Thread 31 Covid Cohort - Hopping through Easter and Revision

[OrangeCinnamonCroissant]

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 threads 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 will continue.

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.

previous Thread 30

I've made this one a little bit earlier as things are so busy, at home and on thread, so please feel free to use up previous thread first

DS has done a revision timetable & stuck it to the wall above his desk.
Keeping the motivation going is a struggle though. He's having a short acting ADHD pill in the evening in addition to his morning one, so he can focus better. Otherwise he literally sleeps. He's very capable of focusing & playing for hours on online games with his friends though. Work is a different matter. He spoke to his psychology teacher about what topics to revise yesterday. They did a new topic just before the holidays & he's been told to leave that, as they will revise it when back.

My dad does psychology with him every 3 days on the phone. Retired doctor who used to lecture students. Yesterday the lesson included current affairs & history... so Ds was pissed off. Every so often I have to have words with my dad.

It's DS's 18th in 16 days time. He doesn't know what he wants (his laptop is very slow but it's such a faff to get a new one), he's not a gamer or into tech or clothes. He's got a school euphonium which he doesn't need to give back... sigh.

It's all going to be a bit miserable. Grandparents almost certainly won't appear as we are seeing them this Friday already. Other set I Scotland will probably send a voucher and my DM doesn't even know how old I am , let alone the DCs!!

I still resent lack of fuss for my 21st but he seems unbothered (or says he is). It's hard when mates are gifted cars!

@Piggywaspushed - we went with a gym membership - something like that?

Yesterday a maths paper got done - hurrah and today is double tutoring anyway so I'm just taking it a day at a time tbh. Nowhere near 4 hours though.

@Piggywaspushed is he into music at all? AirPods are a good investment. Or tickets to an event he would enjoy - music/sport/whatever. Apple MacBooks are expensive but worth it if they also have an iPhone as everything syncs. I know he doesn’t go out but would he like a meal out/other group activity (paint balling/high ropes etc) with friends if you gave him a lump sum towards it?

DD’s 18th is in half term so middle of exams. Hopefully she hasn’t forgotten that she’s already had tickets for Reading and Harry Styles at Wembley She’s not sure if friends will be up for losing a whole day’s revision at that point so she’s having a meal out in the evening with a few friends then inviting a larger number to go clubbing afterwards.

I don't think he would go to the gym. He goes running and plays football. Good suggestion though!

He isn't into music in that way and doesn't have an iPhone. So no to gigs etc. Boys can be so tricky if they don't have a 'hobby' that costs money. The trouble with sport tickets is you can't really get them massively in advance. Last year DS1 got cricket tickets for his birthday and then we couldn't go because of Covid :(

I have tried to suggest a meal with a couple of friends. Will suggest again...

Hire an astroturf pitch at somewhere like ‘Goals’ so a group of them can have a game of football? And then get some food together afterwards. Ds did that with his friends a few months back (not for his birthday, they just all chipped in and it didn’t cost too much). Out nearest Goals is located next to a place with loads of food outlets.

Trip to the cinema with friends if there’s something good out? Or a climbing wall place, if he and his friends are relatively active/adventurous?

Yeah, it's not so much the going out bit as the present. As you know, he never sees friends out of school and his school friends aren't sporty at all. I'll keep pondering that bit!
I thought about a smart watch but can't really see the point of them!

Maybe it'll be money towards a new laptop in the summer.

Yes, I was kind of thinking you could pay for a few of them to do something as his present, if you couldn’t think of something to give him! We’re lucky with ds in that he is heavy on things, they tend to break or he loses them and so he always needs something new! He’s currently lost an airpod down the leg of some equipment in the gym, broken his gaming chair and his headset isn’t working well…

Yes, that is DS1 territory! Always something broken...

Piggy is such a supportive teacher!
My attempts to offer a revision timetable was met with a scoff and 'I've got it covered mum'. But I don't see any evidence of any being done at all. Obviously none was done for the last week in Majorca.

I'm at working today and tomorrow, then I go down to meet Dh and Ds2 who have already gone down to our Dorset caravan, after a 1am flight return!, but Ds1 is staying home. My suggestions to him of trying to get some revision done this week seemed to fall on deaf ears.

If he goes running @piggywaspushed then a smart watch or fit bit or something might be good?

We always end up spending far too much on birthdays as dh and I both get stuff without consulting! But dd and ds are both into music, fitness, clothes etc so relatively easy to buy for. Dd had a macbook for sixth form but I'm wondering whether we can risk getting one for ds, with his history of not looking after things?!

I might look into a smartwatch type thing.

@Oblomov22 I totally agree. Piggy you really are an amazing teacher. We are very grateful to the revision PowerPoints you sent DD and for your support. Your son is also awesome doing all that revision with out you needing to nag him. Great news re bank account too.

DD started off with good intentions re revision but has been struck down with illness since she broke up last Friday so she is majorly behind however she needs to be well to do it so we're going with the flow. I've also been under par too so think the end of term-itus has struck me too. Still showing negative on LFT though so actually wondering if it's more hayfever related.

Enjoy your Dorset break 0blomov. We often go away to Devon and pass though a lot of Dorset on the way and it's beautiful. Whereabouts are you staying?

AofC, Blandford. We've stored our caravan there for 15 years, so near to Weymouth, Poole etc. we go for both May bank holidays and 3 or 4 other times. So cheap!

Sad to say that DD seems to be procasting too.. Has been revising but always during the evening and is wasting time during the day. She is starting to worry me a little now tbh - but she seems happy with what she has done/doing...

I agree re Piggy - you obviously give a lot of time and support to your students and they are lucky to have you.

Maybe an escape room, Piggy?

DS told me yesterday that he would like to suggest an Apple Watch as his going away to university present

Thanks for tips, and kind words.

Yesterday we drove past an escape room. He showed mild interest...

Blimey, I blink and there's a new thread already!

WE had exavtly this problem with DS's 18th a few months ago @Piggywaspushed, in fact I did discuss it on here too. We ended up doing the 0-18 years photo book, which took bloody ages but was appreciated. Went out for a family meal, sent him £30 to get Dominos in at school with a friend in boarding and other than that just a few bits and bobs, sweets etc. Oh and a new football. HE didn't need any other sports stuff or tech. There were lots of helpful suggestions on here, if you can track back to the thread in mid Jan.

Oh yes, I remember that!

I used to be big on those scrapbooks - I did one for my mum one of the many times she got married and possibly one for my DSis's 21st or 18th... but I haven't been good at taking or keeping recent pictures digitally.

I used to be so much more crafty than I am now! I guess I had more energy, or perhaps the internet didn't distract me!

@Piggywaspushed you sound like such a treasure to your pupils ! Lucky to have you.

Dd has decided now is a good time for a new (20 year old) boyfriend and asking for 'overnight stays' . She sat down to do some revision at the kitchen table and gave up within the hour to call him to get him to take her for tea at wetherspoons

Started shouting at me when I asked if she'd quite finished what she started . I'm so annoyed , not about the revision (her funeral) but at the way she thinks it OK to speak to me. Grrrrr

Lots of revision going on here with both DS1 and DS2. Too much to be honest and when you tell them to have breaks it falls on deaf ears. To those that have done student finance DS still hasn't firmed yet so where it asks where you are going to study can you put down any of your choices and do you have up until results day to change this?

Piggy, my Ds didn't really want anything and it was a bit more low key than I maybe would've wanted.

He had his brace off today. Pleased with results.

@OrangeCinnamonCroissant - totally get you. DD muttered fuck off earlier when I asked if she was going to do any revision today? She is currently in the front room doing zoga.