GCSEs 2018 (18) Well that's all over, let's get the party started

[Stickerrocks]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3341060-GCSEs-2018-17-What-will-be-in-your-coffee-cup-on-Thursday

DS1 is going in three weeks. I'm coping by pretending to myself that he's not really leaving home, he is just going to do Y14 at boarding school (albeit one with very permissive rules).

It's a very gentle way to get your head around them leaving, them going to university. As the years have gone by DS1 spends less of his holidays at home and less of his time at home with me but it's quite gradual, the shift. Weekly boarding must be a fairly feeling.

DS3 doesn't start until Tuesday. Monday is inset, and inset at my school. I will have to catch up with the thread in the evenings.

*fairly similar feeling

Did goes on Tuesday. She’s got flu at the moment & feeling very grotty.

Not good timing, Alexander. Her last weekend of relative freedom!

Ooh poor DD Alex. Will she be staying away in the week too

Her brother is performing in a show tonight & tomorrow we are supposed to be driving to London for a concert.

She starts back Wednesday but is going down Tuesday afternoon. The host family have sent pictures of how they have done the room & the other girl who stays with them has messaged Dd.

Aw Alex. I hope she feels much better soon.

Re growing up, I agree it's gradual. University is a soft, gradual leaving really.
We've just been away without DC1 (now finished degree and working) to a place we went many times when kids were small. I really missed DC1. I dreamt she was on the beach with us aged 7 or 8 with her hair in a ponytail.

I don't want to be a middle aged menopausal woman missing us all being younger .

Then I saw some grandparents helping with the big carry of stuff to the beach (bags, buggy, toddlers) and I thought this is our chance to do long walks along the cliffs, nice lunch etc and chance for DH and I to spend more time together.

Im also going to do an art class and an exercise class. I think it's ok to feel sentimental but I need to be where we are at now too.

Sorry to hear of flu and being under the weather. DD has a cough and cold, but that hasn't stopped her going to a picnic in the park for a friend's birthday.

For those of you whose children are leaving home to board, I hope the change is ok. DD is going back to the same school for sixth form, so no great changes for her. Her big brother is off to university soon, so more of our attention is on him. I'm sad and excited for him in equal measure!

Peggy I love how you always have wise words and show us the way what ever topic we are moaning about - thank you !!!!

I’m really hoping my good intentions of getting fit and active again may finally happen now I have fewer excuses (assuming I can get them all off safely in the next few weeks). And as much as I will miss him dreadfully I am actually glad DS is choosing to board and loving how excited he is at the prospect. He was so timid and shy at the start of secondary and it confirms he must be totally comfortable at the school and with the people or wouldn’t want to board.

Just been blubbing while catching up on the thread.

Dd is starting sixth form a week on Monday and planning to start staying at her dad's two nights midweek (rather than every other Saturday as she's been doing for the last few years)

I strongly suspect the pull of a 25 min bus journey or 10 minute lift from dad will be very tempting vs a 1 hr 15 min train / bus / walk commute from my house. Especially in the middle of winter.

I'm not really ready for her to go but I don't think I will be in two years either. I'm also planning some new hobbies and this thread has prompted me to email about a Spanish class.

get well soon to all the poorly dc.

I'm really looking forward to having the chance to be spontaneous with DH and do things together again without being dictated to by tennis, tennis, rugby, velodrome, tennis....Two more years, but I'll miss her horrendously too. I'm secretly checking out how far she plans to go, as he keeps muttering about keeping her rugby season ticket. She obviously has no concept of a budget.

Thanks Oratory . I like the way this thread makes me think. I do have these sort of conversations with friends but they are snatched, not gently ongoing like this.

I was in a pub on holiday where there were lots of families. I stepped around a small boy sat on the floor playing. His mum went to move him but I said not to worry and to eat her dinner while he was happy. She was really grateful. I sat back down with my teens and we played cards, laughed and drank larger or cider or shandy depending on age. It is definitely not all bad having big kids.

DD suddenly nervous about enrolling at college on Monday. She thought it wasn’t until Thursday! Have started putting exam certificates, passport etc ready. Fingers crossed it goes well. She’s hoping the induction week doesn’t have too much team building [hmmm]

I've just checked the school website and DS2's school goes back a day earlier than he's expecting. Now, I've got to find a good moment to break the bad news to him.
If DS1 finds out, he'd be delighted to tell him!

This was such a quick summer.

And we're off. Youngest deposited at the gate this morning. School was chaos. Hope it settles down or I will be arriving late to work!

Hope it goes well, veiled!

Hard to tell. She's asleep. The joys of having to be in school for 7:20.

Alexander are you coming to see Jeremy Jordan perchance? We're going tonight! So excited we no longer have to wait until the end of October!!

Good luck to all DC and their parents for the start of Year 12 (including those who have already done a day or two!)

Good luck to all starting at 6th form tomorrow....my ds doesn't start until 10th. He has been so happy since collecting results!

Yes good luck to all starting tomorrow and to all those in final preparations - especially those in new schools or with additional challenges.

Two more days here !

DD1 enrolls tomorrow. Induction on Tuesday. Lessons begin on Wednesday.
Excitement is building.

She and her sister have also literally just this week started communicating and doing stuff together, having lurked in their rooms ignoring each other for much of the summer. Sigh!

Ds has to register tomorrow, including getting the school tie and having photo taken. We have filled in 100's of forms today giving them information they already have as he is staying on at his old school! Lessons start on Wednesday.

Good luck to the DC who start tomorrow, especially to those moving schools. Am sure they’ll all hit the ground running. DS back Wednesday...and still has holiday homework to finish

DS starts tomorrow. For the first time ever he's traveling an hour from home each day and needs to take care of a £1000 season ticket, and his wallet.
He's just completely un-streetwise. So DH and I spent some time this morning explaining about pickpockets and muggers and general common sense.
TBH, I think he just about grasped that it makes things difficult if you lose your travel pass, money and phone all at the same moment, so don't keep the travel pass in your wallet, but that's it.