Starting secondary support thread 2

[PenguinPandas]

Support thread continued.

DH has agreed to two house rabbits and we are getting them tonight - they look very cute but hope they will all get on especially as I'm the one who will be home all day with 2 rabbits and a cat. The one rabbit the man initially said was female then male.

Hope the rabbits settle in o.k. and the cat ignores them Penguin

Finally got my car back at 4.30pm! the bill for the van is quite something. DS2 hasn't been well, hoping a rest today will mean he's feeling better tomorrow.

ohhh bunnies.
they are fun pets, but hardwork.

dc has been invited/encouraged to enter the maths challenge. anyone know what it involves?
apparently school enters the 10 best pupils inthe year.

Is it the junior maths challenge? If so its this: www.ukmt.org.uk/individual-competitions/junior-challenge/

The cat was initially scared of the rabbits but is now we've made our room a cat only room she's back on the bed purring with me. They are both very cute but the boy keeps trying to jump on the girl and the girl is having none of it plus neither are neutered so they are now separated. Girl is very happy and calm. Boy is hyper but has at least given up trying to get female one! Been to vets to book vaccines and neutering and run is on its way. DS has the girl and DD the boy. Asked DS if he had done any homework, he has apparently started his portrait so not much done. DD has started reading 32 books, has done a lot of helping with tidying to earn rabbit money!

might be best to get both 'done' asap. or they would breed like the proverbial rabbits.

yes, it's the junior maths challenge. I have no idea what to expect or if dc wants to even take part.

Its 25 questions in an hour - if you go on that link you can see an example past paper. Both mine have done it a few times and seem to be happy enough to do it though some questions are strangely written so I did spend 30 minutes going through one with DS as he's ASD and will stress out at anything different. DD is in year 8 and did the Intermediate this year, it was few weeks ago and is for up to year 11s, again 25 questions. There's also team challenges and DD did those at primary and won the region. They wouldn't take DS as he's ASD, grrr. That's in fours so yours must be individual, our other schools don't enter teams.

They can get gold, silver or bronze, then higher than that is Kanagaroo and higher again is Olympiad. Kangaroo and Olympiad are extra rounds but separate. Junior is up to year 8, DD and DS have done it since year 5 but there's no allowance for age. I would imagine both mine will be sitting it this year but school don't tell us until 2 days before and its a new school for both this year. Our primary entered everyone and grammar entered everyone but current school entered top 10 of year 8 in Intermediate and other comps she knows entered none. Seems to vary by schools who they enter. It's good for the kids good at maths but they read out everyone's results so must be harder for kids who aren't good. DD always comes top of school and DS does well do so mine like it in as much as you can like a maths exam.

Rabbits are getting neutered asap though atm are only 9 weeks and vets wants to do vaccines first. They are separated now but the male did get on top of female for a second before so hoping no babies, think female is too young but we will see. I also seem to be allergic to their hay.

maths challenge sounds right up DS2's street but his school don't do it. They have brought in an Elite Scholar thing, but DS2 was not keen as it involved going to stuff outside of school hours and writing essays.

Hope you don't become a rabbit grandmother Penguins! I used to live near where one of the links of the buns are. Bit further out now though.

DS2 has been down and anxious last couple of days. He is worrying about English, I've suggested I could see about getting moved down a set, but he doesn't want that. He's also thinks he may have ADHD, but I don't really see it tbh. Not really sure how to help him, he's pretty resistant to everything I suggest. I feel he is currently laying the groundwork not to go to school on Monday.

That's a shame they don't do the Maths challenge - neither of mine will do any extra schoolwork clubs but Maths Challenge just takes out of schooltime - at least main and Kangaroo do - not sure about Olympiad as DD said she deliberately got Kangaroo last time "to avoid extra work of Olympiad" Not sure if that's true but she has done that trick a few times now. I think entering top third makes sense though schools have to pay. I don't know why they don't ask for contributions though - sure a lot of parents would be fine with say £10 to enter a child as long as it didn't stop other children whose parents couldn't / wouldn't pay.

That does sound like a day off attempt is looming though its like going back to work after a week off - I'm lucky work from home. I always remind DS that he knows its school tomorrow and he is going night before (or earlier) so we do the conversation and any strop before the morning. Find sometimes a planned treat after school can help like saying there will be a chocolate cake after school on Monday as going back to school after a holiday is rubbish so need a treat.

Got a 3am e-mail from DD "Blueberry's (Rabbit) asleep now on my bed in the cat house thing because I've got rabbit calming music on the TV for him." Wouldn't be amazed if she has ADHD but she seems to manage - she scores very probable in ADHD tests and never sleeps and always hyper. So now the 2 hyper bunnies are together.

DS finally has predicted grade for English and its a 7. So that's good, he is very good at English when he does it but that's not very often and a 7 requires effort.

My girls have done the maths challenge with both doing kangaroo at various points. I don't expect ds will be chosen as, although he's as good as them, he's less engaged in lessons.

Ours they put 30 children in (about 1/10 of the year). Fair enough. But it's sorted by one particular teacher who picks by those she likes rather than ability. Which meant on one notable year (in dd1's year)about 2/3 of the entrants were from this teacher's set-the third set-I don't think any of them got even a bronze certificate and several came out in tears.
Last year dd2 came home upset because although she'd got top marks in the school the previous year, she hadn't been entered. So I emailed the head of maths (not the one who sorts it) with a "I'm sure dd2has got the wrong end of the stick because of course you want your best pupils to do it, don't you?" type letter, and immediately got a response "yes she's entered" I hope that has led to the head checking how they're chosen and sorting a much more sensible method. I doubt it though.

Ds has announced he will have a rabbit for his birthday. He's working smaller. He used to want an elephant. Then a dog.

Although he does still hanker after a parrot. I think he thinks he'll go to school with it on his shoulder like Jack from the Enid Blyton books.

Hope everyone's first day back went well or at least they all got there

at all the animals Witchend

DD had a science and maths test today - full marks and top in maths, science to get results but went well. English result she got a 7 which is good as its her weakest subject, well of the ones she will take to GCSE. Rabbit run is currently being set up, amazing how much little rabbits cost - in theory DD is paying for everything earning £10 an hour helping on things but we are up to £500 odd so far though should hopefully slow down a lot soon. She earned £100 in half term.

Ds prepared for going back to school by telling me he was sick and dizzy and "really ill" on Sunday night-before eating a huge dinner.
he came through at 5:30am to tell me he thought he might have been sick.

I said "no, you haven't go back to bed." Surprisingly he did this and went to school without too much fuss. He's come home and played with a friend and done some homework, so hopefully he'll be fine for the rest of the week.

Needs to improve his faking illness skills 😂

DS is just asking for a pencil and claims never to have had any. DD is asleep so can't get hers so poor DH is off to Sainsbury's as presumably this is for a homework from half term due in tomorrow.

Argh DH got pencils and he started doing art homework which I've been asking him to do and offering to help with all half term then he has a strop as he can't do it. He has at least stropped himself to sleep but bet he'll school refuse tomorrow.

How is ds today, Penguin?

Ds has a colouring homework which ds has been refusing to do as his pencils are broken. I've called his bluff and bought him a cheap packet from Sainsbury's today. I am going to be one mean mum!

Mind you, I'm not sure what the point of colouring homework is.

Well he went to school and art isn't on his timetable for rest of week, phew.

DD showed me DS art book, he has coloured the whole page grey and repeatedly stabbed the book DD said shall I draw a picture for him but said no as not sure how he would react. And he says he's taking art as a year 9 option as he enjoys it. 😂 Still his grade predictions for almost all his GCSEs have gone to 7s, rest of subjects are 3s and Us as he won't do them. Turning into his Dad.

NC. DS had to take a flower to school today for science and this apparently required military level planning and leaving the house an extra 30 minutes early. I suggested he pick one from the garden but no he didn't want to take any of our beautiful flowers, he was searching for free ones. He does love his flowers, had a daisy obsession for years at primary.

we decided not to do the maths challenge, preparation club clashes with a sports club. plus we are moving and don't need additional stress.

Ours schools didn't do any prep for it. I don't think either of mine would have entered if it required any work

Good luck with house move - when are you moving. We bought and moved last July but still have to finish work on old property and sell it.

DS got upset last lesson and had to be brought home.

Ed psych appointment through for March but DS was terrible in a science test today as he couldn't answer every question so started banging his desk. Been in a funny mood all week about school but refuses to talk about it. So we have to see Head, SENCO and one other SLT tomorrow at 8.15am with him - oh joy. He hates meetings and will be having a tantrum - wish they would let us meet without him. Also feeling quite ill - reacted very badly to hay from rabbit and face was swelling, rash everywhere, blinding headache, hard to breathe, chest pains. Thankfully hoovered and changed bedding and its more like hayfever now but am so drowsy with headache and could do without this. He may well school refuse too - quite what we do then I don't know.

Argh he school refused today so I had to stay here whilst DH went - they apparently just want to help him. He's not the easiest child to help atm - screaming then refusing to communicate today until 3.05pm then normal service magically resumes. Rabbits vaccinated round 1, second round then they neuter.

How is your DS getting on Dobbins? We are at 90.5% now so hoping no more tantrum days though apparently 85% here but don't want to test below 90%.

Poor DS penguin sorry he is struggling with school atm. Glad you've got the Ed Psych appt coming up.

DS2 has been o.kish. still has puffy streaming eyes and dodgy tummy. But has been managing school so he's at the giddy heights of 89.05%(!).

Poor DS Dobbins hope he feels better soon. We are at 91.35% for DD and 90.87% so DS needs to get through today and Monday tantrum free - its 1.56pm so we are OK today, phew. So here's hoping for meltdown-free Monday. He was still muttering like Muttley last night.

Still at least school seem to now agree they are wasting their time trying to get DS to talk at a meeting. DD was furious school had called us to a meeting and spoken to class saying about DS - she has gone into very protective big sister mode - think school were just trying to help. An hour to the weekend!!

Dobbins I think that's similar to ds' attendance so I think, considering all your ds has had to go through, that's brilliant. Hope he's better soon.

I don't think some teachers get how intimidating it can be for a year 7 to speak up and say what the problem is-that's if they actually know themselves.
When ds had the issue when he was attacked the teacher tried to say that they didn't believe him because he didn't say anything unless asked a direct question. I said that I wouldn't expect him to and there was a long pause and they asked in a totally surprised voice "do you think he'd struggle to speak to adults about it?" To which I replied in what was probably an equally surprised voice "I'd expect any year 7 to struggle in that situation."

It is funny when they go into big sister mode isn't it? Dd1 does it a lot for ds (he's going to miss her next year) but dd2 varies between "he's the biggest embarrassment and pain in the neck" and big sister mode.

I've just washed ds' sheets, so need to get them back on the bed before he comes home. He hates newly washed sheets. He has a bad dust mite allergy, so is meant to have them washed weekly.