Year 11 GCSE support thread 6 - exams and proms

[HSMMaCM]

Good luck to those still taking exams.

Is everyone finished now? Hurrah!

Prom is next week. I think we have got everything - although the mention of tit tape has stirred memories of a promised shopping trip. End of exams BBQ here tomorrow so the fridge is full of food for ravenous teenagers. I hope there is enough.

We've had a busy weekend with DS's FHC. DD let me take a last day photo but wouldn't let me post it, so I've put a photo of my tribe on my profile if anyone is interested. DD2 is the one in the long dress.

It's all over!

DS1 came home on the train after his exams....it takes nearly 3 hours door to door. But I guess there was no point in him sitting around school all by himself this afternoon with nothing to revise!

Mad, that's brilliant, you must be so proud!

Glad we have some more finishers. things have gone quite wonky here. apparently from tomorrow, ds will be staying with his dad. not sure how I feel.

Congratulation to all the finishers. :) Any more for any more?

I'm sorry to hear that poppy, is that unexpected? I hope you are okay.

DS has finished!!!! I am in Pasadena, CA (work) but he emailed me to say all went well.

Yes, unexpected oddboots.

poppy are you ok? This happened briefly with my DD after GCSEs and it was awful.

Oh poppy . I hope things work themselves out.

Oh poppy that's not good. Any idea where this has come from, seems unfair you get the stress of exams and dad gets the relaxed time. Hope it sorta itself out.

DS 16 today so he's had a house full of friends all day when everyone out, house in one piece and his gf had made a cake in my kitchen and everything was spotless, he's shooting things now but off out again in a bit, don't know exact details yet.

Hope everyone's finished now, good luck if you haven't.

Poppy

DD (the braces didn't come off, but she has lovely sparkly pink ones now)

Hope everything works out poppy.

Apologies. I didn't want to derail the thread. I'm just feeling a bit odd and I can't tell anyone in real life not that there is anyone to tell.

Also hoping things improve for you poppy. Hope he isn't going to be too far away. Exams cause such stress.

My dd3 has her prom soon & I somehow need to combine this (pre party / post prom party) with collecting dd1 from university on the same day. Cue hysterics. Then dd2 has her prom the day after.....

Poppy, you're not derailing, support is what this thread is for and sounds like you need some. If you need to talk we're still around.

I think my DD found her first induction day more stressful than any of her exams. They were put into their new forms so split up from the old crowd plus new people. She wasn't at all comfortable - too much make up and talk about boys. Then she had to find the other girl to discuss electronics projects with, walked into her form and immediately felt at home. Anyway she plucked up courage and went to see the head of sixth form (who fortunately is rather sweet I think) and has been swapped, so she came home in a somewhat heightened emotional state but happy. Whew. And also after the taster lesson she's decided she definitely will do comp sci which she'd been wobbling about.

for Poppy.
Please feel free to tell us all about it. We all know what it's like to have a 15/16yo. At last you've got him through the tough bit....for the next few weeks if he wants to play X-box all day and night the sky won't fall in. x

and for anyone who has a DC with braces (we've narrowly missed braces so far....but DS will have to say in Feb if he wants surgery. Drinking through a straw for 6 weeks doens't sound fun and looking like Buzz Lightyear really isn't that much of a hardship if you're male.)

Poppy I've had the most amazing support here when my DD was ill last month. If you need to talk there are plenty of people willing to listen.

I am going to email all of DS1 teachers in the next few days.

I want to thank them before results day.

Every single one of them has done the best they could for DS. I am amazed he has completed his GCSE's. There was a time we didn't think he would make it through Primary school, let alone High school.(This is the kid who decided he hated school after the first two weeks of reception, and point blank refused to go to school when he was 8yo). The fact that he has been happy for the past 5 years in High school.....hasn't school refused, has had no exclusions and is considering staying on there for another two years is amazing. No matter what his results are, I'm confident all the adults in his life have done the best for him. I do realise how very fortunate we are, and will be thanking his teachers and the principle

Congrats to the last few finishers!
Poppy, I hope things work themselves through for you and your family.

Lynette, I was thinking of doing the same thing. It sounds like you've been on quite a journey with your DS and I think the teachers would be so pleased to get a thank you. If I received an email like that from a parent, it would feel amazing.

Awww Lynette, that's brilliant. Those teachers have clearly done some amazing work. An email is a lovely thing to do to show your appreciation.

I'm just back from taking DS to his footy training. He's graduated to the Senior team now and it's very different from junior football!
Not many parents go because those that need transport drive themselves! At 16 and living 10 miles away, I had to take him!
Felt weird though seeing him with all the seniors.

spudmasher - I'd really, really like to thank you too..... You responded to my first ever thread on MN (under a different user name) when I posted because I couldn't get DS into school.

I was totally lost and confused and didn't know what to do. I'd Googled "school refusal", and MN came up....I'd never heard of MN....didn't have a clue how it worked, hand never posted on the internet before, apart from a bit of shopping....but you responded giving me really sound advice and lots of reassurance.

Thank you,for being there for me when no one in RL could help.

Oh wow. That's made my day.

spudmasher you deserve the

poppy. Here for you. As Lynette says we all understand the erratic behaviour of kids this age.

lynette lovely idea. When you get good teachers its quite awesome. There are a couple who helped my DD through some extremely hard times and without them and their care, affection and expertise I'm not sure where we'd be. I've decided I want to try and give back so have now volunteered as a student mentor at my DS school sixth form - trying to support girls going into STEM/tech careers. Has anyone else done this? Not quite sure what to expect.

Today is prom day for us. 6 girls getting ready here, plus all of their mums/dads are coming over to see them, then 2 boyfriend/girlfiriends will rendezvous. My sister doing make up. It's going to be chaos (we don't love in a massive pile, so it's gonna get crowded). But fun chaos I hope ! And it will involve I'm sure. For all of us. Except my sister who doesn't drink. Can't be believe we are related .