Thread 50 - Covid GCSE Cohort - New Year of Adulting

[OrangeSpicedBun]

2024 here we are... our young people are still getting used to adulting and we're still doing that adulting thing ...it's tough !

This is a support thread for our young adults post GCSEs 2020, regardless of their educational setting, and their results ( or life updates for those who went into work or have had results earlier). 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, uni vs employment please don't within this thread.

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. We were previously on the secondary board and then further education, now we shall be here in 'Parents of Adult Children' gulp

Our DS/DD may continue down various pathways ( employment, apprenticeships, higher ed). Experience is that everyone is welcomed wherever, whatever their child is doing we have some in work, gap years , apprenticeships etc too. Lots of contributors with different experiences and always sympathy and advice to be had.
Previous thread
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/parents_of_adult_children/4922401-thread-49-covid-gcse-cohort-the-nights-are-drawing-in?page=10

Well done to your DCs, JustHere and Crazy. That sort of persistence is admirable and will stand them in good stead in the future - glad it paid off.

Wonderful news @JustHereWithMyPopcorn & @crazycrofter it's tough out there, what a relief for them.

Thanks, I'm really proud of her.

I've just had a letter about ds (year 13) prom. It's being arranged by the 'head students' and the kids have to bring ID to prove they're 18 and then they get a wristband to allow them to be served alcohol. Ds won't be 18 (it's at the beginning of July) and isn't bothered, but this seems really out of order to me!? Surely they should just not serve alcohol at all rather than exclude some? They'll all be going on to after-parties anyway I expect, where there will be alcohol. Ds has drunk alcohol for the last couple of years anyway, in moderation, but I get that it's illegal to serve under 18s. What happened at your kids' proms? I can't remember dd's but it was at a golf club (the Belfry!) so I assume they just didn't serve alcohol at all?

It was the same scenario as your son’s Crazy I’m afraid. I think schools who operate like this take a view that such a high % will be 18 by then, but also to stay on right side of legalities.

At DS's current school, both upper and lower 6th students are allowed 2 drinks each at school socials - they are given tokens to "spend". The head of 6th form feels it's appropriate to allow social drinking in a way that replicates normal home life for 16/17/18 year olds, but parents are able to opt out of they don't agree.

At DD's 6th form prom, there was wine included as part of the meal.

You can buy alcohol (cider etc, not spirits) with a meal from age 15, and I'm pretty sure under 18s can drink at private functions, so not sure what the issue is,Crazy?

Well done to @JustHereWithMyPopcorn and @crazycrofter DC!

DD had applied for a paid internship, but unfortunately didn't get it. She's undeterred and is applying for some more summer positions, including some unpaid ones which would be good for the CV. We'll see.

DD and DS had a few theatre trips (DS was a dancer and we also saw a lot of ballet in addition to his set texts etc). I grew up in the Channel Islands so no major productions ever came near us. The highlight of my school's English A-level course was the "London Weekend" when we saw 5 plays in 3 days (three evenings and two matinées).

@crazycrofter Prom was the same as yours. DS is Aug birthday. There was just some discrete purchasing by those over 18 for those under 18 (and repayment). A rum and coke looks just like a coke.

Well done to those who have secured jobs.

DS has also applied for a couple of paid summer internships but was rejected. There don't seem to be many in his field and we're not in a good location. Can't afford accommodation anywhere away from home or uni flat.

@crazycrofter both ours had wristbands if you could drink alcohol. They thought prom was vastly over-rated!

That seems much more sensible to me @Alwaysplayspicc but looks like most schools do what Ds’s are doing. It just seems really divisive to me!

Mine both had prom in y11 with I think a glass of prosecco at the table (drinking with a meal with adults rule I guess). DS didn't have one in y13 but they had a 6th form BBQ both years with two beers or ciders provided if parents had signed a consent form. AFAIK DD's college don't have a prom but I doubt she'd go anyway, she didn't terribly enjoy the y11 one and never goes to parties.

Well done Popcorn and Crazy dc for jobs in Notts, I don't think ds1 has managed to secure one yet.

It’s actually proving really useful. Dd has been sure she wants to work in mental health for years, and was seeing OT as a route into that, and maybe she’d do psych therapy training further down the line. She’s now saying that with her ADHD she’s not sure she could work purely in talking therapy as she’s not sure she could concentrate well enough 🤣 but she’s actually really enjoying the practical care side of this job (which I thought she’d hate!).

Thank you guys, it’s really hard for them at the moment it seems. @PhotoDad DS has also been applying for summer internships but had no joy either, I hope your DD finds something soon.

DSs prom was a similar thing, but it was at a hotel so the bar would only serve people with id. A couple of people were thrown out for buying 17 year olds a drink. 😬. The consent form for drinks with a meal seems a reasonable compromise.

The summer internship applications are a real slog. I have been quite taken aback at the long process, even if much of it is conducted via software like HireVue. The volumes of applications is staggering.

She has now managed to secure a place on the PwC Women in Business this April in Belfast, and is chuffed to bits. Given all the negative chatter on another thread re value of MFL, to be offered an insight into Business Tech consulting is big endorsement for her, as there's only so much I can say ignore the ignorance of others. I think it'll be like a 3 day assessment type process where successful candidates will be invited to a summer 2025 internship vs this summer, another pipeline stream I guess vs intake from penultimate/post grads only to fill the intake. And if she hates it, it's 3 days well spent in knowing what you DON'T want to do!

@ealingwestmum Well done to your DD. I know the thread you're talking about. DS gets lots of 'negative chatter' about his Management (Business sniff sniff!) degree as well and he too has managed to get a great placement. Just ignore!

Really well done to your DD @ealingwestmum ! Fantastic achievement. I think for DS intern applications are taking up more time than his degree....! He enjoyed his first swim gala since 2020 this weekend although threy lost to Oxford. He said he was a bit sad he would never be as fast in his own event as he was at 16 but that's 3 hours training a week compared to 15!

Thank you Shimy, well done to your boy on his placement. They really do need thick skins don't they to brush off the negativity!

Craggy, totally on the time front, but they just have to keep juggling. Lovely to hear he enjoyed the competitive side of the pool again, the race times from their 15/16 younger selves is a poignant reflection of their dedication, but 3 hours is also impressive with his schedule, DD is 15 to zero!

@ealingwestmum well done on the intern success. I've been following the MFL thread with interest. DS studies Law (no point - he should study something he enjoys and convert) and French/French Law (no point). He's doomed 🤦

well done to your DD @ealingwestmum, DS has applied to quite a few but he also says each one takes forever to complete. Ignore the haters on the other thread.

@mummyinbeds DS (and us) got that so much about Law, it really irritated me how many people told him it would be a boring degree and to do something else and convert. He may not be doing brilliantly at it but he actually really enjoys it.

Well done to your dd @ealingwestmum , that’s brilliant! I worked for PwC for many years, it should be a good experience.

I think there are very few degrees MN doesn't manage to sniff about!

Thanks ealingwest (used to live there by the way ).
@JustHereWithMyPopcorn MN loves Law, boredom is very subjective so the people who said that weren't very bright. I'm glad your ds is enjoying it.

@Piggywaspushed The traditional ones, Law, medicine, Engineering, Dentistry. It doesn't bother me one bit. DS thought very deeply about what he wanted to do and showed flair for it from a young age. It was a no brainer for him that a business degree was the best degree for him. I have a df who was sniffy once mid-heated convo said, 'My DD wants to study Law, it's not like some wishy washy Management!' i just chuckled. When i told her recently that DS got a great placement her question was, 'but Is it paid?'. She is lovely in every other respect but cracks me up when it comes to discussing our DC's degrees.

Thanks all, good to hear your experience with them was positive Crazy. Long live our DC picking unsavoury programmes leading to nowheresville to wind MNetters up :)

In other news less positive but now quite comedy, DD’s passport docs have gone from London to Dublin, to USA (NY) last week, and now in ‘transit’ again but none of the tracking systems can tell us, where to. 3 hours of cumulative hold with RM, to tell us Jack shit, but to be patient with the process. But my paranoid self says at least they’re not in rogue hands, yet.

@ealingwestmum Oh I do hope your DS's rogue docs find their way back home.

Delighted some of our DC are landing fantastic internships.

Off to read the MFL thread.