Thread 16 - Corona Cohort Year 12, 2021 Zooming through Summer Term

[orangecinnamon]

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Ooh did Birmingham have a paternoster? We had one at Leicester! I was sad to hear that it’s no longer in operation. Although I do remember my friend slipping on her way in and almost getting trapped!

Sheffield still has theirs, I heard.

I’m not doing a scary lift!! Logistics to work out here about picking up DS’s stuff as have had text asking when we are planning to do it. My head starting to hurt a bit working it out .

Hmmmm.... looking at news today , I am wondering whether Birmingham will ache to cancel.

What are you seeing Piggy ?

Looking increasingly likely that restrictions will be kept in place for an extra fortnight after 21June

Thank you, that saves me looking - very lazy thank you but sorting out loads of paper work.

DS has assessment for extra time this week, be interesting to see what happens.

Thanks for all the words of support and wisdom - it makes me feel so much better to know that other people’s DCs are struggling with the same issues, and that at least some of it is standard teenage stuff.
Definitely doesn’t help that my own hormones are all over the shop and I’m struggling with low mood and general anxiety at the moment.

Yes, Piggy, the vomiting was alcohol induced. DD can’t do things in moderation, alcohol included, it seems. We talked to her on Sunday but she said she can’t see the problem, as everyone she knows drinks until they’re sick or at least completely blotto, and that’s just what 17 year olds do.

Hopefully, some counselling sessions might help her examine what’s at the root of her poor self-esteem. Of course, I’m already blaming myself.

That saying about only being as happy as your unhappiest child is so true.

Piccolo I’m sorry it’s rough 💐 I was thinking yesterday about the fact that teenagers go through their brain rewiring stage around the stage that a fair few of us go through peri menopause and menopause plus now the Pandemic in the mix and came to the conclusion that basically it is all rather shit for want of a better word.

However if we get through this, the next stage may be quite easy in comparison ?

And that saying is very true. Studies show that it is peer influences who make the difference at this age I think ? It isn’t you , honestly. My friend has twins, one about to finish university doing really well, the other has been in drugs, mental health horrendous and social service involvement. She is a mental health professional and her DH was involved in drug counselling. Both girls have the same upbringing, non identical twins and I think a good example of the lottery DNA and peers can be.

I managed to get some HRT from the doctor and it has actually helped. It is worth laying siege until they hand over the prescription.

@Alsoplayspiccolo I expect the ADHD doesn't help either. Ds with ADHD can't do things in moderation. At the moment it's exercise - which is great - although I do worry that he's going overboard with weights which are too much for a 14 year old. He's obsessive about his diet too. But if he decides to have a day off, he goes totally overboard, binging on sweets, chocolate etc. So I can just imagine that he'll be the same if/when he starts drinking.

I agree with Fools, the Parenting irony of their hormones and brain re-wiring, at the same time as my menopause and HRT, is definitely shite for want of another word.

And often with an increasing burden of elderly parents thrown into the mix too .

I actually think I'm through the worst of the peri-menopause stuff now, but I had no idea that low mood and anxiety were such common symptoms when I had them a lot a few years ago. I still have moments but nothing like as bad (I'm early 50s now). I am considering still asking for HRT for other reasons but am aware that a lot of GPs are reluctant to prescribe it so I'm doing my homework first.

When do symptoms start for most people? I'm hoping my two are through the other side before menopause hits for me! I'm nearly 45....

It can be any time from about 38 onwards. I haven't had many physical symptoms and have had a Mirena coil for years so no periods anyway but definitely had the low mood, anxiety, irritability, brain fog thing from about age 47 for a few years. My teenagers are fairly stable in mood so far though (15 and 17).

Nodding in sympathy at the menopause woes. The heat, the fecking heat, 24/7. It's relentless, and making me really dread the summers...

I know a lot of your DC are contemplating gap or deferred years. Can't think of anything worse here - DD is desperate to escape the slightly toxic mix of so called friends and get out of London. There are a handful of really lovely ones, but the park-life grunge users (who's got a vacant house to trash) I will not miss.

Mine started about 43 I reckon. Was fobbed off by the GP at that point like a mug though.

Oh! Well, no signs yet, but it could be round the corner..

I’d be happy for dd to have a gap year, but we’re planning to move about 45 mins away for DH’s work next summer, so even if some of her friends were still around it would be a bit of a trek to see them (and no public transport out in the country..). She’d have to make new friends - which she’s pretty good at - and she might just feel a bit left behind.

We talked to her on Sunday but she said she can’t see the problem, as everyone she knows drinks until they’re sick or at least completely blotto, and that’s just what 17 year olds do.

Sound like the school needs to do some short sharp shock PSE type activity on that one!

Ds1 has mock psychology and sociology today. Business tomorrow. Then he's done.
I'm pleased he's having proper exam conditions, in the main hall.

Dd has Sociology tomorrow @oblomov21. She has been really loving the subject...apart from Research Methods ...which they are being examined on apparently.

Music performance before half term and a music exam this week.

English Lit have decided not to do an assessment. She is not liking the subject at the moment and mumbles and moans about lack of organisation.

DD had Chemistry yesterday and Eng Lit today.

Her Eng set ran a sweepstake on the essay topics likely to come up and she picked out 'women's image/reality'. Delighted text at lunchtime to say that she'd won the sweep! No news on how her essay actually went...

Orange I read your comment to Ds1 and he agreed. But he says the fact he does psychology made it so much easier now, however he found it initially hard.

Good luck to all those doing exams. Kings I'd take the sweep win as meaning essay went well too. Guess the 'sweep' is higher teen priority in the news.
DS has Politics & Microeconomics tomorrow. Nailbiting stuff!