Celebrating GCSE results

[GSCECelebrations]

Dd isn’t sure what she’d like to do to celebrate. She’s expected to get top grades. She’s hoping some family members will give her money as a reward. I’ve bought her some jewellery. I remember from previous years some parents were giving their child x amount for x grade adding up to hundreds of pounds. That’s beyond my budget.
Dd is hopefully going out with her dad and did want me to take her on a shopping spree but we’ve just come back off holiday and I simply can’t, plus, I’ve bought her a gift that she chose, will take her out for dinner, get her a card and possibly a Starbucks if we go out the day after.
Back in the mists of time I got a helium balloon and a rose from my mum. No acknowledgment from anyone else. I was very ill during my high school years so it was a miracle I passed anything but back then I don’t think people really celebrated or maybe my family were just crap. I wouldn’t have wanted a fuss anyway but Dd does.

What are you doing/did you do for your child’s GCSE result?

Nothing at all. He didnt do very well. But I am sure if he had done better then a small celebration would have sufficed. The reward is the results.

My mum drove me and 4 friends to the beach including my best friend from next door, had a bbq, listened to music went in the sea, then later on when more of our friends came she left and came and picked us up late evening. Then the girls slept over and we did kareoke until stupid O’clock in the morning. Luckily my best friend lived next door so her parents didn’t mind the noise. In the monring she made us a fry up and chilled out all day. Then that night we all went out with fake I.d. It was a great two days.

I don’t know. DD deserves something, she has ASD and went from school refusing to going back and doing the best she could.
She isn’t very interested in money or things though. I would have bought her the Switch 2 but she’s not bothered about the games available.

I think you are doing more than enough @GSCECelebrations - especially if that is the limit of your budget.

For my 3 DC – we just went out for a meal, venue of the GCSE student’s choosing. I don’t think I even bought them anything specific, tho maybe I offered new trainers if needed or similar. To be totally honest and I hope not harsh on your DD, I think it’s a bit cheeky to hope for cash gifts from family – unless grandma has promised your DD £££ in which case fair enough.

While I am always happy to celebrate hard work, I think it’s not the best idea to start with the notion that it receives a cash reward. Great results should be an end in themselves.

As a parent of a DC with SEN, I particularly dislike the notion of ££ for a 5 and £££ for an 8+ that I have seen before (not you OP!). No way DS1 was going to get any high grades and we were all delighted with his Cs and Ds tbh.

Hope your DD has done well and can go forward to the post-16 destination of her choice.

Some restaurants are doing free food for kids who show their GCSE results slip.

https://www.independent.co.uk/deals/gcse-results-day-freebies-b2810157.html

We'll probably go to Nando's.

Not keen on cash for grades, it’s all about the effort. DS is expecting a mixed set and I’ll be proud whatever. He has asked if we can go for a local meal and that sounds great. Whatever I achieved my mum always made sure I knew she was proud and that stayed with me. She did write my GCSE grades on a champagne cork so that was v sweet. I might get a small bottle and write on it ! Hope everyone has a good day whatever the results.

Yeah Nando’s is a good shout with their mates or families @noblegiraffe

I have said that the grades are the reward for the hard work but from her dad and her dad’s side I think she wants some recognition more than a distracted well done dear pat on the head. They don’t tend to acknowledge much. She didn’t do much revision or homework in general but all her teachers said she worked very hard in school. She’s naturally bright and that’s just luck really.
I too hate the x amount for x grades. Must cost a fortune for bright students but then some incomes on here are mind blowing for me.
I find that these days (dear Lord I sound ancient) everything is so much more of a big deal and so much more is expected. Christmas, birthdays, hen parties, bloody baby showers and the worst of all “gender reveal” parties. That’s sex, you grabby embarrassment. Everything is a money maker. Coming out cards are now a thing. Happy Mother’s Day from the cat! I digress…
The beach trip sounds idyllic!
Dd has about 2 friends (probably ASD and ADHD but won’t discuss it) so no wild celebrations there. She’s hoping to spend the afternoon drinking with one or both of them then go out for a cheap bite to eat with her dad. You can’t call where they are going a meal as such but it’s nice street type food. I’m left with the day after to do something. Maybe a cream tea with homemade scones and cake as she loves those things.
Even my graduation wasn’t celebrated much so it’s hard to gauge what’s the right level of fuss to make. She’d get a fuss even if she got low grades because to me it’s about the effort they make and getting through the stress that should be rewarded.

We've done a reward per grade thing (kind of regretting it but it was to motivate revision back in the dark days of March) plus DS and friends are going to take advantage of the Free Food promos are doing - this research is all he's been doing all week. Gordon Ramsay is apparently the best offer.

We'll go to a restaurant on Friday - regardless of the result. This year's cohort was the most damaged (educationally, psychologically, socially) by the pandemic. If they've got through GCSEs, regardless of grades, they should get some love.

DC1 was given a Jellycat on the morning of their GCSE results day as a 'well done for working hard for your exams' gift. They didn't do anything else celebratory with us as they went off to their summer job, followed by a loud gathering at a friend's.

DC2 has requested a 'working hard Jellycat' having claimed it's a tradition. They haven't decided what they want to do after collecting results but their friends are all going to enrol for sixth form at their school whereas DC2 is going elsewhere. Nandos has been mentioned, possibly, maybe but there won't be any parties.

We did what we always do for any kind of celebration or occasion - we went for dinner at a restaurant of their choosing.

We are going out to celebrate to a restaurant my DD loves, my parents and my sister are also coming.
I’ve got a canvas Longchamp tote bag to give her as a gift - she wants one for 6th form but at the moment thinks she has to save for it herself. So she will be chuffed I know 🤩🤣

Is anyone else’s child wanting a whole new wardrobe for college? To make a good impression and to leave behind the school persona. I think she’s watching too many American rich kid dramas! I don’t know where she gets her ideas from sometimes but I admire her aspirations at times. It’s good to dream my mum would say. Champagne dreams on a rola cola budget 🤣

DD has asked for good strong footwear for college as she will be walking more. She has Docs in mind.

I took DS away to Majorca for a few days as his treat after his exams, to reward the effort he made and also to acknowledge the stressful period he (and I ) went through. If he makes it through to achieve enough for his chosen A/Ls there will be a celebratory dinner out, but if not (I'm really hoping this won't be the case) I'm not sure yet what the general mood will be like at home.

Nothing

DD1. We celebrated end of exams. Then on results day we did a shopping trip and probably a takeaway or meal out, can't remember.

DD2 every (3) results day so far has been about managing her disappointment, so we are set for that again. Possibly a Dominoes.
Regardless no more resits.

We took DS last year and his best friend for a meal.
DS also received sone money from Grandpa to buy something he would like & I gave him some money too (my Dad gave me some when I did my Olevels)

OP I think you've got it right and I think the afternoon tea Friday sounds really lovely and thoughtful

Same. We didn’t do gifts or cash per grade. But had a lovely meal out. We were abroad though which made it special anyway.

Last year I got DD a Dyson airwrap, and her dad got her lots of 9 balloons and we went for a meal to celebrate.

DD's next college has no uniform of any kind, and I know she has her eye on a new pair of Urban joggers, so I am anticipating that that is what she would really like as a reward.

We gave her a piece of jewellery at the start of the exams, so she has a permanent memento of this particular rite of passage already!

An actual 'celebration' is lovely, as in spending time together, or a small treat or keepsake, but I would think a meal, money from relatives, gifts, shopping spree, trip out, and extra treats etc all together far over the top. You've mentioned 'grabby' people who want more than is reasonable for all manner of things, but your OP makes your DD sound just like this.

Honestly, if she hasn't even had to work very hard for whatever she gets, I wouldn't be going overboard to reward her. There will come a point she needs to work hard to succeed, or maybe even just keep up.

DD has already had her gift as we had to buy it last week - a (massively overpriced) ticket to see My Chemical Romance next year. It was mainly for her managing to sit any exams at all as she had a horrible year, culminating in EBSA and had to sit her GCSEs at a specialist unit. We’re so proud of her just for getting through them. She is still hoping for decent grades tomorrow though; she’s determined to go back to school for 6th form and do her A levels. 🤞🤞🤞🤞. I’m just writing her a card now and I’ll probably bung a few quid in so she can get herself a treat.

Dd1 we went out for a meal
Dd2 was COVID year so a bit difference. What she wanted was t go shopping and every time she wanted something, ifI bought it, she'd tell me one result! I said we wouldn't go shopping unless she told me all up front.
Soo we did go shopping, and bought things for 6th form.
Ds went out with friends.

Most people just do a meal.

Kids will always ask for stuff. Just keep saying no!