Thread 3: Continuing to GCSEs Summer 2020 - Happy New Exam Year!

[OrangeCinnamon]

Continuation of previous thread
Thread 2

Thread 1 Year 10

At the end of last thread there was a bit of talk on prom dresses ( recommend Fonthill Rd in London if you can get there) by @proggymat and @crazycrofter

@TigerMum had a query regarding moving to foundation level at this stage.

Sorry peeps thread progressed without me noticing so none can reply to your queries!

Take care of yourselves singing

Fantastic plan for the weekend with your DS. Enjoy.

DD still not got all her results back, just individual papers, not whole subjects which is really annoying!

Still, tonight is all about her prom (I know, most happen after the real exams.....), so have just got in from the hairdresser and she is now working on her make up🙂

Lovely to hear of your DD's musical ambitions Orange, and how much it helps her de-stress.

DD is in awe of any jazz performer. having been mostly classically involved in music, she decided that a sax was essential for her 16th so she could get into the jazz ensembles once mastered (even if it meant at uni). I questioned whether this was a good idea adding yet another thing to Y11, she argued well.

There was a recent thread on why DC played musical instruments to high level/must have been pushed by tiger parents etc, and posters couldn't understand that some enjoyed it and continued to HE or later in life, no matter how well some argued. I didn't get involved because it saddened me. For those with DC that do have a 'thing', whether music, sport, chess etc and are not being forced to maintain for CV reasons, I hope their DC do look back without thinking I just did it to please my parents...

Patience you are not being a bad parent at all, you are encouraging them to do that extra bit now so that they can achieve the best they can in May/June. I am the same with my DS and he also gets defensive sometimes but he'll be grateful come August!

Singing that's a lot to deal with, take time to care for yourself. Cinema sounds like a good plan.

How exciting Seeline! And perhaps strategically well timed by the school to take their minds temporarily off what's to come!

@singingstones sounds a real load for you sending

@Seeline
Hope your DD has a fabulous night!
Really envious of an early prom, from lots of perspectives.

@ealingwestmum check out the National Youth Jazz Collective they encourage any age/instrument and try and find a place for everyone ... i was so impressed with how encouraging they were without being pushy or fake or over the top! Just genuine.

Am definitely not a music tiger mum lol. I hardly know anything about music and only signed Dd up to singing lessons as she has Asthma and no flute spaces available. She has a good ear which helps. I wont go and look for that thread and wind myself up though....

@seeline hope Dd has a fab night !

Hope your DD has a great night Seeline.

Thanks everyone. I hadn't really clocked until tonight how much is happening at once but I'm sure it will all be ok. It should all be over by June anyway and I am hoping to have a couple of months off then to sort the house out and decorate. My first extended time at home since maternity leave!

The building work is a bit of a faff but also a nice distraction, had a good old chat about our undulating floorboards today and happily losing myself in tiling websites

@singingstones hope all goes well - I know what you mean about building work being a good distraction though.

Completely agree with whoever said that some children just continue with music, dance, sport or whatever and nothing to do with parents being 'pushy' - I had the least pushy DM ever but I loved music and spent more or less every lunchtime at secondary school doing some kind of music related club and then most of my after school time having music lessons (although sadly didn't continue any of it through to adult life but enjoyed it hugely at the time!).

My own DC aren't musical but DS1 adores karate and is due to grade (hopefully) to black belt in the next few months. I have queried the wisdom of this in GCSE year too but OMG when he comes out of karate training he is just, I don't know, lighter, if that makes sense? So much happier - and regardless of what's going on at school he always always always wants to go to karate. It's just such a good energy release.

The problem with studying is that it is such a sedentary thing - you're essentially just sitting down absorbing facts. So your brain gets absolutely exhausted but your body isn't. Any kind of sport or extra curricular activity that helps the DC balance that has got to be a good thing.

That is a lovely image of your son @dietcokeandwine ..
great when they find their thing!

Agree with others that downtime is so important.

Since the New Year, DS has started going on weekend cycle rides with his friends. To note this is a group of boys that have previously spent most of their time together on the PS4. And that January is not the typical month to take up cycling. I did wonder if they've realised themselves that mountain biking through the woods is a great stress buster and helps take their minds of GCSE. I'm all for it anyway!

Thanks everyone. She looked gorgeous - I think I can say that as her Mum 😁

I think it's great if they can have some sort of outlet out of school. DDs is dance 3 lessons a week, whenever she can fit it around homework. It's particularly nice because lots of the girls are from other schools so it is a real getaway.

Will do - thank you Orange!

Seeline you can say that & I'm sure she does. Can't get my head around a January prom though!

DS has had quite a few mock marks back but not grades, he's optimistically interpreting them himself. So I'm having to ask where did you come in the class?

Thanks all, made me feel better. Accepted for college today needs 5 4’s including English and Maths so should be fine as predicted grades are all 6’s. Can’t wait for college now, she’s looking forward to it. Booked concert tickets for after exams so something to look forward to as doesn’t want to go to prom.

Singing that really is a lot happening at the same time
Seeline I hope she had a great time.
Tigerswife that’s great that has come through and lovely idea with the concert tickets, might nick that.
Sprouts I found that a bit frustrating and got to the stage where I would rather not have had the marks without the grades.

Redsky please could your DS have a word with mine, we have woods close by!
Dietcoke you have hit the nail on the head with the sedentary bit.

I had decided DS was going to learn to run and do C25k with me as feel he would enjoy running in woods with music to listen to if he learned how to do it. I took him once and was stressing he needed to go as slow as possible . Great in theory but he has very long legs and his slow was very fast for me. He was slightly pink and I was bright red and gasping for breath. I’ve knackered my leg now so that’s the end of that idea.

Totally agree with keeping extra curricular activities going. DD still has dance classes 3 x per week late afternoon/ early evening so it is a rush to get her there especially after an after school study period.
I said to her that if it was too much she may have to stop for a while and her response was "no way, it's the only thing keeping me going" so we continue.

We stopped the Saturday morning classes (3 hours) from Sept as she needed her sleep and now she has Saturday morning class this worked in her favour. She still gets a bit of a lie in compared to a school day and gets to wear her own clothes and see friends too and class is more relaxed.

I still think we will have to step in and say enough at some point as it's not sustainable all the way through to exam time as she also does a lunchtime study class sometimes... although the Friday one yesterday (and the week before) the teacher made them all hot chocolate and that makes all the difference.

Anyone's else's DC had a big acne break out? DD is gutted her skin is flaring up and I'm sure it's stress related but not sure what to do. It's not bad compared to others but for her (dry, eczema prone skin) it's bad - down sides of her face and over forehead and some hard ones on her chin. She doesn't wear make up so can't hide it. Saw a Dr about another issue for her and she said not to use acne washes just plain water - is that good advice?

@AnneOfCleavage
DD had a similar breakout at the end of Yr10 exams.
Prior to this she had slight hormonal break outs which quickly cleared.
The post exam breakout did not so I took her to the GP and she given ABs and a topical AB which cleared her skin.
Some acne washes and treatments are really harsh- DD has sensitive skin.
She uses Boots Tea Tree and Charcoal face wash and mask which is not harsh or drying.
Given the slog they have coming up Her skin could get worse.
I would go for the ABs.

If you can’t get to the doctors, sudocrem on the spots overnight is a good option @AnneOfCleavage. It calms them down and clears them up - temporarily at least!

Breakout spots here too, must be stress.

Breakout spots here, too...mine. 😞