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

[orangecinnamon]

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In sympathy with all the students with anxiety & mental health issues. Dd's anxiety Is sky-high at the moment. She is on her third round of exams/tests as a substitute for her As exams. She reckons she's far more anxious at home than at school and wants to board next year. It all culminated in a 2 hour cry on my pillow the other night.

Whereas ds1 is so laid back & isn't worried about anything. Apart from changing his focus from Pe to Psychology. He hasn't even thought about which uni. he wants to go to.

It’s now the online they’re ignoring BWJ. They removed the contact us from their app, and have sat on the email with not even a hold, we’re busy response for 7 working days. Full brief of DD’s background/symptoms etc provided (including my providing her BP and resting heart rate); you couldn’t get a more trying to be helpful customer...

That sounds awful Fferny1, I hope these endless tests result positively for her so she can be objective as to how to play next year.

The progesterone only pill seems to be the one first prescribed by GPs round here for heavy periods but every girl I have heard about has had problems with it (mentally) and ended up on the combined pill. What is good is that girls are more open discussing periods now - I remember a while back around my kitchen table!

Really feel for all the children with mental health issues in our area. The current CAMHS waiting time is apparently around 6 months for even critical cases at the moment. And GPs won’t prescribe without the go ahead from CAMHS, if they think this is the way to go. There really is a problem. Presumably children have to end up in A&E?

After years on the combined pill, my GP changed me to the progesterone -only pill. I really didn't get on with it - it left me feeling very desolate, and when I spoke to a top female gynae expert, she agreed that that was a very accurate description of how many women feel on it.

@orangecinnamon, @BigWoollyJumpers and others with dd's who are struggling: and agree with the excellent Invisible Women: although I can only read it very slowly as I get so furious after reading it!

DS is struggling at the mo too, although for different reasons ;-) You may remember he's autistic, and I think the combination of everything opening up and suddenly being expected to sociable; exam pressure; feeling a bit lost with his EPQ; worrying about unis and not feeling ready .... it's all getting a bit much. He had a huge wobble yesterday about EVERYTHING and we've been doing some reassuring and writing emails to teachers today!

I think me and DH need to engage with EPQ a bit: he's seemed pretty under control but I suspect he's been less under control than it seemed ;-) Things like long term timing and structuring aren't his strength ... Anyone who's dc have been through the process got any top tips?!

Sympathies @AndwhenyougetthereFoffsomemore, my DS is autistic and gets these wobbles too, he gets into a panic every time he thinks about leaving his beloved school next year. He hasn't started his EPQ yet but i hope he still will, he has promised to ask his form tutor about it tomorrow. I think breaking it down into manageable chunks will be key, and planning ahead, keeping notes of anything he thinks of.

I'm another one gripped but angered by Invisible Women. I haven't finished it yet, keep having to put it down while I digest it.

@EversoDelighted: that sounds familiar! I think for ds the last year of lockdown has worked really well ... but now all the things he doesn't enjoy and has been able to avoid for the last year (like having to buy things in shops, work out how to manage big social groups and have his hair cut....) have been easy to avoid: and suddenly, they're not!

Yes, that sounds like it would have been a good plan for us to have been breaking EPQ into manageable chunks about 6 months ago ;-)

Mine didn't really like lockdown, he's not hugely sociable but he likes being with his friends at school and craves the structure of the school day. He hated the Easter holidays. With things like shopping, he was fairly ok before but all the new rules, handgel, masks, one way systems, shops no longer taking cash has set him back quite a bit, he used to go to the supermarket by himself but doesn't now.

@AndwhenyougetthereFoffsomemore when is your DSs EPQ due to be submitted?
Although I was ‘hands off’ with DDs ( I avoid any requests to read draft stuff and give ‘constructive criticism’ - it always results in a huge argument because ‘I don’t understand’ ), I was subjected to constant moans and groans about the process

I do wonder if missing out on GCSEs and proms etc and then missing a chunk of sixth form has left our kids feeling unprepared for the future and just not ready? It’s like they’ve missed all the usual landmarks along the way.

Dd was definitely expressing this yesterday - she’s upset she’s only got a year left and the future is looming. In her case she’s also feeling at sea because she’s not headed in the same direction as her peers (academic degree) and she’s not sure if she’s making the right decision.

Hopefully the next few months will be more normal.

Hi All...poking my head up from under the rock I've been hiding under...

DD on POP as well. Was taken off combined due to migraines. POP is controlling periods, but not her skin which has suddenly become really bad. She's def more down at the moment mood wise, but I can't tell is that's Pandemic or Pill?

It's all so hard at the moment. Sorry your having a hard time @orangecinnamon. Hope things improve.

We're in exam week this, and next week. Hoping for brighter things after exams over.

Sorry to hear about all the DDs with period / pill issues, like they haven't had enough to deal with!

Just a word of warning on Invisible Women - DO NOT download as an audio book and listen while going to bed. You'll be up all night with raging thoughts of injustice .

With the EPQ it's definitely good to e them thinking abut it in manageable chunks. It came seem really overwhelming when you see all the different things they have to do. DS wrote about 15,000+ words in his draft and convinced himself it was fine to do that, he then had to cut it down closer to 5000. It was hugely daunting and he got a bit overwhelmed with the task ahead. I had to sit with him and say 'just do this part today and don't think about the rest yet' and he worked through it like that.

I do wonder if missing out on GCSEs and proms etc and then missing a chunk of sixth form has left our kids feeling unprepared for the future and just not ready?

I agree - and DS has terrible imposter syndrome from not being able to prove himself in proper exams.

DS passed his theory at the weekend so will join the masses trying to book a practical. Will look at that test cancellation app I think although he’s only had 6 lessons/12 hrs so far. Not taken him out driving due to insurance obstacles. DH’s car is an unsuitable automatic and I have been reluctant to pay extortionate specialist insurance to cover him on my 1.6 Focus. Might have to suck that one up since the alternative is to fork out on a small engine, low insurance group car like many others. Neither DH nor I are keen to change our respective cars just to enable DS to practice/drive after he passes his test. Are people really buying another car for their teen to drive? It’s not as if they need to take a car to university with them.

Another phaff today are our dental appointments being cancelled because our surgery has run out of NHS funding. We haven’t had routine checkups for nearly 2 yrs now (due to pandemic). There really isn’t much choice now but to join Den plan if we want regular dental care. Rant over for the day!

Well done to your DS sansou! Yes we have bought DS a very small car. DH and I both drive 2.5l automatics so he will never be driving those! We live semi rural and you cant do anything round here with out driving or waiting another hour if you miss the bus so I'm happy for him to have that independence while at home (assuming of course that he ever passes!).

I can't believe your dental practice has done that! Ours have only started doing routine stuff again about 2 months ago, they were only seeing emergency appts otherwise so how on earth have they spent their funding? I freely admit to not understanding NHS funding so if anyone knows how that works I'd be interested to hear. Can you find a new NHS practice Sansou?

Well done to your DS sansou!

More like a lovely donation from my elderly mother, her 22 year old immaculately kept fiesta is gaining some cult status around our way

The same as @JustHereWithMyPopcorn we are rural so a car is a must, most at 6th form here learn to drive, if they don't they have to stay at school all day and wait for the school buses (or walk, or parents) a few do have a moped but o wouldn't want my dc's on one. The roads are too fast. dh and I also drive big engined automatic cars.

@sansou it is worth spending 20 minutes on Compare The Market and Confused.com getting quotes for your car with DH and DS, also try with any other driving age children you have. As I said before, an annual policy for our Skoda 1.6 was £259 with all 4 of us, including 2 learners.

Well done to your DS Sansou.

Those with older DC at university , are they being called for vaccine ? Was surprised that DD and her housemate have been but they are in Wales and I think I read they doing well with them there.

@FoolsAssassin I thought it was just ages 38 and 39 at the moment?

No idea, they have both been called for this week which I wasn’t expecting- not complaining though ! One of them had already had hers for work so at end of week that’s 3 out of 4 with first dose. Maybe it’s England who are on the 30’s?

I think Wales are quite a way ahead on vaccines. My DS hasn't heard anything yet - he's at UWE in Biistol.