest seems to help but as soon as I get into conversation again I get the same aching sensation on both sides that means, 'Shut up!' and a funny chest tightness, that feels very familiar (childhood asthma). Nevertheless, I managed to whip up a sumptuous Xmas lunch etc.
It's still a miracle none of us have contracted Covid yet (aside from what I said above).

DS is studying like mad for mocks straight after new yr and has tons of work, still battling EPQ and Core Maths!

I decided to begin uni shopping as ds1's uni shopping in a space of 3 weeks was exhausting. I will shop a little every month until the summer and see what's left if anything but I don't want the big old 'NOW LET'S GO DO UNI SHOPPING!' ifyswim.

Congratulations to all those who squeezed in some offers before Xmas eve or after Xmas. Roll on 2022!

Hi all. Hope everyone had a nice Christmas & anyone who was ill is making a good recovery.

I know it is a bit early to be thinking about it, but having some time off has given me the chance to start fretting about a few things.... one of which is student finance.

From what I can gather, it will be the 20/21 tax year which will be taken into account for parents income but you can ask for the current tax year (21/22) to be used if your income drops by more than 15%. Does anyone know what the situation is if the family income drops after that, ie in the 22/23 tax year, when they will actually will be starting? Will they agree to recalculate or would you have to make do with the initial assessment for that year?

Without divulging too much, worst case scenario is that one of our salaries disappears around May, so in the new tax year.

Hope you all had a good Christmas, despite Covid, families etc etc.

DS has just tested positive for Covid, after spending Christmas with my parents 😱 The rest of us are negative for now. He hasn't been anywhere apart from grandparents since 22nd so goodness knows where he's picked it up from. Poor thing will now miss celebrating New Year and his 18th 😭 If I test positive now I'll miss my (big) birthday too. Any ideas on how to make an isolated 18th special?

@Decorhate

Hi all. Hope everyone had a nice Christmas & anyone who was ill is making a good recovery.

I know it is a bit early to be thinking about it, but having some time off has given me the chance to start fretting about a few things.... one of which is student finance.

From what I can gather, it will be the 20/21 tax year which will be taken into account for parents income but you can ask for the current tax year (21/22) to be used if your income drops by more than 15%. Does anyone know what the situation is if the family income drops after that, ie in the 22/23 tax year, when they will actually will be starting? Will they agree to recalculate or would you have to make do with the initial assessment for that year?

Without divulging too much, worst case scenario is that one of our salaries disappears around May, so in the new tax year.

I think for 2022 starters the tax year details to be used are the current? 21-22? You can apply for an 'in year assessment' as long as you keep student finance up to date www.gov.uk/support-child-or-partners-student-finance-application/current-year-income

@alsoplayspiccolo and everyone else experiencing family 'issues' so sorry to read this. I have had great comfort over the years from Mumsnet on the stately homes types thread. Even just a help to read about other dysfunctional families. All we can do is get on with our little family units and maintain self-respect by doing what we believe is right. It is very hard sometimes

Oh gosh @mummyinbeds I would be tempted to say make it a day.full of treats /fave fois etc with the promise of another actual date to properly celebrate.

@mummyinbeds

Hope you all had a good Christmas, despite Covid, families etc etc.

DS has just tested positive for Covid, after spending Christmas with my parents 😱 The rest of us are negative for now. He hasn't been anywhere apart from grandparents since 22nd so goodness knows where he's picked it up from. Poor thing will now miss celebrating New Year and his 18th 😭 If I test positive now I'll miss my (big) birthday too. Any ideas on how to make an isolated 18th special?

Oh that's rubbish , I'll get my thinking cap on. What sort of things is he into? What would he have done if he didn't have Covid?

@sofakingcool he had planned to go out with a group of friends on NYE, a meal with family on NYD and out for a meal and a legal beer with friends on the 2nd (his birthday) He definitely won't be blowing out the candles on our joint birthday cake.
It's a rubbish date for a birthday anyway so maybe we'll choose a different day like the Queen.

Sorry to hear that @mummyinbeds, really unlucky. If he is into gaming you could get him a new game and the isolation becomes a great excuse not to leave his gaming chair! I think I would be finding nice activities for whatever it is that excites him, but the official birthday on another day is a great plan - he gets two special days instead of one, and the first is just a bit restricted.

That’s rubbish mummyinbeds, what about one of those virtual escape rooms? I’d definitely have another day after when he’s out of isolation.

DD still testing very faintly positive and no more LTF tests to be had at the moment so am posting some to her. She sounding really fed up now as there’s 2 of them holed up in one room. The final person to visit their house just before first person tested positive has now tested positive so that’s 8 now .

Ah I'm so sorry to hear that @mummyinbeds, my DS2 missed his birthday celebrations, it wasn't a big birthday but he was still gutted so I really feel for you both.

@Volterra the shortage of LFTs is areal problem isn't it? One family who spent Christmas Day with us had tested positive, so we are testing if we go out, but down to the last box and with 4/5 in the household that will be fine on a flash and we won't be able to test. I haven't seen any in the chemists for over a week now, don't know how to find them! I did discover a couple of weeks ago that if you want to order by post you need to do it shortly after midnight, so will set myself an alarm for that tonight.

Grrrr, typing, will be GONE in a flash

That’s really rubbish @mummyinbeds I would move the birthday celebrations to the following weekend or later in the month. As someone who also has a birthday around then I agree it is not a great time of year at the best of times with so much else going on.

But obviously cake & nice treats on the day itself.

The most common question on our local Fb groups this week is "have any pharmacies got LFTs". We were lucky because DS brought home a box from school with all his boarding stuff at the end of term, but I was also able to order them online yesterday morning and last week. DBIL who is a postman says they are delivering masses of them.

I hear you on the LFT shortage. I was able to order some, after the chemists had been out for a week, on the Wednesday before Christmas. They haven't arrived yet...

We had a Christmas miracle and discovered a box from school that hadn't been used, so we've been just about OK, but haven't been able to test everybody in the household and only testing when we're meeting up with people.

We have three tests left for 4 people, so hoping the postie will deliver my ordered box before 11, when I have to leave to visit my brother and his family...

Very sorry to hear about your DS mummyinbeds, I would just do a straight postponement and try to have a good day at home in the meantime with presents, cake and whatever indoor entertainment he fancies.

I'm sorry to hear about the birthdays being spoiled too @mummyinbeds. My two have got their 16th and 18th coming up soon just when peak Omicron is predicted, we're not making too many plans ATM.

LTF’s a huge nightmare. We managed to order some yesterday by post , hopefully DD’s will arrive soon. I found the local FB group though and she has posted on there and a lovely lady has said she has some. Just need to be able to get hold of the person who can pick them up but if not I’ll see if a taxi will .

I think the ordering online situation is possibly a bit better now. Hopefully a lot of pharmacies will get new supplies in now Bank holiday over. As you say *Monkey’, a family of 4 or 5 get through them in no time. Really hope you all stay negative.

mummyinbeds, it's my birthday on the 2nd too, and yes, itś the worst day to have a birthday, even without covid!
I'd treat the actual day like a lockdown birthday, so order in a takeaway, glass of something alcoholic etc and then celebrate properly after isolation has finished.
Really hope your DS doesn't feel ropey, and that you don't test positive.

Those that have had the non-Stop cold thing - how long did it go on for?
It's been 2 weeks since I started feeling unwell. I was getting better until last night, when I started to feel pretty awful again; sinus pain, stuffy nose, fatigue, hot etc. This morning, I feel like I'm at the start of it again.

Hi everyone, I hope you all had a lovely Christmas or at least limited exposure to the more toxic elements of your families! I’m sure we all have some stories to tell, but that doesn’t make dealing with it any easier. Sympathies to all dealing with that.
So we had a really nice time with all of us, my sister and family and aged, rather confused mum over - plus an American early 20s who has got stuck in the UK. 13 for lunch, 12 staying. But I came down with the streaming cold so many have on Christmas Day night, which felled me on Boxing Day and 27th. So much snot. Feeling better now but coughing away. Have done 2x daily clear lateral flows and am sure it isn’t covid - feels just like a cold. I also had a bad cold 2 weeks ago so am sure that I have had my quota! Make it stop!
Really sorry to hear about those with lockdown birthdays. That’s tough.