Have we got a year 7 support thread this year?

[KangarooLady]

Hi all! DD1 is starting secondary this year! She's very nervous about the travel (train and bus) but definitely looking forward to it . Any other new year 7s?

Hope all new starter DCs got off ok this morning and that all parents are coping ok! Last few days of hols for us we start back next Tuesday. The waiting is getting hard now!

My DD loved her first day and has just left for Day 2, full of beans. Some of these schools sound nuts - tests on the first day, no earrings, hair in a bun! Hope everyone starting today has a lovely day

Great so many had good first days. We've got a parent-pupil induction session today, so don't have to be there until later. I think I'm more anxious than DD is!

To start off secondary school in style, DD misplaced her bus pass and I very nearly had to drive her 🙈 we found it last possible minute and she refused my offer to walk her to the bus stop, hopefully she’s made it for the bus can’t wait to hear all about it later.

DS had a great day yesterday but came home with a massive headache 🙁. He was disappointed that the teachers are coming to their classroom instead of them going to different classrooms but hopefully that won’t be for long!

Thank you to whoever mentioned haircuts - I totally forgot we needed to book one! We don't start back here until Tuesday. Have DS' first meeting with a counsellor on Monday to help him manage his anxiety a bit more. Not sure whether it's ideal to have it the day before starting school or not, still it is what it is.

Having said that, he's very excited more than anxious about school so maybe he's turning a corner anyway. So glad to hear of everyone's good first days. I'm slightly anxious about them having to wear masks- I do feel that they are counterproductive as I can imagine them being dropped on the floor, shoved in pockets, handled ad-infinitum and then strapped to faces - that cannot in any way, shape or form, be healthy...

Thankfully our school said no masks, though the local authority wants them on the school bus. I’ve sent 2 pencil cases with a mask each, one for morning, one for afternoon, hopefully she will remember which one is which

Ours are wearing masks in corridors only, I've sent 4 in in a labelled bag with another for dirty masks - I reckon that will last til maybe tomorrow before shes just shoving any old one on then lashing it straight in her bag

About to go and pick up my DS from first day at secondary. Despite the announced staggered start times, the whole school were out the front, mingling, no masks. To be fair, what did they expect? Kids to magically appear at the allotted times?
Looking forward to hearing all about his day and hoping it wasn't too bad. He has ASD so have been really nervous about how he'll cope!

Both dc very excited about their first day's at their respective new schools. They've both got people they know in their form so that's good.

Reporting in - DD really enjoyed her day - no one from her old school in her class but hooked up with some new class mates for break and lunch. Liked the food (essential for DD as very good driven!), and likes the form teacher. So all good here. What a relief.

@KangarooLady - how did your DD get on today?

@Howcanwehelp - great start by the sounds of it!

@JoyceByersWasRight, she got off the train with a huge smile on her face! She's made a few new friends and she says her form tutor was kind. Apparently the cafeteria food is gross though (the school is very strict on what they serve so no sugary, sweet foods)

Glad everyone had a good day! My DD went out with new and old friends after school today and came home super excited, full of stories and plans for the weekend. So happy for her. Shes also started her period today just as I was terrified of! But doesn't seem one bit bothered by it

@KangarooLady - that is great news! Glad it went well for your DD. Hopefully, all us parents can get some sleep tonight!

Good luck for those starting over the next few days.

Well done to all, brilliant to hear first days went well!!!

Ours is not until next week so feeling a bit behind. Realised we were late in filling out a couple of forms. Not my forte. Nor DH's. And I'm sure there is kit we have missed even though I've reviewed multiple checklists multiple times.

@JoyceByersWasRight & @KangarooLady bless your DDs for coping with sudden body changes at the same time as school, my worst nightmare and quite worried for mine too.

@ThirdTimeUnlucky... I had wondered about the 'staggered start times' and congregating outside school gates too... Will be interesting to see if it gets better in the coming days/weeks as everyone adjusts (or starts arriving at school later)!!! Hope your DS had a good day as well and not too overwhelming.

Ds2 was fine. Apart from the fact that he wasn't there when I went to collect him, off collecting his scientific calculator apparently. I had to rush back to work and was gone an hour.
In his tutor is only one boy, who is the one boy he didn't like from his old school. Yeah, yeah I know He'll make loads of new friends soon,that's fine, he seems completely unbothered by this, but I am really narked.

DD has a very sad first day. One girl laughed at her, made fun of her and then looked her up and down and then turned away when DD talked to her during the “wandering around the classroom and chatting to each other” phase. DD went off to cry in the toilets. No teacher noticed she’d been crying.

@MoverOfPaper oh that's shit. Were you able to cheer her up at all? Has she got a plan now for coping with mean girl?

Oh mover that’s such a shame. Please reassure your daughter (I’m sure you have already) that this girl’s actions say a lot about her and nothing about your dd. Some children unfortunately can only make themselves feel better by making others feel worse. It’s a shitty thing to do and that girl must have very low self-esteem herself to act like that. Hopefully your dd won’t let that one incident overshadow what are I’m sure many other positives in her school day. I hope she has a better one today.

@MoverOfPaper exactly the same here, against all expectations. She went in nervous, but had got on just fine at a picnic over the holiday and knew 2 in the class. Had a huge and happy group of firm friends at primary. Got an eye roll from one kid, and there are cliques already of those who have been online gaming / tik tok’ing all summer. Torrents of tears. Feel so sad for her. Have explained the concept of killing with kindness for eye roll girl and making a plan for lunch by specifically asking a couple of people to go together. Have relentlessly reinforced the idea that first day friends are never the lasting ones, but she was very much putting on a brave face this morning. Hope you have a more positive response this afternoon.

Oh, so sorry to hear that some have had a shitty start, some kids are bloody horrible. I hope they have a better day today and meet nicer kids like them.

So sorry @MoverOfPaper and @TryAnotherNicknameryanother. That's horrible.

I agree that it's more about the other kids confidence and problems, but that doesn't make it any better for your DC.

How were they this morning?

@MoverOfPaper and @TryAnotherNickname-is it possible she could make friends with people on the same walk, bus, train ect? Maybe kids in other forms too? Will be thinking of both your DDs today, wishing them the best.

Ugh. Bullies are always sizing up others for signs of weakness and vulnerability...so I've told DD to steel herself for possible and put on a brave face so she doesn't get picked on. The 'tiktokking all summer' thing rings so true, there really wasn't much else for a lot of kids during lockdown.

Hope your DDs are doing better!!! They are all so brave now and lucky they are sharing with you instead of just bottling it up as some kids would.

Thanks all. She’s got bus friends and says that the other classes are so much friendlier but of course they’re massively restricted to their own class at the moment. She has a natural glass half full approach, so she did actually meet two people who were nice but the overwhelming impression that the others are all happily paired up already has knocked her for six. Tears this morning but met up with her pal at the bus stop very happily after that. Thank god it’s Friday.