Year 11 - 2024/2025: And relax! Support Thread for the summer holidays.

[QueenMabby]

New thread to carry us all through the summer as we transition from dealing with stressed teens to dealing with bored teens!

@achangeofnameisasgoodasarest
Sounds like you're having a great time 😁
My two did berlin a few years ago with their dad and uncle - they had a great time and older dd got to say hello to Angela merkle!
I think dd is ok. Anxious about the future but it seems like she does not want to be in a "school" environment any longer.
Older dd was the total opposite and her 1st choice of a school based 6th form didn't work out (awful subject offer) so she ended up at a large 6th form college.
It all worked out ok in the end.

“Packing an emergency harmonica” 😂😂🎶🎶

😁

My DS is having a nice relaxing summer after working very hard for his GCSEs. He had hoped to get a summer job but has not even got an interview despite loads of applications. Seems impossible for 16 year olds to get work where we are (probably the same everywhere).

He really enjoyed his taster day at college and is looking forward to starting a level 3 BTEC in September. If he doesn’t pass English he’ll have to do level 2 instead which will be disappointing but not the end of the world. He’s nervous about the results and I hope he gets his reward for all the effort he put in.

Dd is at pils today "doing jobs" 🤔 😁
Older dd has been to the gym, and is now in another town meeting friends, then is off to a sports fixture later with dh.
Dd has some volunteering hours tomorrow.

Sounds like the DC are having fun and enjoying their time off. DD is en route back home from Norfolk. Went by train with her friend and they managed to set up camp, feed and entertain themselves and now on the train back. Not had many messages but checked find my phone several a few times a day and they have seemed to have spent most of their time on the beach. She has swum in the sea and said it was warm - beats work!

It's lovely that they are all relaxing and enjoying their summer ☀️ 😁

DS and I went to Majorca last week and had a good time. Mainly swimming and eating. I did take him into Palma as I'm a city girl, but was met with complaints because it was so hot. Did manage to go to the castle and the cathedral. Otherwise just chilled.
He's mainly relaxing, doing some running and cricket some days and getting back to his music practise.
Tomorrow we have a meeting with CAMHS regarding the assessment for ADHD and the results of it. Not sure what I'm hoping to hear, but hopefully it'll be enlightening.

Glad to hear everybody is enjoying themselves and the taster days in colleges have gone well for some. DS had his a couple of weeks ago too and he didn't have any strong feelings about the place either way.

@DataColour lucky things going away although yes hot, out of interest what temperature was it?

we still have a year 9 so out of holiday holidays still have to wait (boo) and we haven’t booked yet but we are thinking north, Scandinavia, as we are all delicate fair skin sun burning flowers here!

Anyone got any foolproof, no nagging, do some bridging work child tips?

This made me laugh.
There've been a few times this year when I wish someone could just bill me for something so I didn't have to deal with bad moods.

We are off on friday.
I'm currently panic washing everything "just in case" 😬
Dd seems ok.
We are all just exhausted tbh. Lots of naps and lie ins in this house atm!

Dd can't pick up her art final piece until October (moderation I'm assuming?)

We had an email with lots of instructions for how to accept place on results day. Plus full of loads of work that need to be completed for all 4 subjects, before the first day of term! Tonnes! Ds2 was not impressed and went of to spend all day playing football with 30+ peers, and none of them discussed it!

DS hasn’t done much at all since his return from Center parcs with pals last week.
I think the main social organiser of his group is away on holiday so no one else really bothers trying to galvanise a plan. Have said to him he must leave the house tmrw if not out with pals then he can walk the dog with me over lunch or go and get his haircut-lucky boy 😂

Dd is meeting a friend on Wednesday for breakfast & shopping.
Thursday will be packing/holiday prep.
Dd has no A level prep as she's now doing a btec, but I remember older dd having quite a bit to do.
The college enrolment day info still hasnt been sent so I'll contact them once we are back.

DD2 has a reading list only - but seems to have covered quite a bit for English anyway. She's definitely not engaging with it at the moment!

We have (finally) though had confirmation of what we'll be paying for her next year, which is a relief.

She is on a means tested place where the bulk is met by the Dept of Education but we perfectly reasonably pay some. It's a tiny scheme and always seems to be done at the very last minute.

I find it incredibly stressful never knowing what we're going to pay from year to year - it doesn't change much but given we'd never planned to pay fees at all I stress about it. But we are sorted and it's fine and I can let the local sixth form place go. Phew.

Dds FE college does enrolment events from 21st-28th & as she applied late I assume she won't be enrolling on 21st.
Might make results day less fraught I guess...older dds results day was quite tiring/emotional as it all hadto ve done on one day.

I am easing Ratty into bridging work gently he managed oh must have been all of 30 minutes of work late this morning!

We now have a fair few jobs that him and his friend, tall, strong young lads, are more than capable of doing, with small direction/supervision. So will get onto that.

It's just weird that little brother still has to cycle in and have relatively normal school days (until Tuesday lunchtime) because they have started them on GCSE this half term so it's not games and hanging out for him! It will be much better when he is off as well, more normal I guess.

But hey some bridging work.

Older dd is helping dh today with garden work
Tomorrow both dds are going to pils for more gardening and other small jobs
No summer bridging work for dd and older dd will be job hunting soon 😬
Feels a bit "end of an era"

Boredom is setting in now. It feels like a long time since they finished school in June.

The school friendship group has already taken a bit of nose dive and is falling apart as they’re realising they were friends because of school and not because they have the same interests.

My daughter has been to meet her new tutor this week and is ready and eager to start in September so that’s a plus.

DS back in school today for a history film day for A level history prep. He has worked a few extra days at his “Saturday job” and is booked on a politics summer school next week Thursday and Friday- may the Lord help us all - particularly the poor unsuspecting MP who is diametrically opposed to DS’s political leanings.

He has also done a couple of day hikes with friends which is great. Interspersed with a whole of scrolling and watching shite. I am embarrassed to say I grabbed his laptop off him one day in a fit of “you have sat and watched shit for 9 hours 😡” and have broken the screen - which I now have to pay to have repaired.😔

I can't believe it's been a month since dds last exam...!
We are off away for a week tomorrow so I'm desperately trying to get both dds to pack 🙄
It'll be an 11pm job, no doubt 😬

Yes. Dd too.
"Situational friendships" as I call them.
She's already unfollowed loads of kids from her old school.
Two of them are very upset that dd isn't going where they are going (and I suspect their parents are too, as they were hoping for car pooling!)

Odd weeks here. DD has had some really boring weeks - last week 2 friends cancelled in 3 days on her - and some very full on busy weeks. This is a busy one. We're in London currently for a theatre trip as her "well done on the effort for your exams" present.

Next week not so much, then a dance/drama summer school week. DS will be finishing soon so at least they can hang out! She applied unsuccessfully for a few jobs but that's on hold atm as almost all of August is full with a week of holiday and a show.

It's odd to think that when we come back next week it'll be less than 4 weeks to results day! 😬