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 I just popped over to a thread of parents of adult children and they were all saying it didn’t get better! Nooo!

Im tearing my hair out with ds, he called at 11 last night (I was waiting to see when to collect him from the station) and he said he was staying over at his friend’s house. Except the 3 of them decided to roam around the city centre (I’m not sure when til - struggling to get an accurate account from him) and then ended up in a 24 hour gym until morning, when they then decided to ride around on the trains a bit. He had no sleep and he wasn’t where we thought he was. He can’t understand the issue at all?! 😩 He’s not even quite 16 yet although his friends are. I know the ADHD is part of it (he admits he’s constantly seeking excitement) but I can’t get through to him.

@crazycrofter that is terrifying. All you can do with a child like this is hope that the safety messages have gone in and try to channel the thrill seeking. You seem like exactly the right parent for your 2 fiercely independent children. Im sure they will both do you proud.

@crazycrofter not surprised you are pulling your hair out. My Grandad apparently used to say the bigger the child the bigger the problem, he definitely has a point. Hopefully at some point what you are saying will eventually sink in.

@Oblomov22 We're looking at the same figures as you but it's self catering. Catered would be another £2k so £8k+. Notts looks amazing value. He's hoping for Durham Stephenson. @NCTDN all expensive up there. Even his insurance of Sheffield seems to be £5k - £6k.

@Zebracat I hope you get sorted soon.

@crazycrofter The teen brain... at least they have the sense to stay together as a group the whole time. The worry levels as mum though must be draining.

So DS made it to Paris, albeit with numerous phone calls about which metro/bus/train to get. They managed to book a hotel about an hour from the centre and really awkward to get to. Maybe next time he'll ask for advice - l love a bit of holiday planning 😁 I'm telling myself he's an adult and a few disasters will be good for him

Meanwhile DD is now in Ghana having survived an overnight transit in Cairo, a night in Accra and a bus crash on the way to the village she's staying in today. No injuries but apparently her bus driver went straight into the back of another vehicle and they had to wait for four hours to be rescued 😯 She's sorted a sim card for her phone and got cash from a bank ( using my card as she was too young to have her own). Straight into volunteering in the morning.

@EwwSprouts Notts is only good value because we all persuaded our DS/DD's to book 31 week shared bathroom accomodation. It's actually £203 per week. 39 week rooms are up to 10k 😱

Blimey @mummyinbeds i hope you heard about all of that AFTER the event ! What a nightmare !

@mummyinbeds Bristol is 42 weeks!

And mummy your stress levels must be through the roof

@mummyinbeds I am in awe of your DD and her independent travel.
For DS the shortest option for halls is 38 weeks. Sympathy on 42 weeks @NCTDN

Eww my only consolation is that I assume they don't ever have to empty their room during the year...

@Benjispruce4 @NCTDN yes, she called this evening and was laughing on the phone. I'm more stressed about DS in Paris but at least he's close enough to rescue and his mobile phone plan works in Europe. And he can speak French which is apparently coming in handy.

Oh @mummyinbeds I wish you a good night’s sleep. Glad your DD is seemingly unrattled by it all.

@EwwSprouts I'm totally in awe of her bravery and sense of adventure. The most adventurous thing I did at the end of year 12 was go on a Club 18-30 holiday to Kavos at the age of 17 🤪

Wow @mummyinbeds ! Glad it all turned out well for them.

I think it takes a while to get your head round the massive rents students pay, often for rubbish properties. As someone who paid £660/year in Bristol 1987-89, which would be £1,410 now, it feels like both halls and private landlords are very greedy! Although the same rooms (Manor Hall, shared bathroom) are still only £4,389 in spite of great location. It just seems that most students expect en suite in halls, which is strange when very few would have that at home!

My DD is unsure how to feel after she eventually got to use her ID for the first time…. She was looking forward to get ID’d trying to order alcohol but instead she was accused of looking like a 15 year old when we let her put petrol in the car. DH was showing her what to do when someone came out and said you have to be 16 to use the pumps. My DH said she was 18 and said she had her ID if they wanted proof.
Now she’s worried she looks too young!

She’ll love that in a few years @BlueMarigold ! DD looks very young which has been a pain occasionally when travelling I think .

@Monkey2001 Bristol rents and house prices are pretty eye watering aren’t they. My cousin has decided to let the house her Mum lived in instead of selling so I looked at the rents they are going for . I knew they would be high but some were ridiculous.

That’s what we told her @Volterra

She’s made results days plans to go to Nando’s with her friends but other than that and going to a few parties, she’s just sleeping a lot and chilling out.

Ditto what Volterra said BM*; she really will be thanking her youthful looks in a few years time!

Apologies for the weird bold fail

@BlueMarigold dd is the same. Some ladies in a clothes shop the other day said she looked 14. They thought they were giving her a compliment but she was mortified!

DD was knocked off her bike recently and broke her fingers. Waiting in the queue outside A and E she was moaning about the likely wait time, when a lady came up to her and said under 16s have a different queue which is much shorter. DD thanked her but said she did not qualify as she was 22!!

Took DD for her covid booster the other day. It was a pop-up centre for over 18s only. One of the volunteers asked her age -ok 3 days past her 18th, so seemed reasonable. He was really surprised - said he thought she was about 13! DD was not impressed.

@Monkey2001 DD was in Durham and there was only one self catered college. All the rest for catered and her room which was NOT en-suite was between £7k-£8k.
DD2 won’t know which accommodation she’s got at York for a while but they vary from about £7kt8.5k!!! catered and self catered but some have en-suites.

@Seeline planning on taking DD but trying to pick best day as last two she was very tired for a day or two and she had lots of work shifts this week. Was it Moderna?