Reward for completing GCSEs?

[thunderbird69]

Is anyone giving their child a reward for completing their GCSE exams? (Or A levels)

We had said to DS previously that we wouldn't reward results as we saw potential problems; if he tries hard but doesn't get the grades he hopes for it seems unfair to also miss out on any reward. So we were looking to reward effort instead.

However, we never came to any conclusion as to how we would do that!

Nah. Provided the odd tiny supportive treat during revision - e.g. something nice for lunch, some face cleanser - but nothing major, and they've celebrated with friends when they've finished exams. We've gone out for lunch or dinner each results day so far, so I'm sure we'll do that again.

Some of DS friends are going to get £10 for each A*. He raised it with us and we laughed at the idea of rewarding something he should be striving for for himself anyway, and he understood...

We didn't give him anything during the exams either. I fear it didn't occur to us. We did got out for a nice lunch when his exams finished but that was for his birthday and would have happened anyway I think.

We bought Dd1 a laptop when she'd finished all her exams. We wanted to reward all the hard work she'd put in & knew she'd need one for A Levels.

I think the GCSE support thread opens a window onto the actual world of teenagers 'doing some exams' and the accompanying stress.

My DS sat 32 separate exams over a five week period, and his future will rely on them to a significant extent probably, given his degree hopes.

There is just me and DS at home so I feel I lived through it too.

Anyway I bought him some stuff for a party with friends, and he has a theatre trip with the school and Prom to come.

DS ordered some PC games and DD some clothes which were delivered during the exams as a sort of booster.

We had a Chinese takeaway and champagne on finishing day and went out to dinner too the following Saturday night.

Mine will be getting some new clothes for sixth form but that's necessity, she views clothes shopping as more of a trial than a treat.

Genuine question, those of you who are giving rewards, did you receive rewards when you did yours? i'm just wondering wether there is any correlation there.

etti my family were pretty poor, so I wouldn't have received anything tangible, but we had a big celebration dinner with my Nan etc.

Yes I did, back in 1976.

Ettikete, as a few of us noted on the GCSE support thread, I doubt my mother was even aware that I had O Level exams going on. She certainly wouldn't have been able to say what subjects I was doing.

I think the correlation is that I want to give more of a shit than my mother did, I suppose.

Mine are younger, year 9, but I've already thought about this for two years time. As they're twins and we have no other children we could splash out on a brilliant holiday in June - its term time so it will be much cheaper. Presuming they'll still want to holiday with us by then!!

myballs I have twins and that was my plan!

Foiled I'm afraid. DD has to to keep going back to school for various activities (albeit lovely ones, but ones she doesn't want to miss) and DS has his DofE expedition!!!!
Then there's a sports tour!

We've ended up with a window of 18 days in bloody August. And we have to make sure we're back for results day!!!!

I'm fine if others do it, I'd be happy if grandparents wanted to.
Would cause loads of aggro in our family if we did it.
I emphasise to DC why good results will help them but the hard work is for them not for us.

Why aggro lljk?

Ettikete I don't remember getting rewarded after exams, though I think I was rewarded for results, which is backwards to me.

Anyway, my DD finds school massively harder than I ever did. She has worked up to her limits and is struggling to try pass everything. She really appreciated the mini-treats after each exam (as did younger sister who also got treats for being supportive and not moaning that big sister was getting all my attention), and it helped keep her motivation to keep going when she was getting exhausted. Her actual results may or may not reward her efforts, but they will be the best they could be.

I wasn't rewarded for results. In my case my parents had their schooling interrupted by the war and left school without sitting any exams. So they didn't really grasp the importance of what I was doing, coupled with not having much spare money to reward me with.

Aggro because the kids will fight over what is a fair reward each battling their case & reminding me (perhaps with incorrect memories) what older sibling got yrs before, or trying to up the ante with something about inflation, or saying their course was harder so their B is as good as brother's A, or why should they get same ££ for their 8 as sister got for her 6 just because I say sister had a really hard yr11 not her fault, they reckon their 8 should still count for a huge amount more and how much more can they campaign for?, etc. They're already too competitive, I'm not giving them reasons to get worse.

Choice of take away pizza (for all family) to celebrate end of yr11 or yr13 would be fine, but no big reward or tied to specific results.

lljk ah I see.

Yes, having twins we are most definitely not rewarding for results! They have both worked extraordinarily hard but doubtless one will get a better set of grades than the other (though I secretly dream of identical marks).

Thanks for the replies. Its interesting, when I was growing up it was assumed that 'passing' your O'levels was the reward, you now have a qualification to show for the past 5 yrs. Rewards were never even mentioned.

However we do give little rewards to dc for their achievements at school. Wouldn't have thought rewarding completing GCSEs at all, but it sounds nice from what i've read so far.

DD got an extra nice birthday party, because it had to be delayed by a fortnight because of the exams. She is on £10 an A and £20 an A* for the results.

I got money for my GCSEs years ago and remember being very pleased. Sadly we live in a world where rewards are based on achievement, not effort.

DD has had £100 of clothes money from me plus £50 promised from grandma for sixth form wear.So far she's spent £250 on shoes and clothes .I made her add it all up!Saying that she's really not normally a shopper as she lacks the patience to try things on and hasn't really shopped this year.I did buy her some things before her exams to cheer her up - nightwear and two pairs of jeans from Next as she was growing out of her old ones ( exam-induced weight gain).

 Her second treat is a scuba-diving course for beginners on Tioman island in Malaysia.Dh is getting worried about this however as she will be accompanied by her uncle only ( Dh can't swim very well and I will be with the rest of the kids snorkelling).

I'm loving reading how other families are handling this post-exam period.

DS has had a new BMW and a pony

All rewards are off since he vomited in his friend's dad's car on Saturday night. He has discovered alcohol and not in a good way. Sigh.

Have they all gone mad or just mine? Seems like his post-GCSE brain has simply exploded.

Hilarious to watch though - after all those weeks of hard work, he can't even decide what to have to eat, or which t-shirt to put on.

I never got rewarded for anything at school, but I don't remember anyone else getting anything either so never felt I was missing out. I was always quite happy sitting exams though.

To my shame dd3 still has some very old stuff in her room (for younger children). So she is going to stay with her grandparents while we decorate her bedroom.

We promised that if she worked hard we would as well after the exams. Am starting to regret this promise after lugging numerous boxes to another room.

I was not given any reward for my exams. I recall that I suggested it and my Dad asked if I wished to switch from a termly allowance (for clothes, make up etc) to a merit-based system and I chickened out.

DD1 did GCSEs last year. We gave her £200 when she got her results so that she could buy clothes for sixth form. We will do the same for DD2 this year. I'm not quite sure what should happen with AS/A2 at this stage but I have a few weeks to work it out!