Thread 14? Corona Cohort Yr 12 2021 - 'Vaccinations and Eliminations'

[orangecinnamon]

Just place marking for the New Thread!

I think we need one of those alarm clocks that ring loudly then fly across the room so he has to get out of bed to turn it off. Turning his light on doesn't work. Light makes no difference to him. He doesn't ever touch his curtains...so if I open them, they stay open...in winter I shut them to keep the warmth in and they stay shut the whole of winter. Summer he just leaves them open. His room faces north...so the sun doesn't shine in, thankfully he's at the back too, so people walking by can't see the curtains permanently closed. I often wonder if there's something wrong with him the amount he sleeps, Sunday he slept 'till I called him for dinner at 6pm.

I knew it was going too swimmingly. For reasons as yet unfathomable DS got all precious about some work mishap today , wouldn't listen to various snippets of advice from his dear old mum, punched his laptop. Hard drive broken.

Is it a boy thing? Ds (14) sleeps really heavily. His curtain pole fell down a few months back and he was insistent he didn't want it replaced, so his room is very light in the morning, but he can still sleep and sleep and sleep....

Nope , not a boy thing. My DS is up at 7am every morning without fail!

Sorry so many of our DC are feeling down. I think it must be pretty widespread. DS's school has announced a Zoom & lesson free day next week and is suggesting some creative options instead. Says it is as a result of feedback from pupils and parents.

Sorry to hear about the laptop @Piggywaspushed! It's Friday and nerves are frayed here too, we've had battles over work and ds and dd just had a screaming match about whether or not he would go to the shop with her.

Uh oh piggy is there another device he can use or are you going to have to sort him out quickly? I don't think DS would ever harm his PC as he built it himself and loves it dearly, but DH is always getting angry with technology. His team at work gave him a box of old computer bits with a hammer and safety goggles which they called his "frustration box". He always had great sympathy for the men in videos on YouTube who get so cross that they throw their laptops out of the window!

No other devices not already in use , no.

He'll have to try with his phone and if no dice, go into school.

Took it to a Currys (15 miles away!). Should be back by the 16th...

Luckily he's a handwriting type so not too many precious documents will be lost.

The meltdown was odd. Economics teacher had put a very complex looking fill in the blanks thing. In doing something to it, DS appeared to save his version into Teams, preventing anyone else from doing theirs. They seemed entirely unbothered since none of them put anything in chat but DS got very upset that they could all only see his work and couldn't do theirs. Even he say now that he is not sure why he was so bothered. I think it was the fact that he couldn't undo his error.

DS1 has broken 3 laptops. This is exactly why I bought DS2 a really sturdy heavy HP. It must be a bit crap though as I ahve dropped my Dell several times and not harmed it.

Piggy

Called ds for dinner this eve. He didn't come. Went up....asleep again. Perhaps he's just bored with his room. He's competing with his friends over who can stay indoors at home the longest 🙈

@Piggywaspushed mine wouldn't hurt his pc either. Anything else including his brothers...yes. I hope it gets fixed on time.

My 2 only have 3 more days of online learning. Then off until 22nd feb. Plenty of sleep time for ds2!

to all who have DC struggling with online learning
DD is fortunate, from an academic perspective, that her A levels seem to be easily delivered ‘online’ but for a lot of subjects they certainly won’t be!
DD is struggling from the lack of face to face interaction with friends and increasingly seems to have spread out a lot of ‘stuff’ from her room into mine
In regard to broken devices, I ‘trampled’ over DDs laptop twice whilst visiting the bathroom

Oh no Piggy 💐 I guess it shows the level of pent up frustration they are feeling.

Better day for DS. I was so flipping bright and breezy this morning it nearly killed me but it seems to have set the tone for the day, probably helped by it being Friday. College have set a fundraising challenge which is cycling, walking or running . He grunted when asked about it but did walk the dog with DH so may be persuaded, time will tell. Tests all next week.

Mine has hit a wall this week too. He has been engaging well with lessons and turning up on time etc but has completely blanked in the face of one of his pieces of BTEC coursework and some tricky learning for an exam in his other BTEC. I haven't been working the last two days so I sat silently out of sight next to him in his lessons and took notes, then spent ages helping him with the learning (went OK) and advising him how to do the coursework. The coursework has been like pulling teeth, he knows the information but just couldn't understand what was being asked AT ALL (he has a fairly severe language impairment). We've done half of it and will leave the rest till tomorrow. He is in desperate need of half term I think.

Another week down. Ds1 is fine, but yes, I do the same ritual as everyone else. Charge upstairs in the morning, followed by a phone call 10 mins. later, then another charge upstairs, only to be told his first lesson is 10.30, so wake him up at 10 am. My house is 3 storey so I’m getting very fit. Followed by tea for one, none for the other. I’ve organised counselling for a very down Dd & checked with Ds whether he wanted some too 😬. He said he’s fine
It all feels a bit like crowd control & survival at the moment... with 3 doing online learning at home.

Sending some encouragement to all those with dc struggling. Hoping they all turn a corner soon and find their lightbulb moment and mojo!
It's a tough job being a parent at the best of times but cheering them on from the sidelines while they do months of remote learning has got to be a winner.

Sympathies to all those struggling. This lockdown is so much harder than the first one (probably because our year 12s were enjoying cancelled GCSEs and nothing to do!).

I wish we had a definite end point to look forward to but I can’t believe they’ll be back on 8th March. We have this South African variant in our ward too which means we’re supposedly even more locked down than everyone else!

A fee days ago DS was saying this lockdown was much better than last year's because they are working to a proper timetable and their work actually counts for something, he didn't enjoy just having token work last year. He's up and down like a yoyo. He said several times today that he is desperate to get back to school now. Really hoping for a March return.

Sorry to hear lots of Yr12 suffering. Dd was so relieved to not be at school when so many classmates positive/isolating last term but even she is getting down this week. She can’t decide whether she’ll feel better when they go back. It will depend if she’s vaccinated I suppose (luckily as she’s 16 she can be at some point in group 6). She has already said she is worried about actual exams, the last real ones being in Year 6 .
I think her natural bodyclock would be 1am until 2pm. And maybe a nap about 6pm! She’s got it down to 15mins from asleep to Teams lessons. She puts a hoodie over her pyjamas until the first break where she continues getting ready.

Mine have both been staying in pyjamas all day. DD is doing form time while still in bed (her tablet camera has broken so no one knows).

I am chuffed with DDs school. They seem to be making a real effort.
Firstly they have a school wide fitness kick. They all have been asked to do some distance everyday (walking, running, cycling) and send proof to PE teacher. DD goes for a run with DH a twice a week and can send the info from her apple watch. Some of her friends aren't that sporty but one asked to meet her after school and go on a social distance walk together - DD enjoyed the catch up and even walked 7 miles.

Another thing the school is doing is a Screen free day next week. No lessons, but lots of challenges or something set. Not sure what yet.

And lastly - DD has said that during some of her lessons the teachers tell them to turn off camera and and go and answers some questions for 10 mins (having to write them down) so as not to use a screen for a short while.

We have a virtual parents evening next week.

Sorry to hear about your childrens frustrations etc. It's definitely not an easy time for them, and it's not surprising they might lash out or bottle it up too. This isn't how 17 yr olds are supposed to live cooped up in the house with just us!

@Heifer - similarly DD's school has been quite creative in setting up some diverting activities. She has 'step challenge' to participate in and is the captain of a team. I've been dragged out in long walks with her to get the numbers up.

She also had 'creative' day yesterday and spent the day learning to knit. They also had a 'drop everything and read' afternoon. None of this is ideal but it does feel like the school is trying to break the monotony and her mood is good-ish.

She's also volunteering at a local primary school (English support via zoom) and was chuffed yesterday when the teacher said her lesson plan would have been a good effort for an NQT 😊

My DCs schools are trying too. DD (y10) has been set PE challenges and go off and do something different challenges but she isn't engaging as it means posting pictures or results and she's too shy, but its not the school's fault. They have also put in a 10 min break between each lesson. DS's school are providing optional stuff but he feels its more for the younger years and its being put out via their social media channels which he doesn't follow (he doesn't use SM). The teachers are very accessible and responsive if the students need any extra support though.

Having said all that about DD, she is absolutely fine, engaging well with lessons, perfectly happy doing her own thing the rest of the time. She does online fitness training with the swimming club several times a week. DS seems happier this morning and is meeting a friend to play football this afternoon.

School provision this term has been so much better and I think DS really lucky with his teachers but he is desperate to be back in school, especially as only child! We have bike and rowing machine in conservatory which he uses every day and meeting friend today for outside exercise. Has had a couple of drives to shops taking DH now they can do that again. He can’t wait for half term but heard today he was accepted on the Spring pod work experience for law so that will take up some of it. He’s also done a couple of free Open Learn OU courses for a change which he liked very much. Only a couple of hours and he gets a certificate!! He has applied to Sutton Trust Nottingham Uni for a week in July - hopefully physically attending but remote if not. Has anyone else looked at that? Possible 2 grade reduction offer if they get on it and complete it.

He’s definitely not his usual self though. He’s always been an early riser early sleeper, thank you swimming, but he gets frustrated at things much more easily than he used to and is becoming more introverted. Only really has contact with one or two friends.