Gcses 2019 support thread 5

[Iambuffy]

Hi :)
Hope this is ok as we are at 1000 posts on thread 4!

Dd has been cooking the odd meal and doing lists I’ve left for her. She also knows I will no longer tolerate the god awful state her bedroom and study was in!

Fos- I think I need to try the list idea!
I did ask Dd to prepare herself something for dinner and instead she used Uber eat to order in!
Maybe I’m just being overly sensitive as I’ve had both DS with A levels and Dd with Gcse and DH away much of the time so since Feb have been on auto pilot!

I don’t think you’re being over sensitive at all - you have been working around their needs - time they wielded around yours!

Lovely photos and so glad to hear that dc have enjoyed their proms. On the tidying helping front, DD has completed tided her closet and bedroom /study area but we agreed a list of things she has to do over the next few weeks and payment was an install printer. Some of the things are on there to give her a gentle prod to start taking responsibility for things after illness eg changing 4th Alevel subject , explaining she's not well enough to go on DoE expedition next week end, thinking about organising herself and how she will have to work differently in sixth from due to memory loss from medication.
On a brighter note it worked well 2 very tidy areas, emails done and she has spent afternoon shopping with friend in town. So pleased that we have been seizure free and starting to gain some normality

Fos, thank you 🙏
Eat that frog- so sorry to hear your Dd has had a hard time she sounds like she has tried v hard. Puts my Dd to shame, I’m going to write a list tonight and see if we can reach an agreement!

I let it go a bit when he was revising but ds1 is expected to keep his room tidy, strip and make his bed, make sure any laundry is in the laundry bins (or it doesn't get washed)

Tbh he's always been good. The above ^ is the least I'd expect really.

Ds2 (10) does the same except for the bed making...he's too short and the beds are doubles! :)

Ds1 also makes a lot of his own food...he used to be ravenous when he got in from school so he'd often start his dinner at 4.15pm!

I'm trying to think of some jobs he can do over the summer apart from his volunteering (which is 1 morning per week) and going up to pils 2 days a week.

Hmmm......

Fab prom pictures! All look great.

Dd is in this week for activities and preparation for 6th form. She's overjoyed as she's been made a house prefect! I'm now feeling bad about buying her sixth form suit jacket from the second hand shop because it has a large mend by the pocket. Thought it wouldn't matter as she wouldn't ever be 'on show'. She doesn't care but i think i do!

Thanks buffy- none of the above is happening here! I think I became fed up after deciding not to hang ironing up and 3 lots later found it rifled through and left in a mess. Plus dirty dishes left by the sink because the dishwasher hadn’t been emptied, so I was really fed up! Have drawn up a list now so fingers x 🙃

Fibbke- congratulations to Dd! I understand your point but I also think it demonstrates eco awareness/ recycling responsibilities and so actually see it as a positive!

Apparently the second hand jackets are much sought after as they are 'cooler' than new. It's just the big darn! Hopefully she can put her arm over it in any photos

So, prom went well. DD won't let me post a picture , but she looked amazing, and very grown up. The trip down the river was lovely, the weather was warm, and they all congregated by the riverside in their multicoloured dresses, and floated off in groups, all very poetic.

Funniest thing was she rang at 10pm asking to be picked up early, they were due to finish at 10.30pm - she was exhausted, so there you go, my NOT very party animal dd!

On another note, the Second Hand Sale was really busy, and we sold a load of uniform. Some people went home disappointed, but then you can only sell what you have. I have been doing this for a while now, and each year gets busier and busier. Parents who buy are happy to get half price kit, parents who sell get a good percentage back, so they are happy, and the PTA makes a small % too. Everyone's a winner .

Lovely photos! Silent pleased your dd enjoyed her prom.

Ds’s is tomorrow and we finally have a shirt and tie!! It all seems very complicated and exhausting with the pre, prom and after and now ds is mumbling about doing something before the pre and after the after?!?

Fingers crossed for dry weather

Thats great silent
As you say, a win win situation for all concerned.

marmite DD looked beautiful, really pretty hair and gorgeous dress.

DS is really kicking back. He has been socialising a lot coupled with very little in the way of chores; in fact, thinking about it, none so far and that includes making his bed.

He put so much effort into his revision, I thought I would let him do his own thing for the first couple of weeks and then start weaning him back into life and my expectations of him helping with jobs around the house.

can I ask you lot about after prom parties?

do kids bring drinks or do they give the host a contribution, or do some parents really shell out for 150 kids to come to theirs?

Basically, what is the typical format?

Ds1 off to laser quest again tomorrow :)

solitude the general format for all parties around here is that the host provides a couple of boxes Corona / Dark Fruits and then people bring their own as well - there will be vodka and Malibu brought I’m sure. Host also seems to provide chips / bread at some point. The children are generally quieter sensible and have called parents in the past if they feel necessary.

The after party isn’t for the whole year - I think there are around 40 going (basically the same as to the pre). Format at pre essentially glass of bubbles/ beer and photos (parents there some of time).

I know some schools where the host of the after party has charged, issued wristbands and provided most drinks etc but these have been more whole year group parties.

buffy hope your ds has great time - I love laser quest!

He takes it very seriously kitty 🙄🤣

thanks Kitty

Good luck for tomorrow kitty :)
Solitude - hosted a few times and generally provided some beer, pims, water and mixers such as coke for vodka and Fanta but not sure what they put that in !? they always seem to bring along neat spirits.
Food they don’t tend to eat so much if it’s pre drinks so nibbles, if it’s post here they order deliveroo or Uber eats Taco Bell / chicken nuggets.
I would say it’s norm to take along something to drink and some cash in case they do a food order!

DD had big day out with friends on Friday, weekend away with same friends and back home last night to go to work experience today. She really enjoyed work experience and was cosy-ed up on the sofa in her dressing gown watching a movie. I came in to see her about 8.30 (was in the kitchen with DH) and she was spark out! Let her sleep for another 1/2 hour and now she's gone up to bed... quite sweet when they're so sleepy they're all mumbly and cute!

Solitude - we've not hosted but as far as I can tell beer and cider seem to be drinks of choice round here... one mention of a lad drinking gin but only at the end of the evening not full on...

Food - they tend to order/deliveroo in

Emergency dress alterations tonight.
Original prom car looks like it’s a go - er.
Shower now leaking out of power shower unit and kitchen ceiling has assorted stains on it now - plumber coming to look at what’s needed to be replaced tonight 🤦🏻‍♀️!!!!!

Loving all the prom photos! They all look so smart and grown up😀
Prom for dd tonight.... has been majorly stressful with her friendship group all doing their own thing without telling the rest what's going on. It's like herding cats! Dd is mega stressed and keeps racing to the loo - am hoping it's nerves and not bug 😲

Oh no glee! Fingers crossed it’s just nerves/excitement!
Hope she has a lovely time

DS has actually, for the first time in a long, long , long time, been making a serious effort on his room (not just putting piles in corners and claimiing that is tidying). As in, he has gone through everything, including ALL his books, and brought down boxloads of books that he says he is now too old for. DD has reviewed and taken what she wants (and I am trying to work out whether we should throw the rest out, or keep them for DD, in case she changes her mind in the next couple of years). We also have had bags of belts and similar dumped on us as too small and there are two big bin bags still on the floor of his room stuffed full of clothes and other bits and pieces (football gloves - he hasn't played football in years etc), and which will no doubt end up dumped on me to get rid of any day now. Parts of the room are actually starting to look quite respectable, although it is clearly still a work in progress (and he hasn't started on the work area downstairs where the GCSE books and papers are). He has put a significant amount of time into it already (but boy it needed it), along with going out shopping with his mates for his overseas trip, and other bits of socialising. He is also trying to paint a portrait of Dcousin and his (now) wife as a wedding present, making use of the portraiture skills he developed in his GCSE. Canvas arrived end of last week, and last night he was busy drawing away in preparatin for painting
Familiarisation at the dreaded sixth form today.
Need to go through our photographs, but not sure we got one of DS on his own at the wedding (we only got changed once we got up there). Weird to see DS as one of the tallest people in the room (the cousin who got married is quite tall, but DS has almost caught up, and the rest of the family except DH are nowhere near).