ELEVENSES HERE *****************************************************************************************

[MaryAnnSingleton]

think we've been deleted,so shall we put ourselves here in other subjects ?
Sleepless night fretting about T and loos and lunches at big school - how neurotic am I ?!

that sounds a good morning hotcross !

If we decide on Farnham then I can send you directions to the Waitrose car park...there's a Maison Blanc nearby and there's a lovely chocolate shop with a cafe

Waitrose in Farnham I reckon I can do
Don't worry about meeting me hotcross, but thanks for the offer

Glad to hear your new friend is so nice - it is always great when you meet someone who you just 'click' with.

Dh has just gone to collect O and E. We have to be back at school for 4.40 for O's parent's eve appointment. Feel a bit nervous and apprehensive.....

am sure it'll be fine (parent's thing ) hippi !

Parent's evening was fine. Teacher did that thing where she started by saying 'where do I start' which immediately put me in a panic.
But all is well.
She said he is a lovely boy and a great character. She emphasized the 'character' thing several times. She said he is very funny and loves his music. (He keeps reading dh's CD collection to bring CD's in for her to play in class) She said he is very sociable but chats too much. And his handwriting is too messy - she gave us a different type pen and some letter formation worksheets.
Oh, and he chats too much.
She said he is doing well in Maths, but he chats too much.
In Literacy his reading is fantastic, but his writing (story strucure etc) lets him down. And he chats too much.
She also said he has a very scientific mind. Which surprised me because in all his end of year tests/assesments he has been marekd below average for Science. She said that was probably more to do with his problems in report writing than with the actual aptitude for science. But she said he is very enthusiastic about Science and keeps asking good questions and showing her things.
She said he is very very intelligent and it is his lack of writing ability which holds him back. She said if we could get what was in his brain onto paper he would be performing at a very high level academically
So I am very pleased.

There was an Usbourne book stall in the hall and we let him chose a book as a reward. He chose 'true stories from the First World War'. History is rapidly becoming a passion.

I love now that he is older that certain topics at school are becoming favourites.

Anyroad, better go and put the small people to bed

reading CD collection should of course be raiding!!

well I think that sounds pretty good hippi- he's doing really,really well and the getting stuff down on paper seems to be the only thing to work on...clever old O !
Bless him for chatting so much, but that's part of his charm

Thanks MAS I know, the chatting thing has always been an issue with him. But his exercise books were full of 'please finish this' and 'you must work faster' comments. He just chats too much, and when he is not chatting he faffs around. He is the master of procrastination!
It is nice to be told he is intelligent, up until Y4 he was always in the bottom sets for everything and parent's evening always consisted of a lovely character report where I would be told how nice he was, and then they would tell me he was underperforming in x, y, z.

Now I need to find out how to work on the whole 'putting what is in his head onto paper' thing. Any idea where I would start?

oh dear, I don't really have advice on that bit ! T sometimes doesn't get work finished,particularly if it's maths where he gets stuck on things and won't go on to try other questions until he's sorted out the one he's stuck on. Other subjects seem fine..he is quite a writer anyway..just quieter in class than other children so doesn't really join in discussions etc,which I think is a shame...crikey, it's either one or the other,isn't it ! It does sound as though O is finding his feet and will blossom further I'm sure. It's so hard not to fret about everything though.
Am in a mild tizz about T going off tomorrow to Marchant's Hill...he's off to school at normal time as they leave at 11, so will have to cart in his bag/sleeping bag etc..

Oh MAS, don't worry He will be just fine, adn he will really enjoy it
He won't have to take part in abseiling if he does not want to, my friend's dd enjoyed archery and rifle shooting the most at Marchants Hill

How many nights will he be away for? It is a bit rough they are doing it over the weekend - it must make the house seem even emptier for you.

it's only 1 night [pathetic emoticon] but do you know,we've never been apart since he was born...although when he was born he was stuck in special care for a few days, but we were in the same building !!

Awwwww, that first time is hard...
O's first time was at my friend K's house when he was in Y3. And that was because the Y3 school trip was for 2 nights.
He was fine, loved it in fact. I think I found it harder.
His Y4 school trip was 3 nights. That was too long! Luckily PGL in April is only 2 nights....

How does T feel about it?

Gosh that's come round fast. I'm sure he'll be absolutely fine, and will hopefully come home having made some really good friends. We didn't do residential away things with school until I was about 15, it's much better to start them a bit younger IMO, so it's not a huge deal and they don't go quite so mad being away from parental supervision. I really hope T has a lovely lovely time.

What are your plans while he's away? It's much harder for the family left behind I should think...

Hippi, it sounds like O is doing well at school. He's clearly able, and the school will work out how to channel his energy and chattiness(or at least, they should)so that he achieves to his ability. The 'putting what's in his head onto paper' thing is tricky. Did the teacher have any ideas or suggestions?

We've got parents evening next week - should be interesting. It's the first one with older children in the class, so we'll see how B is coping

I'm taking B to the Dr tonight. Her ballet teacher has noticed she doesn't walk on the outer edges of her feet, and wants her to have some insoles in her shoes. She said it would be a shame not to sort it as 'she has talent' I'm not convinced it'll be easy to get B in to the surgery, she's adamant she doesn't want to go!

Oh hotcross, good luck with the doctors' tonight. And well done to B for having ballet talent She is a star!!

I am very keen to have a parent's evening with E's teacher. I would love to know exactly how she is getting on. She seems fine but a bit frustrated by the lack of actual work. For instance, yesterday she brought a sheet of paper home which contained questions (with possible answers written at the bottom so it was a 'fil the gap' exercise) about the slave Harriet Tubman. E tells me she has been told the story about Harriet. I asked her did she have to fill in the gaps in the exercise. She said no, that bit was for Y2, all Y1 had to do was draw a picture. So she scribbled a picture and then proceeded to do the Y2 exercise without any problems and in 5 minutes flat. I did not let her take it to the teacher, it is still here on the sideboard...
I guess there is a disadvantage to being one of the older children in the year....
Never mind, as long as she enjoys school...

about filling in the gaps being for Year 2! I get so cross when children are supposed to be a certain way, purely based on age. If E can do it, then E must be allowed to do it. I understand that some children aren't able to do it, but there will be a huge difference in ability across the class, and the teacher's job is to differentiate the work accordingly. Well done E

Realised it sounded like I was boasting about B and the ballet. I didn't mean to - was just explaining the trip to the Drs - but I agree, she is a star

I think all our dcs are lovely. All so talented in different ways - just goes to show why Sats and league tables don't really paint a true picture!

Must go and hang the washing out!

You were not boasting at all, and I did not read it as such!! It is brilliant she does something which she enjoys adn is good at That is what we all want for our dc
E is definately not the dancing type. She tried both ballet and disco dancing but has given up on both. I have not yet found her sport/activity, but iirc it was not until O was in Y3 that his love for drama/acting emerged adn we put him into drama club.
She is quite good at swimming, but not outstandingly good. But she enjoys it and is not afraid of jumping in at the 3m end etc, so that is a good thing

Right, better go and get the munchkins, and guess what; it has started raining.... [groan]

hey clever old E ! agree with hotcross there.
Hope visit to doctor is ok too - of course we didn't think you were boasting about B's ballet prowess - you should be proud and you are allowed to say these things anyway
T hasn't said anything about Marchant's Hill really - I presented it as a fait accompli in the first place ( though they could choose to go or not, we felt he should) but he hasn't expressed any anxieties about staying away from home or the activities. It's such a short time away that we haven't thought of anything to do - I think dh wants me to accompany him to opticians on Saturday morning as he's thinking of choosing some new specs

matter of fact is the way to go... I don't think we asked O if he wanted to go on the Y3 trip - there was such a brilliant programme of activities all to do with the Romans which they were learning about in school that we felt he should go.

They both came out of school happy, but O has just said he prefers staying in teh classroom with Mrs T during playtime as he likes to talk to her about science or history. Verrrry odd for a boy who loves running around....
I tried to ask in a roundabout way if any children were being unkind at playtime but he is adament all is well. Maybe he is turning into a boffin

They are now playing GoGo battles in teh front room It is hilarious listenign to O trying to explain to E ....

what are GoGo battles ?

Argh, you are sooo lucky you have avoided them. GoGo's are little plastic figures. They are collectable. They all ahve a points value and you line them up and then shoot them at your opponent's line-up. He who knocks most over wins (or so I believe)
It took the Junior School playground by storm last year and has not yet died a death.here they are

ahh,I see - it seems to be a take on the ancient game of knuckle bones possibly !

oooh, I don't know knucklebones...(but maybe that is a good thing )

Anyroad, they have stopped now, a flying GoGo hit E in the head so they have stopped playing, E has been kissed better adn O is doing his homework.

Pfff, cup of tea time I think.

! T has done his RS homework and eaten an eclair (special before trip treat !)

ooooo yum, was it a home made eclair??

no ! Sainsbury's - we must make some,but a bit time consuming

Oh yum, I luuurve choc eclairs!

I finally gave in, and bought B a pack of Go-Gos for trying hard at something(can't remember what, and I know you shouldn't reward with 'stuff' but.....)Anyway, she wasn't that impressed with them tbh, so hopefully wont have to buy anymore

The Dr was nice and gentle, but completely dismissive of any problem, and I got the impression she was thinking 'pushy mum' So I guess B is Ok, but am a little nervous of what the ballet teacher will think. Ooh, this parenting lark is never straight forward.