I get locked down. Tiers go up again.

[Cismyfatarse]

New Fred.

Holiday wise we're booking a back up option of two joined cottages in Scotland as not convinced carry forward Majorca will take place in August. I don't mind really, I'd just like to think we could go somewhere and see our relatives in England at some point.

I think international travel is off the radar for a couple of years. They are too worried about mutant strains of the virus.

But freedom within the UK would be good.

@IncludeWomenInTheSequel I nearly poured some vodka on my cornflakes yesterday as I'd finished my January running challenge and decided dry January ended at the same time. Managed to hold on until the evening.

Haha I salute your strength Rookie!

@rookiemere she's in S2 going into S3 and yes it would be Nat 5s

I also worry she'd be the only girl doing design and manufacturing. She says she doesn't care (and that's good) but I think she might down the line. I know I know....gender equality and all that. But being the only girl can make some girls uncomfortable.

Business Management sounds really good compared to what it was like when I was at school.

DS is really enjoying Bus Man, it's his favourite topic. As I did it at uni I wonder if he'll end up following in my footsteps.

@Iwillneverbesatisfied Better to be happy and get a good mark in a subject she enjoys rather than do less well, and be miserable.

(Teacher)

Too many pupils end up cross snd grumpy because they don't get to choose.

And, in tough times and locked up it is better to have ownership of choices.

It has to come from them - I was at uni with a guy who'd been strong armed into an econ degree he wasn't cut out for and hated, I hope he found something better after.

Vodka on cornflakes? I won't say I haven't been tempted this lockdown!

DD regretted doing Graph Comm in preference to D&M I think because there is quite a lot of overlap but D&M has added practical (she dropped French to keep Graph Comm which she doesn't regret). Iirc there is IT within both subjects. I have a "business" degree and background and DH works in IT. Rightly or wrongly we didn't push the DC to take them for Nat 5. FWIW seeing how far ahead DD3's IT skills are even in primary I would still advise the same because the tech moves on so quickly.

DD2 doesn't regret doing 2 sciences and still had room for Art Nat 5 and Higher in S6 and Music via school lessons (school also supported her through ABRSM grades even though she didn't do Nat 5 etc.). Now doing a science degree but she kept social sciences as well as English to Higher so could have opted for Arts. Her older sister did similar but dropped Art after N5 and took Music in S6 for fun and to bolster her theory. They both crashed Higher Biology in S6 which was much more doable with the other 2 already in hand.

Would second advice not to push round pegs into square holes but keep in mind some things are easier to pick up later than others and its good to have options. Not looking forward to reliving this stage with DD3 in a couple of years.

I'm teetotal and even I fancy vodka cornflakes.

@Lockdownbear only if that's how we choose to behave.

Vodka cornflakes sounds good.

I've been annoyingly positive and upbeat throughout and now I'm starting to think it could be the end of life as we know it. I was very judgemental about people who thought that previously.

Lesson learned.

Thanks all. She is thinking of Maths, English, Chemistry, Geography, Spanish, Art, D&M, Music (although the latter is something she could continue to do as part of the band even without the Nat 5, so maybe she'll switch Music for something else).

I think Business Mgt sounds really good as an option though.

She does get her report next week so we'll review that before the options form is due in (I think it is due on Friday)

I thought most schools’ advice these days was to choose subjects you enjoy and/or are good at.
For uni, if there’s a particular course or career she’s interested in, check the UCAS requirements before she chooses her subjects. A lot of them only specify one or two subjects and the rest don’t really matter.

If we have vaccines we prevent deaths. We're doing well at this one thing. It isn't crowing to be delighted and excited by this!

Children's mental health week next week - we've had some pamphlets emailed already - remember, make it fun when you go outside

Advice like that isn't doing much for parental mental health! Don't forget to do that phonics i-spy on your muddy trudge around in the rain.

@MorrisZapp

If we have vaccines we prevent deaths. We're doing well at this one thing. It isn't crowing to be delighted and excited by this!

Of course not. But basically posting ner ner ner ner ner is.

I don't think it's a case of it being ok to come up since it's ok for NS to travel. I think neither are essential journeys so they both shouldn't be doing them. Boris's is I guess a one of but a bigger trip, NS is almost daily travelling from a higher infected area to a lower one whilst telling everyone to stay at home. So, they are both in the wrong.

As far as treason is concerned, I think that there is a bigger elephant in the room.

If the stories that she deliberately tried to get AS sent down for something he didn't do are true, and if that is proven, she could be facing jail time. If you remove the titles etc and imagine that someone colluded with friends and workmates to get their former boss done for rape that you know they are innocent of, do you think that's not a crime?

Interesting times ahead even if you are neutral.

The Kenny McAskill thing is smoke and mirrors to discredit him since he seems to be on Salmond's side imo. It's quite safe for her to criticise him as he is an MP just like Margaret Ferrier so she has no direct power to discipline him so can get away with being angry and making sure it's in the papers.

So she's not going to do music and she IS going to do business management, yay, but the sticker is now that she wants to do practical woodwork! (not design and manufacturing) so again I'm not sure about that but she does like to make things and she is creative.

@Iwillneverbesatisfied

So she's not going to do music and she IS going to do business management, yay, but the sticker is now that she wants to do practical woodwork! (not design and manufacturing) so again I'm not sure about that but she does like to make things and she is creative.

I missed whether the school does one or two year Nat 5s, but if it's the former, it's less than a year, a few hours a week so plenty of time to have friends in other classes and she might really enjoy it (and snag herself a nice boy that is "handy" for doing stuff around the house for his in-laws - a very sexist comment I am aware but a lot to be said for a guy who is practical :o)

Or @WaxOnFeckOff she may develop her own skills to do all the jobs around the house !

Wax that made me laugh DH is always telling me off for encouraging DD1's romantic endeavours. I could be doing with a practical SiL Went round the block before tea and met all my practical neighbours coming home. They must have been fed up distancing from customers all day cos they all stopped for a chat. Probably get accused of hitting on my neighbours' DHs as well as upsetting Nicola and Matt now.

I can’t take this all today. All the briefings are so depressing, no school for ages but if we are really good and really lucky we might get a tiny slither of normality back this summer. I mean obviously no travel or concerts or fun but we could maybe have a socially distanced visit in someone’s garden!!!! What exactly do we have to look forward to? 😭😭😭. I don’t think my kids could cope with another crappy non summer after this winter of crapness
Sorry just feeling pants today (could be the joy of leaving tax returns to the last minute as well though)

@goodname yep. Some hope would be good.

How are people in the hospitality industry going to survive?