Thread 34 Covid Cohort - Heat 'Waving' DC to final exams and drinking more

[OrangeCinnamonCroissant]

...water

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. It's all relative!

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 continue down various pathways ( employment, apprenticeships, higher ed) We have decided for anyone interested they will find a thread within the Further Ed board.

Possibly a move to Parent of Adult Children Board in future? Post Results?

Previous Thread

I tested positive on Monday and DD has banished me to my bedroom. She doesn't want to miss her prom tomorrow or the trip away next with her friends. I am bored out of my mind.
DD doesn't want to spend much money for the prom. Her dress comes from Vinted and the shoes were £25. She wants to do her own hair and makeup. I'm quite happy with that! She had her last event at school today in a form of Price giving and they got to pick up their hoodies and yearbooks. School is done😊

So the time has come for DD to go off on her 1st foreign holiday with her friends and no parents.. Got to admit to being a tad on the nervous side. It's a nice 1st step as staying in one of her 10 friends parents villa/apartment usually sleeps 6 but for this week will be 10... Thankfully DD cancelled her plans to go out this evening (cancelled at around 4.45 when due out 6.15) as she hadn't finished packing (no sh*t Sherlock) I did mention it wasn't a good idea to go out, they are leaving at 3.30am so is now going to stay at friends house as her parents are driving them. I think she has everything ready (yes I've done the majority of it for her, but have pointed out what needed doing and how etc so she has learnt something at least).

I got her a Post Office prepaid card in the end, she can use it on the app and apple pay. Also got Euros and she has her natwest card for emergencies.

She is only taking handluggage but it's been a struggle to fit it all in (bag ok but was just over 10kg. Can also take a handbag thank fully so all liquids will go in there in small clear bottles - sun cream, make up, face cream, make up, body stuff, make up - not really sure what it all is but there is a lot....

Have checked she has insurance through my bank account, printed out details for her, she has passport, boarding pass. Covid pass. Latest from her room was yea, bag now right weight. Friend has agreed to take a pair of her sandals so all good to go. No idea how often she will contact us - I would like to know she has arrived but that could well be it for the week... Will be interesting to see, will give me a clue re uni I guess :-)

Rites of Passage @Heifer . We get ours from the airport at 1.30 tonight. Nothing went wrong and they had a lovely time. She contacted us mor3 than usual, cos her friends were, so you might be surprised.

@Heifer isn't the total liquid allowance 100ml?!

Latest update - DD has just realised she has been reading the scales incorrectly. Her bag actually weighs 10 lbs not kgs (hand scales with a dial so it was an easy mistake to make for about 5 mins but she says she has wasted 5 hrs trying to get it down to 10 kg (lbs) I have to laugh (as is she)...

Sorry to hear you have covid @Hattifatteners hope you're on the road to recovery.

@Zebracat yes exciting times - wish I was going tbh (not with DD and her friends) but you know what I mean. Glad your DD was ok and you're picking her up later, hope no delays etc.

Ignore the 100ml thing - it's a total of one lie but not more than 100ml in each.
Love the kg/lb confusion

Well done to your girl @Zebracat and fingers crossed for yours @Heifer ! Love the weights mix up 😂😂. DD’s passport still hasn’t arrived so she’s thinking of a holiday in September now.

I took dd out in the car for the first time earlier. Well, I did it back in January once, which terrified me so didn’t do it again and wasted £150 insurance. She was a bit better this time once we’d got over her stalling multiple times whilst trying to drive off - took me about ten minutes to realise she was in neutral!

I’m trying to get my head round food and entertainment for DD’s family 18th do on Saturday. I hate catering for more than 4, I’m just not good at working out amounts. There will be 18 of us. How much pizza/how many samosas and Indian snacks? And what else can I do that’s nice and easy?! Plus I think I need to write a quiz..

Thanks @Heifer, it will pass.
Your DD's trip sounds exciting. First independent trips can be bit nerve wrecking for us parents. Luckily DD is only going to the British seaside. Although she is very sensible and would be fine with travelling abroad too.

Mummy sounds delish

If you eat pork A 'naice ham'? big bowl of coronation chicken? Roasted vegetables and cous cous ?
Sides - Garlic naan...lots of it cut up. Crudités with Tzatki (sp), because that also goes really well with Indian snacks. Wedges or cheats roast potatoes with a nice spice mixture.

Or add a couple of chinese style dishes, Cocktail sausages cooked and tossed in honey, soy and sesame, spring rolls prawn crackers with a dip (cream cheese and sweet chicken sauce my fave).

I would stick to no more than five mains , two portions if each per person being generous.

I'm hungry now ...

Sweet chilli not sweet chicken.

@crazycrofter it is difficult to advise other people for parties, but if people can have plates and knives/forks. jacket potatoes with a selection of fillings and salads is a nice easy one which can suit all eating requirements. Unless you order pizzas in I find it difficult getting it all ready at the same time. Strawberries and cream always a good one in June and I do homemade shortbread with it.

DS has his prom tomorrow. He and his dad finally went and got him a suit yesterday 😂 . It had to be ordered and arrived today. He is very proud of it. And his shiny shoes.

He’s been prancing around the house in it and trying to learn how to tie a tie. He also had a hair cut today - first one since original lockdown.

House is still chaotic. Have taken the day off tomorrow to try and get ready for our holiday to New York (go down to Heathrow on Saturday then fly Sunday morning). We are currently nowhere near but hopefully will be nearer soon 😂

Thanks @OrangeCinnamonCroissant and @Monkey2001 , some great ideas to work with! Dd had requested garlic naan too.

Good luck with the prom and trip to NY @MirandaWest ! I always leave things til the left minute too!

NY will be great whatever you pack @MirandaWest and if you forget something, all the more reason to go shopping😁

Ds has his prom today too. Ds1 is currently in New York. I just text him as I can see online he's still up. He's drunk and in a club apparently, it's 1am there. It's his first time away (without us or school) ds2 is saying he wants to go abroad this summer. But nothing arranged yet.

Prom tonight here too. Just left DD at home writing cards to all her teachers plus lots of others. She’s used up all the present bags I’ve been saving all these years!!!

DD has her prom tomorrow and I've just realised she doesn't have any sort of suitable bag/purse, she's a jeans and hiody type of girl. I guess they do need one for their phone, lipstick etc. Shopping again 🤦‍♀️

Any advice on prom bags? Do they all use them? Clutch v strappy? Strappy spoil the look of dresses but keep your hands free. It’s only a small prom, don’t need to worry about it going AWOL.

You can get ones that are both

like this

Metallic or colour of shoes would be good choice. Can quite often be found in charity shops. My experience is clutches are more popular, especially if they had claws done (Dd favours the claw nail look ...makes me shudder lol).

Hope they all have fun at proms tonight. It does make me wish DS wanted to go and was going.

DS has a trip to Magaluf booked 🙄 but not until august. I remember being so pleased when I picked DS1 and friends up from the airport after their Magaluf trip, they were all alive! One tattoo but otherwise unmarked! Pretty sure DS2 won’t come home with a tattoo at least but I think it’ll be an eye opener for him 😬

Dd got one a bit like the one in @OrangeCinnamonCroissant post - she called it a clutch but it has that sort of chain style strap too. Definitely needed for phone if nothing else!

Loving all the summer of fun, prom and travel plans. Isn't it wonderful to see them blossoming further?

DS had prom last night. He and his close friends are not party animals but they went for pre drinks and prom was "good". I was surprised that quite a few teachers were in attendance but school had made the booking.

Prom tomorrow here. Yes to the type of bag described by @OrangeCinnamonCroissant . DD got hers from Amazon. She needs to spend today finding her bedroom as boyfriend is staying over after prom. It's still covered in revision with clothes everywhere!

In other news, it's DHs final day in his current job after being made redundant. He has a new one which he doesn't start until September. He has plans for spending the summer sorting the house - it really hasn't had much done to it for several years as we didn't like disturbing the DCs during GSCEs/A levels so needs a lot doing. Personally I'd like to have some decent family time - it's probably our last real chance.