ELEVENSES - the next chapter

[MaryAnnSingleton]

here we go !

hope you two are fine & dandy. Have hjad a v nice weekend away at the fancy hotel again- so lucky with the weather -the food was fab-u-lous. Ity was horrendously expensive though...
And to top it off,we have our new kitten...
introducing Celeste Augusta

hello -are you two ok ? all fine here,Celeste is lovely !

Happy half term ! hope you are both ok [hgrin]

just popping by to say hello- am on my own here with Celeste- boys in Notts. with MIL

where are you all ?

HELLO! I'm here at last We've had no computer for weeks, and it's felt like having a toe amputated or something

Hope you are both doing well and that Celeste is fully settled in MAS, and Hippi, the house renovations are going to plan and not too stressful!

I've been desperate to chat to you both. It's been a horribly stressful month, and it would have been good to have been able to offload We're having a terrible time with B settling at school... I've been in to see the teacher and the head and things aren't noticeably improving. It's so bad I'm beginning to consider a change of school, but I think losing her friends would finish her off Aaaagh, I feel like I should be able to make things better, but the school just aren't on side. The head even suggested she might be putting it on for us at home

Last week I was thrilled when she came home and said she'd auditioned for the Xmas play! Turns out she didn't get a part and wont be in it She was all confused, thinking she'd missed a rehearsal, but no, they've decided the parts (fair enough) and you're only in it if you got a letter home on Friday... I thought they would audition for the main parts and then anyone else who wanted to be involved would be in the choir or something, but apparently not. A s* way of doing things IMO!

All in all, it's been horrible. I'm trying to stay positive for B but am so upset inside Boo hoo, Infants was so much more personal and much much nicer.

Sorry, didn't mean to rant

Apart from school, we're OK. Panic is beginning to set in that Christmas is actually quite close and we don't even know where we're spending it Dh's family wont commit, my family would love to see us and we're stuck in the middle just wanting a decision made!! I'm sure it'll all be OK!

oh poor you and B - it's so tough and that's a rotten way to go about the audition-you would think that bearing in mind her settling in they might tweak things a bit
I would think it's better to hang in there with the school- changing might not make any difference - might it be worth seeking some kind of one to one counselling for B -that sounds a bit heavy-handed, but there must be something offered that would try to ease her in happily.
Lots of love to you both -wish I could think of something to say which might help

Thanks MAS!

The teacher did mention B could maybe join a social skills group, which we'll consider, but her problems aren't really making friends. She has a lovely group of friends, they just aren't in her class and where the teacher has made her sit, she's not getting much opportunity to mix with the others... She is just so overwhelmed by the sheer size of the school - 3 form entry - and scared of the bigger children

She's also struggling at lunch as she's a slow eater. She's still sitting there when the big ones come in and sit at her table. I suggested that maybe if she were first in to lunch, she'd probably finish with the others, but the teacher missed the point and said the Year 3's are first in anyway. She's notorious for her class being late for everything (assembly, hometime etc) and B is dreadful for holding back that she's probably only getting to lunch when everyone else is finishing....

AAAAAAAGH! We will persevere, but it's hard going

Anyway, how are things with you? How's T settled this year? How's the singing?

awww Would it be worth drumming it a bit more into the teacher ? If B and a friend went into lunch ahead of the rest of the year then she'd be able to finish in time-seems sensible. They do seem to be a bit inflexible.

Ok here- am in mid course with the Mindfulness Meditation - very interesting and quite hard work,but good. The Cruse counselling is nearly finished - one, possibly 2 more sessions- they have been really helpful too.
Great news for T - he auditioned for the singing group going on a tour to New York in 2012 and has got in - he is very excited but being very laid back of course !! Now have to find the money !
Celeste is growing fast and is lovely- quite a minx but very affectionate.

Wow wow wow! Well done T That's fantastic news - what an opportunity! I toured Norway with my school choir and I will never ever forget it

Glad the courses are going well. Your brain must be having to work so hard! It's worth it, if it helps you

I agree about the inflexibility of the school. I was so excited about B going there, going on reports from other parents, but so far I've yet to see much that impresses me I think her teacher hasn't particulary noticed B yet, so doesn't see that her issues are particulary important or easily solvable... I'll give her another few days, but will be on her case if no improvement. We solved the luch thing temporarily by letting B have a packed lunch, but she would prefer a hot meal, so I arranged for her to try again next week. maybe sh'ell get on better this time

oh I hope it works out for B - am sure it will it takes time for some sensitive children to find their niche

You're right, once she settles I'm sure she'll be happy there!

oh look...

Haven't quite worked out my usage, but it is cute

Hello! Hope you're both Ok and having a nice weekend? We went to Kent yesterday to catch up with family friends, which was lovely. One of them recently had a heart transplant and it was the first time we'd seen him post-op. He looked incredibly well, considering what he's been through

Today we had lunch with friends, one of whom is due to have her baby anyday. It made me feel very broody talking baby things. B is really excited at being able to help!

Am off to sort out my Christmas recipes... Today's Stir up Sunday so I'm late!

that sounds as though it was a nice sociable weekend hotcross ! Glad heart transplant friend is doing well-yikes.
Have spent Sunday at a meditation day with my Mindfulness class and another group-7 hours in silence (even lunch-which we ate mindfully ie. very,very slowly and thoughtfully !) lots of meditation exercises and yoga...it was really good,but exhausting !

Your meditation day sounded intense MAS! I bet your brain was fit to explode by the end, or did you manage to switch off and truly unwind? I once went on a retreat to a lovely Convent near us (was organised by a Catholic school I was working at) and it was a hugely exhausting day! Think it was very valuable though

My lemon is boiling ATM ready to make mincemeat - the house smells gorgeous

B is having her first hot dinner at school today as a trial. I'm crossing all my fingers and toes - I like to think of her having a hot meal inside her when the weather is sooo cold!

fingers crossed for successful hot school dinner for B !
T just sent home from school poorly - is ok, but pale and very coldy.
The thing is with meditation- you have to be switched on all the time to what is going on in your body -to notice everything but without making any judgements-you are concentrating on how your body is feeling right at this moment,how your breathing is etc..so I think that's wh=y my head hurts !!

Oh no poor T! Hope it's a fast bug which disappears quickly...

My mincemeat is in jars

oh yum !

how's B doing ?
where is hippi ?

Hi MAS! No idea where Hippi is, am guessing up to her neck in house renovations... She probably doesn't have her computer set up...

I'm over here www.mumsnet.com/Talk/primary/1090094-Dd-7-struggling-to-settle-at-Junior-School-long-sorry

It worked! yay!

ah yes, I saw earlier (guessed it was you when saw thread title) Couldn't add to thread any better than the comments already posted