Corona Cohort’s Year 12 adventures

[FoolsAssassin]

We’ve made it into year 12 and rapidly approaching the end of the first half term .

Lots of challenges we could never imagined as we started the year but we’re all keeping on keeping on and this thread is for anyone who would like to jump on board to share the rather unusual journey this is turning out to be.

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Same here, I’d thought that dd had got past the teen strops as shes quite mature. Also we started young - periods at 10 and accompanying attitude! However it seems to have resurfaced a little this term! Must be stress I think.

She also has to wear masks all day now and is complaining of break outs.

Oh yes the random moodiness and snark answers are fab aren't they. It drives me mad!

Anne, as from yesterday its masks on at all times except when outside for breaks and pe.

Mine have to wear masks all the time except sitting down during lessons. They do have to have all the windows open though.

Ours are wearing masks in the corridors but not sitting at desks.

Mine has to wear a mask in corridors. Not in class. Not sure about the common room - will have to ask him.

Think I’m currently in a lucky stage where both DS and 15 year old DD are generally in pretty good spirits. Hopefully this doesn’t mean they will both be moody later on

DS did manage to fall back to sleep on Wednesday morning when his first lesson is at 10:15. At 10:05 I had mother’s intuition, went into his room and woke him up. Was quite impressed that he got to school only 5 minutes late (I was a nice mother and gave him a lift - he usually cycles)

I can totally sympathise with the moods and irrational ranting!!

I got it yesterday when dd was told she needs to SI until the 16th due to being in the same house as her friends brother for an hour. Didn't even see him.

So now she is missing her 'in college' week next week, the second gcse maths class and the hour with her maths tutor.

She is now convinced she is going to fail everything because she thinks she is only getting half the teaching others are getting anyway, plus this week isolating.

Oh and last night she nicked a WHOLE BOTTLE of wine and got drunk with her bestie on FaceTime because she can't possibly go without fun for 2-4 weeks

We normally lock all booze up but forgot last night, and look what happened.

Joy oh joy.

I've no idea about masks because she hasn't been in college since the week before half term and now won't return until the 22nd.

Miranda - that is going some!!! DD takes at least an hour to get ready so would certainly have been more than 5 mins late!!

Nard - ds19 is uncommunicative. Been at uni since the end of sept and we've spoken twice! I reckon it's a boy thing..

@ pasanda I think you are right although DS2 is slightly more forthcoming than his older brother.

My ds is definitely less forthcoming about himself and his life than dd, although he can be very chatty, especially in the car. @Nard75 do keep an eye out for signs of deeper issues though. Ds and dd have both had spells of depression and it can present with them being non-communicative and subdued. Lockdown combined with the dark nights etc is a bit of a toxic combination potentially.

Dd said extra curricular sport isn't allowed in lockdown at all, so rugby was cancelled today. Netball is ok as that's in school hours and is classed as a games lesson - even though it's completely voluntary.

When do Year 12 get their GCSE certificates?

Thanks @crazycrofter I was also concerned about this and will see how it goes the next few weeks.
Going off topic I was just thinking that this whole year has gone by in a flash. With all those months of lockdown and then the exams debacle I will be glad when it is 2021.

@Zandathepanda I think it is normally December.

I think DS has a gcse awards assembly at some point this month - will check the school calendar

Turns out it’s December 15th - I presume they will get GCSE certificates then.

DS has to wear a mask in corridor and communal areas, unless outdoors - has been like that since the start. Apparently they have Perspex screens in some classrooms too, which was a new one on me until drive home this evening.

He isn’t anywhere near as forthcoming with details about his life as DD but much better than he was in the summer when I think he was a bit depressed. Also distance in week does make him a bit more appreciative of us I think and he hasn’t radiates that ‘Mother your presence is annoying me ‘ vibe as much.

That’s rough Pasandra, can see why she is hacked off - long time off. This is the issue, some will have had a lot more classroom time than others by the time they are due to sit exams.

Nard this year has shot by which given how it has been is a good thing I think !

By coincidence a survey has jus landed about mask wearing, sounds like they are looking at potentially increasing it.

Thanks about the date

Mine has got GCSE certificate presentation next week. Feeling a bit sad as normally it would be a big extravaganza with parents, ex students etc. None of that this year, but they have said they are going to have speeches and nibbles to try and make it special.

Moods - 14yo DD is definitely in that zone, I have learnt not to speak unless I am spoken to in the mornings .

History - DS is really enjoying it, they are doing a module on American Presidents so a lot of topical discussion for them too.

DD's school is masks everywhere except classrooms and eating from Mon. DS's is masks in corridors and lunch queues but due to the layout there are virtually no corridors. We were a tier 1 area with fairly low incidence here.

It seems to have been a good week for DD - not that she would describe it as good - more "it was fine" :-)

Doesn't really like having to wear masks and being 2m from everyone all the time (small class sizes). Seems to have got used to it and is now able to chat to friends, even though 2m away wearing masks when not eating (they eat slowly at lunch apparently). I'm guessing they are just louder.

She was annoyed that head of 6th form brought another new girl into her group of 8. She said it's because they are the friendliest group which made us laugh at the dinner table last night as having listened to how DD hates new people coming to sit with them etc - we said crikey if you're the friendly lot god help everyone else! she laughed and said well 2 of her group are really friendly and welcoming, the rest tollerate it. I did try to explain how hard it must be for new people etc but she isn't bothered :-( She won't be horrible to anyone and is always polite but isn't going out of her way to be nice to outsiders sadly. She said "I was nice to the 1st new girl and look where that got me! Every free period the girl sits at my table with my group, I can't get rid of her" I'm not being nice to anyone else!

She had a Biology test this week. covering everything from Sept and she was 2 marks off an A so she was happy with that (for now as is aiming for all As from now on apparently)

Psychology seems to be going well. We are having some interesting coversations at the dinner table which is nice. She has a big test next week, has done well in the smaller tests so far.

PE - she is finding easy and ok (really likes her teacher but not loving the subject yet)

Core Maths - she is actually enjoying it :-)

She is working hard, planning Christmas and Birthday list, doing a lot of online window shopping for clothes that she has nowhere to wear them to.

Thankfully DD is in a decent mood most of the time. I had my time as a punch bag and it's not nice. DD get moodier the most stressed she gets but seems to be managing that better these days. I can definitely see she is maturing.

I hate the phases where I've felt like Im walking on egg shells, neither DH or I ar elike that at all, but I've clashed with DD when she has been like that as I won't tolerate it. Hoping that phase has gone for good but who knows.

@AnneOfCleavage DD told me when she was about 8 not to ask her questions after school. Like you I was excited to see her and hear about her day but she wasn't having it. I always try to be available when she comes into the house for 30min-1hr before I go back into the office as she often asks to watch something with me while she has lunch or snack if after school.

I probably accommodate her too much, if she wants to watch something with me, I turn my stuff off, or stop work for a while (if I can). I think it's because I'm almost grateful for the time together (I enjoy it) plus being an only child I feel like I have to make more of an effort. She spends time with DH as well but not as much (he hates tele). She runs and cylces with him mostly.

@pasanda - I hope it wasn't a good bottle of wine :-) How was her head in the morning?

No word about GCSE Certs here.

We just had an email from DDs old school asking her to tell them where to post her GCSE Certificate as they've arrived. No ceremony or anything for leavers.

She is also hating mask wearing. From Thursday they have to be worn all the time unless at break or lunch when in their year bubble. Spots galore.

She is quite chatty about school - although she has always been a talker.

DS just started at uni and I have been pleased with the amount of contact I've had - lots of WhatsApps. Phone calls reserved for when his flat went into isolation, when he dropped his phone down the loo and it stopped working, and a positive test result. Oh and cooking advice 😁

@Heifer I like that your dd is planning her Christmas and birthday lists. I think that must be a girl thing. I've asked all 3 boys and they say "don't know" it's so unhelpful. Though ds2 wants the latest ps5 when it comes out end of nov. He wants it when it comes out....Not for Christmas apparently he will pay for it. His birthday is next weekend. Driving lessons were his birthday present but now cancelled. No idea what to get him now.

Heifer - I have to give mine space to decompress after school too, neither want to talk to me and DD actively wants to be left alone. They've never told me much about what happens st school, I still hear more from other parents than from them. They are chatty at other times though.

That's reassuring to know about other mask wearers. Will show her this part of the thread.

On another topic her school's 6th form has been selected (along with 150 other schools) to take part in a Covid study. I have to sign my consent by tomorrow to let DD take part. DD is ambivalent about it so we rang up and asked for details. The lady at the study was very helpful and said that they would do a pinprick test, a swab in the mouth and no poking with sticks in nose as it's not a Covid test just a study. DD can stop at any time with no questions asked. Anyone else been approached and if so are your DC taking part?

Not included here Anne, but I would be all for it if we were. Of course, it’s up to DD whether she wanted to opt in/out. The more they get to understand how the virus behaves in the young adult demographic, the better - for both students and teachers.