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Original poster

The Darling Crepes of May

999 replies

CointreauVersial · 12/05/2014 17:25

My turn......

OP posts:
bigTillyMint · 14/05/2014 15:23

Oh StroppsSad What happened with the "work experience"?

I finally got the call from the GP - apparently my iron is very low and I'm anaemic again. Explains why I currently feel like Ive been hit by a bus. She wants me to go on the iron tablets again and eat red meat 3x a week.... I said no and purchased a huge bottle of Floradix at vast expense.

In other, non-S&B news, DS seems to be giving a few of his teachers a lot of grief. They are mainly in subjects he doesn't rate and he will drop some of them in July, but DH is looking for a punishment - any suggestions? Conversely he is generally lovely at home and much-liked by some of his teachersConfused

Stropperella · 14/05/2014 15:57

Windy, you're very kind, but the problem is that I don't think I can do anything. Partly because of having no self-confidence and partly because of living somewhere where there isn't a lot of work and also having childcare issues for ds during the holidays.

BTM, I'm not getting anywhere with finding anyone who will let me observe any lessons in FE colleges etc. The two places locally aren't interested. Also, no matter what anyone says, the fact is my PGCE was in German and that's all I'm qualified to teach. And if I can't hack teaching that, I can't really do anything else. I've tried quite hard to push myself out of my comfort zone for the past few years, after several years of just hiding in my loft freelancing. Coming to crepey meetups was a massive deal for me, as is going out locally, which has only been something I have done for the last couple of years. I've just had a report from the CBT therapist which makes me feel that that's a load of cobblers and I'm not getting anywhere. Probably too entrenched in my crap ways, I expect. Have taken myself off FB and am considering retreating completely back into my shell.

bigTillyMint · 14/05/2014 16:06

Oh Stropps, I am sure you are moving along. It is a slow process and probably more so when you are, ahem, olderSmile DONT come off FB!!! I love to see you and your photos on there. Pleeeeze.

Why won't anyone let you observe? And what about A'level students? Too young?

Don't forget that the childcare issues soon won't be so much of an issue.

hattymattie · 14/05/2014 16:07

Oh Stropps, don't retreat stay with us - We like you and it is important to have a sounding board. Do not lose contact .

hattymattie · 14/05/2014 16:08

And Stropps I wanted to see your new haircut on FB.

motherinferior · 14/05/2014 16:22

Darling, please don't retreat completely. It is, as BTM says, a long and slow and often gloom-inducing process but it is one worth undertaking.

The thing that won't shift is where you live, let's make that a given. The confidence stuff you are, painfully and unpleasant though it is, working at. Flowers The childcare, as BTM also says, is both something that will change and something that can be worked on.

Would paying DD to do stuff with DS work in the holidays? What about other teenagers? (They've been a godsend to me.) DH will be at home in any case, won't he?

It's not easy. But please let us try to help.

motherinferior · 14/05/2014 16:23

(And you're now really good at going out locally, as far as I can work out Envy. Long time since I reeled in in the small hours after dancing on tables.)

Blackduck · 14/05/2014 16:29

OH Stropps - please don't go off FB! or here.... I've had some dodgy moments but this place and the support has kept me going.

MI and BTM are right - and anything I can do! You MUST do the next meet up - I have missed you at the last couple.

SheherazadeSchadenfreude · 14/05/2014 16:42

Nooo, please don't go Stropps. Sad And please come to the next meet up.

Can you do private tuition?

bigTillyMint · 14/05/2014 16:59

Yes Stropps, the next meet up - I am saving you a space hereSmile

Private tuition sounds good - if they came to you it would solve the childcare issues?

beachyhead · 14/05/2014 17:11

Which subjects would you like to observe, Stropps? German or other subjects? And you ARE coming to camp night Wine[stern look]

motherinferior · 14/05/2014 17:13

Also: don't forget what pressure you're under with DD's exams at the moment. As well as the huge domestic burden you carry (as I've said before, I would crumble and weep under that - I whinge enough as it is, and I don't do the laundry or the hoovering not that either get done to a very high standard round here).

Oh, and we're not just saying this to be nice to you, we just don't want you to go Grin

lalsy · 14/05/2014 17:17

Don't go Stropps, we want you here. Everything everyone else said - and coming out of comfort zones is bloody hard. And don't decide anything while dd doing exams, please. Thanks

RudyMentary · 14/05/2014 17:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

originalpiratematerial · 14/05/2014 18:09

Stropperella, I don't feel as if I know the Crepeys well enough to be able to give any useful advice (and I would be pretty useless anyway even if i did know you better) but just wanted to send a virtual manly pat on the shoulder. FWIW I know that feeling of "I'm not getting anywhere" all too well although in a different context (to do with trying to get support for DS3 and, in the process, retain what little sanity I have left).

Whatever it is, I echo the others - please don't cut yourself off. From my scant experience of this thread I can SEE that Crepeys are a fab support network.

originalpiratematerial · 14/05/2014 18:14

And if I've inadvertently contributed to anyone's mood in a negative way, with my self-obsessed witterings about my hair colour, then I apologise - it certainly wasn't my intention and I totally get that there are rather bigger things in life to worry about than what my hair looks like Blush.

bigTillyMint · 14/05/2014 18:16

OPM, feel free to witter - we all have our issues, both big and smallSmile

Stropperella · 14/05/2014 18:19

Ach, yous lot are too nice to me. I feel guilty for my gloom-laden posts. Thank very much for being kind. I am busy doing as Windy says "loving them (dd) and feeding them" and being sympathetic but resolutely upbeat. It is a bit wearing. Dh is living in his own world as ever, although I have just managed to delegate dealing with a tricky school issue (ds has had some things stolen and knows exactly whodunit) to him. This is a bit of an achievement and only possible because I am working in school atm.
Went off to purchase poultry supplies and ended up having a useful convo with someone who teaches part-time at one of the colleges I have been trying to contact. Am pulling self up by bootstraps again and will try a different method of approach, plus she recommended somewhere else to contact and gave general encouragement aboutvlateral career moves.

Stropperella · 14/05/2014 18:20

Soz about typos, am on phone. And beer.

QueenQueenie · 14/05/2014 18:25

Oh lovely Stropps pleeeeease don't disappear - I'd really miss you. Hanging out with us on here and in rl must be a good thing surely? Where else can you have a chat, a laugh, a moan, a really good old moan, a cry etc etc all from the comfort of your own sofa?

Dd's exams will soon be over and she is on her way to more and more independence, ds will be at secondary school before you can blink...
It will be easier to think about your options and opportunities as that happens.

Therapy of whatever sort is hard work and often stirs things up so that you can feel "worse" before you feel "better" but that doesn't mean it's not going to be helpful to you and of some use.

Tell us what we can do to help? X

QueenQueenie · 14/05/2014 18:28

X posts!
Well that all sounds good Stropps. Can you frogmarch the helpful woman off for a coffee some time and properly pick her brains? Sometimes you need to be a bit ruthless to make things happen (ime).

motherinferior · 14/05/2014 18:29

Bugger the bootstraps. Grin Please don't feel you have to 'pull yourself together' - not for us, anyway.

And OPM, I rather think that if you're struggling to get support for DS3, a bit of hair wibbling is totally in order (unlike my sunscreen whiffling Blush).

Stropperella · 14/05/2014 19:04

Thank you QQ, you are right of course re therapy. Opm, if you had been around longer you would know that I have Hair Issues, so can completely relate to what you said. It sounds like you have a big old bunch of stuff on your plate with ds3.

Dh and ds just disappeared off in a secretive manner and reappeared with chocs, flowers and wine. Today is our 10th wedding anniversary. I did mention this fact last week, but neither of us ever usually remember the anniversary, so this is a first.

bigTillyMint · 14/05/2014 19:30

Stropps, that sounds really helpful. Hope you got her email, etc! And yes, QQ knows about these things, being in that line herself, so take her adviceSmile
And awww, how lovely that you got chocs, flowers and wine.

I had to do a mercy dash to pick DD up from extra chemistry revision - melt-down about tomorrow. I managed to calm her down and have just been testing her - she seems to know her stuff, so I think it is mainly nerves. I have also promised to do a mercy dash to her friends tomorrow morning, before work. Is that love enough?!

OPM, if I can offer any advice, PM me, but you may know more than me in the specific area!

NearTheWindymill · 14/05/2014 19:32

Stropperella I only left FE last year; it was very kind to me. If you can't get in directly via teaching and there's no reason why you shouldn't - FE is always short of properly trained and qualified teachers - there are ways to slither in. Have you thought about writing and asking about invigilation to get your toe in the door; there are always TTO jobs in the libraries and as technicians on the vocational courses. Not what you are qualified to do and your expectations should be higher but it gets your face known and opens the doors for observations and a bit of visiting teacher work when it comes up. Once they know you, you could look at other areas - as an MFL teacher could you easily switch into a bit of Esol or English SFL; there could be stuff in Additional Support working as a note-taker about. The other one they are focussing on hugely is apprenticeships and I'm sure if you get your toe in you could easily assess and deliver a bit of functional skills underpinning knowledge.

Although FE always claims to hire transparently it also likes people it gets to know and who it finds to be reliable. Might not be what you aspire to ultimately but it gets your foot in the door. That's how I got back to work; I picked up a bit of invigilation about 11 years ago and then a little part-time job came up in a professional services area.

Go on - and I'm dying to meet you now - always happy to go through your application form with you to help you get an interview by making sure you tick all their personal spec boxes.