Thread 35 - Covid Cohort from GCSE 2020 'What They Did on Their Summer Holidays'

[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. 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

@Volterra you’ve certainly got a lot on your plate this month. Good luck!

Thank you 😊 Not great timing but I am getting excited about the move now and it is a great distraction from the results.

@Wheresthebeach @Monkey2001 I hope your dc are recovering well.

I also can’t believe it’s 2 weeks till results day. I also think it’s too hard to predict how it will go for ds2, even though he was fairly consistent in his school assessments & mocks.

Dh & I are still away. Ds2 is supposed to be looking after the cats & house. Slightly anxious about what we will find when we get back…

DS has decided to apply for overnight shelf stacking work at our nearest supermarket, a friend's DS the same age is doing it. So spent most of last night doing the online application, need to finish it this morning. His admin seems to be taking up a lot of time at the moment, he is getting all his DSA stuff ordered, has lots of emails about his two volunteer jobs too. I also need him to sort out his sports centre account, he tried to set one up last week and the computer said he already had one but it must have been from years ago, I went to a class there last night and asked and it had an old email address of mine attached to it so had it updated, he needs to do yet another password reset now.

Today DD and I are off to London to the theatre then we have a busy weekend, away to the Cotswolds to familiarise ourselves with where DS will be in Sept and we have just been given some Commonwealth Games tickets for Sat so trying to work out transport arrangements.

I just looked up Boots flu jabs for DS, they are taking bookings from 16 Sep if anyone wants their DC to have one before they go. DS will have gone by then so couldn't do it. This summer is flying past.

@EspeciallyDeIighted DD1 did that and it pays well.
DD2(18) despite getting second bar job, hasn’t been given any shifts this week so it’s 5hrs at job one in Saturday only this week. I can’t stand these zero hours contracts!

Tomorrow, for some complex reasons I am
taking XHs wife’s dog over to her parents about 2 hours away. Have got DS to agree to come with me so that (a) we can share the driving (b) there will be someone to look after the dog in the car (c) he can (finally) do some motorway driving and (d) I can hassle him about what he’s planning to do to earn some money as he won’t be able to escape.

That sounds like a very noble deed, Miranda. I’m assuming you have a good relationship with your XH, which seems to be quite a rare thing.
A good friend of mine’s DH had an affair and subsequently left her without warning and went on to marry the OW. In the 8 years since he left, he has refused to speak to my friend in person; when he collects and drops their DCs, he stays in the car.
My friend went on to get together with an ex work colleague who was in a very long term live-in relationship. The dumped partner was devastated at the time, but my friend and her new partner now look after the dumped partner’s dog when she goes on holiday. 😀

Id like to think I could be a reasonable human being if DH and I ever split up…but I have a horrible feeling I’d turn into a bitter and twisted old crone. 😳

That sounds less than fun @mirandwest !

We split up when the DC were 7 and 5 and so it’s been a while now. XHs wife was the OW but tbh it was more painful before we split up - once we had it became easier.

Both of us wanted to try and make it as easy as possible for the children and so although it’s not always been easy we have remained amicable.

At the moment XH and his wife have some truely awful things to do with her daughter going on and I’m glad I can do something that is helping just a little bit.

@CinnamonOrangeCremeBrulee i have to admit it wasn’t how I was planning to use the day off I’ve got on Friday!

Boast. Ds1- 15,000 jump from aeroplane.

Just popping to wave and keep on the thread. We've been away out of the country for the first time in three years so that was lovely. trying not to think abut the fact it's only two weeks to results.

I spoke to an A level marker earlier this week by coincidence, I was almost ready to get my wallet out until they told me the subjects they mark.. 😂

@Oblomov22 yikes! Is your DS the one who boxes too? Likes to keep your life exciting!

DS1 should be coming out of hospital today after 3 nights in hospital. I think it has been a useful experience for a medical student to see how it feels to be a patient! I did a dog walk with a GP friend this morning who told me that lots of young people (under 25) die from asthma attacks and that it can escalate very quickly. I am very much of the mindset that we just get on with things, DS1 has only ever been to hospital for broken wrist before so I think I was complacent. I am very glad we didn't leave it any longer before going in to A&E.

Pleased to hear that Monkey.

Yes ds1 did box, but isn't anymore. I'm pleased he's done something big, jump, off bucket list. Sad he hasn't gone travelling though.

Wow @Oblomov22 that’s so brave! Not for me, don’t do heights or anything risky for that matter.
Great news @Monkey2001 . I lost a work colleague to an asthma attack age 22. I’m a first aider at school and don’t take any chances.

I hadn't caught up with everyone but so glad to hear your DS is OK @Monkey2001

I'm thinking of signing myself up. I haven't anything else on my bucket list for my 50th in Jan 23. I've struggled to find anything to put on my list. I've done all the things I wanted to do. Gone to all the places I particularly wanted to go. Tallinn was my last place and I'm going in September with my mum. My mum is so sweet, 75, but we realised in the summer that I haven't been on holiday as an adult, with her since Uni, so we decided to put it right! and because she's so well travelled we struggled to find a place neither of us had gone.

If you have any suggestions of things to add to my bucket list, I'm all ears.

Have you done a Nile cruise? We did one years ago and it was one of the most fascinating holidays.
On my list is this or similar www.boardwalklodge.com/whale-watching/

@Monkey2001 Pleased to hear you have your DS back home soon. 3 days is a long stay for a teen!

Good to hear his on his way home Monkey.

Wow Oblomov, good on you. I do not have an Adrenalin rush gene in my body, DH is not much better. DD must have picked up hers from the stork.

He’s 🙄

Wishing all with injuries and illnesses a speedy recovery! 💐
DD is severely sloshed off with Quizlet!
On one hand, yes, she’s used it for free for years but on the other hand it’s her ‘ vocab sets’ that she’s complied herself and now in order to use them she’ll have to pay- rather than watch advertising adverts etc… 😱

That’s annoying @ProggyMat . There’s no way she can download them?

Glad ds is home @Monkey2001 , hope he’s fully recovered soon.

Dd has managed to get an interview for a job at Maccies tomorrow before she goes away again. She’ll be back on Thursday so hopefully she gets the job and can do a few shifts over the rest of the holidays.

Oh no I’m so sorry to hear this. How worrying for you all and hugely disappointing for her. All my sympathies.

Monkey also v sorry to hear about your DS but glad he is out of hospital and doing well.

I’m on holiday abroad - first long holiday (2.5 weeks!) with DH and no kids for 25 years. I can’t believe how relaxing it is! Have left boys in charge of house and animals and I am afraid to say that within 4 days we had 2 chickens fewer than we did when we left…. RIP. Not locked up properly. They are mortified.