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 ?!

Oh MAS It must be so hard to stand by and watch T going through this. FWIW, I don't think it's anything you have or haven't done. It just sometimes happens that some children are either happy to be less involved in school life, or find themselves put with a whole load of people they have little in common with.

I know I didn't feel I fitted in very well in my year group all the way through Secondary. It wasn't until we mixed more with the yeargroup below that I suddenly found like-minded people and I'm still in touch with some of them. I must admit, I was throughly miserable for a few years but didn't tell my parents through some sort of misguided loyalty/fear of their thinking I was a failure/fear of upsetting them, who knows? My mum to this day says she had no idea I hated school so much. I think it's great that you're aware of T's situation and are trying to help him handle it. Hippi's suggestions are good. If T carries on with his music and does choir and things, then hopefully he should end up in a group of people with similar interests. My savior was being in a group who would do almost anything to avoid PE I'm thinking of you, there are no easy answers.

Is E OK Hippi? We're never done worrying, are we?????

On a positive note, B absolutely loved her swimming lesson and didn't want to get out of the pool. She'd remembered loads from the summer, and didn't seem terribly nervous. Hooray

Sorry - got a bit long with my ramblings there

thank you (are you in Robbie Burns mode ?) hotcross - I always know that you two will be here with kind and reassuring words
So pleased that B took to her swimming - hooray !

Excellent post from hotcross

I did want to reply to you earlier MAS, but I had to get to school for Toe by Toe and then O had a swimming lesson.

MAS, it is nothing you have or have not done. And T seems quite confident in his own company, and that is a huge strenght imo and something that will stand him in good stead as he grows up.

E is fine, thanks hotcross. Her best friend little S has become very close to another girl in class. And E is a little bit sidelined. I don't think she is hugely bothered but enough for her to tell me 'S and M would not let me play'
But such is life, nothing I can do about it. I did point out to her the (very nice) girls in her class she should seek out instead, and that was met with an indignant 'That's what I did mum!'. So I think she is ok. It is me that frets.

Glad to hear B's swimming lesson went well! Good news!

It is E's lesson tomorrow. I am making dh take her, I just can't face it... [wuss emoticon]
On a positive note though, O had his lesson this afternoon and did amazingly well. For once he looked like he was gliding through the water instead of batteling through custard (his normal swimming style)
He was fast (even overtook a few classmates!) and made it look easy. And every lap he did the teacher praised him, no matter what stroke it was! Am very proud of my non-sporty boy

thank you to hippi - where would I be without you girls and good for E ! and well done O !!!!!!!!

Well done E and O! Fantastic about O's swimming - how many days ago were you worrying about lack of progress?

Have just had call from swimming pool. B is being moved up a class, which is fab, but complicates things as per usual. Her little friend isn't moving up yet, so a) I have to deal with B's sadness that G wont be in her group for a bit and b) I've got to ring competitive mum and confess what's happening. I'm a wee bit scared Aaaaargh, why is life always so difficult?

Ah no, the lack of progress (or rather a distinct going backwards) is E. She is not swimming well at all. Stuck int he same group for nearly a whole year now. I find this teacher less than useless
Have decided that if she does not move up at Easter I will pull her out and go down the holiday swimming coursers route instead. These are less busy adn thus more progress is made. Also, it gives her a break from going every week.
I just don't want to spend another £65 for another term at teh same level when she is going nowhere...

Well done B though! Is this the same competitive mum whom you had to tell B was movign up a group in ballet when her little girl was not? She will get a complex at this rate!!

actually I think it's quite funny to irk competitive mum !

and very well done to B !

Sorry Hippi - am getting confused! But I'm sure E will get there

MAS - I think your name is great! Will now have to think how to celebrate Burns' night - haggis bears the 'may contain nuts' label, so is out of the picture. Might rustle up some Stovies or something.

Am feeling so guilty about 'competitive mum'. She really is lovely, just very protective of her dc's interests, and lacking in self-esteem in no small measure. That's what makes this so hard TBH - I know she will go into a spiralling panic and put more pressure on her dd to improve, and neither will be happy You're right about the ballet thing Hippi. Thank goodness our dd's are at different schools - I couldn't bear the comparisons

don't feel guilty about her hotcross - there's nothing you can do to stop her being as she is - just concentrate of B's needs...

on, I meant...

Morning

Did you both have a good weekend?
We had a lovely quiet one, although O tried his best to turn us into the house of snot and flu! (have resisted so far though adn packed him off to school with tissues!)

Dh took O for her swimming lessons and it was better, but still nowhere near her usual standard. Urgh. But hey, onwards and upwards...
One of the mums whose dd (A) swims with E (and they also go to school and Rainbows together) is putting A into the half term lessons to ensure A moves up at the end of this term. Now I feel pressured to do the same because if E were left behind I would fret (competitive mum syndrome or what )

Am just waiting for my friends to arrive for coffee. Did some baking at the weekend but my Dutch 'boterkoek' came out too dry and crumbly adn my brownies are burnt at the bottom. Pants!

Dh did not take O for her swimming lessons, he took E!!

hello !
Don't fret about the swimming, I still think you should let E have a breather and not do the half term swimming lesson, really I do think that might be best.
We had a quiet weekend, usual stuff...dh and T did the birdwatch and we went out to Pizza Express with our 2 main courses for the price of one voucher- it seems that everyone else was doing that too as it was packed- was very nice though. We chatted about all sorts of stuff including where we might go for our holiday..Suffolk again or Dorset - both I love, but it seems that cottages in Dorset are very much more expensive. T is teaching himself keyboards from a book - he spent about 2 hours yesterday going through the first exercises,bless him.
Am meeting someone for coffee at lunch time who I haven't seen since I was at art school - he was our print technician and we rediscovered each other on Facebook along with other students and our photography lecturer !! There are a few MNetters who have made me their friends on FB hippi - including BIWI (bellavita and WendyWeber are two others)
Am sure your cakes will taste delicious btw

oh, I've just seen - you've lost 2 pounds - yay !! well done

I have not looked at FB for ages... Just can't get to grips with it and am not patient enough to sit and work it out...

I agree with the swimming thing, but I know E will be devastated if A moves up and she gets left behind. But neither do I want to push her.
Decisions decisions...

Actually, may I pick your brains about something? We are a completely non-musical family (in terms of playing)
But recently (due to some school work O was doing) I have developed a liking for classical music. O borrowed his teacher's Tchaikovski and Smetana CD's and they have been played non-stop here.
This has inspired E to look up Smetana on youtube (helped by O) and she has been watching the orchestra in action.
Now she is asking for violin lessons.
I have no idea where to start.
In Holland, you ahve to do music lessons for a few terms (learn to read music, learn about pitch, rhythm etc) before you are allowed - under the guidance of your teacher - to pick an instrument of your choice. And the teacher will tell you if your chosen instrument is suitable. (I picked violin, was told no (my hearing was not good enough), he suggested flute, I did not want to do flute so dropped out alltogether)
Anyroad, long story short, I have googled and searched and cannot find anything similar here. How do I find out if a violin is suitable for E other than signing up for lessons.
What is the done thing?

Thanks for the congrats btw, am pleased. 2lbs down, 48 to go! [argh]

FB is an amusing timewasting thing really - I should do less of it I know !! (but it has meant I've hooked uyp with people from my past,which is nice, I hope !)
I remember we did Smetana in music at school (was it Vltava ?)- also Janacek who I really like. I think that if you hire an instrument and see how E gets on,is the usual way here - though the Dutch way sounds very sensible to me !
I will see how T perseveres with his keyboard and whether he feels he wants proper lessons. I asked my friend who teaches piano which instrument might suit T and I think she suggested drums, but when he had a trial lesson we discovered it would be way to difficult for him with his coordination. Will be interesting to see how he copes using two hands on his keyboard. I always think you should seize the moment when they are interested and see whjere it takes them !

Yes, Smetana Ma Vlast, and Tchaikovski anything from the Nutcracker Sweet. (I love love love the Waltz of the Flowers)

We have now also downloaded some Bach and Vivaldi.

I guess I could sign E up for lessons, hire a violin and give it a term.

I have just found a Surrey County Council run 'musical library' session at Guildford Library in March where children get a chance to look at and try the different instruments. May head down there and see if it is actually the violin she makes a beeline for

Violin lessons are going to cost a fortune though arent' they? [fret]

Sweet? Suite! See, I may have lost 2 pounds but have food on the brain!!

!!!!

Hello both of you!

Well done Hippi! I can only fit into 2 pairs of my jeans, so have decided I need to stop eating so much. Your success has inspired me not to have a biscuit with my cup of tea

I must investigate FB further, and not be scared of technology. It is all so bitty and there are so many different ways of making contact I find it a bit overwhelming and it's easier just to turn it off. Will maybe have a go in a bit...

Hmm, violin lessons. My friend's ds is learning the cello. I know they were advised to wait until he was a bit older, so I think he started about 8. He's 11 now and about to do Grade 5. I don't know about the violin, apart from I was desperate to learn it, but mum said no as she couldn't bear the idea of the screechy phase I ended up playing brass instruments reluctantly and gave up when I was about 14. The workshop at Guildford library sounds fab as I don't know where else you could have the opportunity to hear and try different instruments. Might have to take B along too...

MAS - have you tried www.dorsetcoastalcottages.com at all? We found they didn't seem as pricey as others, and the cottage we stayed in was lovely. very clean and well kept.

I had Bookgroup here last night and it was lovely. I had the usual 'my house isn't big enough/smart enough/warm enough' panics, but it was great. We all squeezed into the living room, and with so many bodies it was actually quite warm It usually ends just before 10, but about 5 of us were still chatting at gone 11, so I feel like I'm getting to know them a bit better now, and don't feel as nervous about contributing and saying I didn't enjoy the book! And I got to choose the next book and I'm halfway through it and loving it

Right, must go and iron.

Yay - my link worked!!!

Oooh, those cottages look lovely

I have heard mixed opinions on the right age for music...
Some say if you wait too long they won't pick it up, others say wait longer...

May see what they see at Guildford Library (assuming there will be some music teachers on hand?)

One of the mums at school (her dd is the year above adn her ds the year below O so I only know her to say hello to) is a professional violin player. Her ds started playing at 4. But he is still at the screechy stage a few years later.
I personally prefer the sound of the cello, or the viola as they are deeper and more mellow. I think they may not be as screechy. But E is adament it has to be a violin.

Had a lovely coffee morning here this morning. But house envy has big time reared it's ugly head again. My best friend K lives in the lovely house backing onto fields with horses. It is a big 3 bed semi and they are just now comissioning a huge extention. My friend T lives in a lovely detached bungalow with a large garden backign onto the basingstoke canal.
My friend A has just put an offer on a 3 bed detached set in 600ft of garden complete with orchard.
Argh!
(I console myself with the fact they all have huge mortgages )

Right, better go and empty the washing machine and make a sandwich for lunch.

pants! what they say at Guildford...etc