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Crepeys say Bah Humbug, (it's not Christmas yet)

999 replies

beachyhead · 16/11/2014 21:38

Here we go Wine

OP posts:
RudyMentary · 21/11/2014 09:54

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Stropperella · 21/11/2014 10:22

Oh Rudy, my DM always comes out with a variation on a boarding school theme. Hmm
My dd had some really traumatic things happen to her when she was small, but that doesn't stop her from turning minor non-issues into a major damn crisis at every turn. I typed a long post about this week's series of "crises", but then thought the better of it and deleted it all. Suffice to say, there probably are some real issues in there somewhere, but teasing them out and getting her to deal with them rather than just storming around blaming the world and her mother is a right old hoohah.

hattymattie · 21/11/2014 10:22

Rudy - feel free to vent - I regularly have to send DD2 to change every morning as she comes down in a too brief skirt or shorts. I think a dose of DD1's friends (see below) would give them a reality check.

The space probe ladies - you know - it landed on the comet and was on the news every single day last week.

NUFC69 · 21/11/2014 10:34

I am a news junkie and have been one since my 20s - just saying.

Sorry to hear about the problems with DC and, mostly, school. I rarely had problems with DD and clothes as her default is trousers, especially jeans. She is still the same now although it is trousers and jackets for the office, usually finished with a pair of tatty trainers for driving.

I am feeling a bit cross as she and I were going to go to York next Friday for the Christmas Market. She was told that it was doubtful she could have the day off, then on Wednesday night she could. However the following morning she received an email saying, no, you'll have to work. Sad DH has said that he will come with me, but it's not the same.

hattymattie · 21/11/2014 10:38

NU - I hate shopping with DH - he really cramps my style - not by saying anything but by hovering near the door looking martyred.

Right - must get on and get some food in the house.

I'm wondering if I'm going to be ill as I have swollen glands after my flu jab.

bigTillyMint · 21/11/2014 10:53

Rudy, please vent - if nothing else, it makes the rest of us with teens feel better about what goes on in our housesGrin We are all going through the same sorts of issues and it is sooooo wearing to say the least.

Uniform issues have mainly been a problem with DS's footwear. I left it to the school to finally put the boot in and then he agreed to wear Kickers again!

NU, I would love to go to the Christmas market in York with youEnvy!

Rosebag · 21/11/2014 11:04

Oh Rudy Thanks Vent away…its what we're here for and Crepeys have been so helpful to me when stuff goes wrong (like all the time…) I would deffo speak to the school armed with a calm, well reasoned account of the affect on DD…nothing to make them defensive. I usually feel like staging a coup and taking hostages, with lots of shouting and artillery, but force myself to be the soul of reason, so that they listen, and then I witter on about the problems creating a "barrier to learning" yada yada…. Sorry about the morning melt down…it ruins one's day, doesn't it. I tend to let DD fold up the waist band of her skirt do that it resembles a doublet and hose these days. I've bigger fish to fry…she has a fishnet top and a red corset belt which I had to get from a sex site for her costume at the theatre at the moment. She thinks she's going to wear them for going out afterwards. Dream on, kid. Over my dead body.

NU how annoying. I usually send DH off on errands round the mall or wherever when I'm shopping, and we meet for lunch or something. I too can't bear the long suffering martyrdom and thinly veiled boredom.

I have just been to meet DS2 for breakfast after his grown up evening, and sojourn at big bro's pad. Wondering where my little boy has gone…

What space probe? Grin Confused

RudyMentary · 21/11/2014 11:17

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NUFC69 · 21/11/2014 11:30

Thanks for the sympathy. The trouble is that DD is a soft touch; she thinks the chap who does the rotas has a horrible job and therefore she won't rock the boat and make things difficult for him. I can't out her with more details but suffice it to say that they have her travelling all over the place, but others who make a fuss don't have to travel.

DH definitely looks martyred or asks things like, "do we really need it?" I am happy for you or anyone else to join me, BTM. We try to go every year: park at the McArthur Glen outlets, bus into town, shopping, lunch, shopping and then back to the outlets for more retail therapy. We go very early and don't get back until about 8 o'clock. I have now decided that I will suffer DH as I enjoy the day so much.

I hope the lesson is going well, Herbs?

I love my DC's partners, Rose, but also really enjoy it when I am just with my DC the way it used to be. I would have loved breakfast with my DS. Enjoy it while you can.

RudyMentary · 21/11/2014 11:33

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bigTillyMint · 21/11/2014 12:14

Rose, I love that your DD has the confidence to want to wear that outfit! I also let DD roll skirts up, though as she is still in age 10-11 skirts for school, they are pretty short already!

Rudy, are they suddenly having a clampdown? I find uniform issues so wearing. How the F do they manage in countries where the DC wear their own clothes FFS!

hattymattie · 21/11/2014 12:24

BTM - mine wear their own clothes to school which is why I often have to send DD2 up to change.

hattymattie · 21/11/2014 12:26

To be honest I think a uniform would be much simpler and avoid issues such as having the right Abercrombie T shirt.

MollyAir · 21/11/2014 12:36

Stropps, don't delete. Spill! Wink Teen girls, eh. I'm off to do my bit for dd's Xmas fair today. Wondering what the dress code is for such events. I might roll out the Boden dress. But am sitting here in my jogging bottoms atm.

bigTillyMint · 21/11/2014 12:57

Well that's true too hatty! TBH, I prefer uniform, but if the school want to have rules about it, they need to enforce them consistently all the time!

Yes Stropps, please vent away. And Molly, yes definitely a Boden dayWink

CointreauVersial · 21/11/2014 13:18

I have skirt-rollers here but not to an indecent level; they are school-supplied skirts, navy knee length with box pleats, and not hugely stylish. DD2 is dreadful at rolling, and usually gets instantly spotted with the hem rucked up on one side and the label poking out at the back.

I did ask the girls once why they are rolling them up. Who's it for? No answer, really, just "everyone does it". They also refuse to wear their school jumpers and come home shivering every day, "because no-one else wears them". Baaaaaa......

Meanwhile, DS has split yet another pair of school trousers. Angry Yes, I do mend where possible, but these are beyond saving.

Big ding-dong in the office earlier, between two of my (male) colleagues who are usually best of friends. Over parking. Confused It all got extremely heated, while the rest of us sat there and looked very intently at our paperwork. One of them even suggested they "take it outside" but luckily one of the directors popped up at the critical moment and smoothed things over. They still aren't talking, though. Honestly, you normally have to pay for entertainment like that. Grin

NU - I'd be in the car and off to York with you if I had the chance. I love Christmas markets.

RudyMentary · 21/11/2014 13:20

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bigTillyMint · 21/11/2014 13:28

CV, are your DS's trousers too small - DS's old ones split because of that!
And Shock at the ding dong - bet that brightened up the morning!

NU, I'd love to come but sadly I will be at work. Still I am going to the Ideal Home Christmas fair on Sunday with a friend!

Rudy, yes the just bottom covering stretchy skirts and black jeans seem to be de rigeur here too. Maybe because DD is small they don't notice her as much (though she does have the same waist length naturally blonde hair too!) DS suffers from being so big for his age and having a big mouth Grin
Have you contacted them yet?
Definitely factor in some "me time" - essential for survival with teens.

MontserratCaballe · 21/11/2014 13:48

Hello crepeys. Finally getting some time to read and post properly. I am on the flying Scotsman up to Edinburgh to see my lovely friends. The Dc are at school, Dh at work and all is well. Sorted out a babysitter at short notice after the booked one said at 7pm last night she could only stay til 6.30!! Oops. I may have to post in tranches so I don't lose masses when the signal goes.

MontserratCaballe · 21/11/2014 14:01

Herbs, I hope today goes well and that you get to reward yourself with plenty of Wine this evening.

BD, how is dog doing now? Did you take him to the vets? Fingers crossed he has rallied a little.

Rudy, so sorry that Dd is having a challenging time. I only have pre teens so not much help I am afraid. We can have monument rows over the smallest things and there seems to be no seeing sense when she gets into a rage. She's inly 9 too so am slightly dreading the teenage years.... Stropps, I sm sorry you are feeling it too.

Nu, I would love to go to a Christmas market with you. I shall wave at you as I zoom through the toon on the train. My Dh hates shopping and does a lot of eye rolling if we go together so I tend to plan what I want then take him along to pay. That or send him email links to things to buy for Christmas. What sort of things does the market have? Can you sip some mulled wine as you go round? Sounds heaven.

Train leaving kings x. Back in a sec.

MontserratCaballe · 21/11/2014 14:09

Slightly anxious by the tales from crepeys with older children about wearing rolled up skirts and skirts with splits. I don't want to accept that my little darlings are going to want to dress like adults. I think mine are very young for their age but they won't stay like that. The current school fad is ear piercing. Dd1 says she is the only one who hasn't got them done (she isn't) but what is the right age? End of primary? Older?

The train is heaving. I am nonetheless going to risk getting out my smelly lunch. The woman opposite is eating noodle soup so a hit of prawn cocktail won't offend too much more, I hope. I also have water and a small bottle of prosecco, though I mustnt open that til North of the border. This train terminates in Aberdeen abs I don't want to fall asleep and miss my stop!

beachyhead · 21/11/2014 15:06

My dd1 doesn't have a uniform at school and frankly dresses in baggy stuff with holes in mostly. There is normally quite a lot of fishnet leg showing! Still she can carry it off, so I tend to let it go. I did advise quite heavily for the driving test though (nice girl clothes - jeans, Vans, non-black jumper, less make up!). Seemed to work Grin.

We are planning ear piercing between Years 6 and 7 or 7 and 8.

I've had a very odd day. Managed to plunge myself into a huge blue fug this morning, couldn't lift it at all. So set to work making crab apple jelly and have managed to boil TWO pots over, so the whole house stinks of burnt sugar and I have a nasty burn on my thumb.......

Have remortgaged house to buy first year's car insurance for dd1.

Hope all teens simmer down for the weekend and BD, hope dog feels better soon.

OP posts:
MontserratCaballe · 21/11/2014 15:10

I am sitting next yo the one show's Alex Jones. I think that's what she is called. Sadly I only realised this when I tipped water on Her when I knocked my nearly empty bottle over as I changed my earrings. She was deeply unamused despite my profuse apologies and has now flounced off to the buffet car. Maybe she is planning a revenge soaking. We will see.

bigTillyMint · 21/11/2014 15:14

Monty, how exciting to be going up to Edinburgh. On. your. own!

DD had her ears first pierced at the end of Y6. Then again in Y8 or 9. Then a cartilage last Christmas - Y10. She now wants another!
The clothes thing isn't as scary as it sounds - they change bit-by-bit really and DD is actually often a bit more conservative now than she was when she first started wearing clothes that weren't children's style. She has just bought a maxi-skirt which would make me look 109, but looks lovely on her! I guess the Bardot top (with plenty to fill it, unlike me) helps!

Stropperella · 21/11/2014 15:20

Have a lovely time, Monty!

Oh I only meant I didn't post it because it was all "more of the same": you've all, well, certainly most, of you have heard plenty about my dd's ghastly exploits. She was simply bonkersly appalling all the bloody time at this point last year. GCSE mocks nearly finished both of us off, so I have the utmost sympathy for crepeys living through that stage with their offspring at the moment. I was mighty glad to see the back of school uniform, although tbh after the first faltering attempts to right the hideous sartorial wrongs, I paid no attention whatsoever to the rolled-up skirt, wonky tie and paint-splattered, holey blazer, figuring that if the school were bothered about it all they could appoint someone to follow her around pulling her skirt down to a less arse-chilling length. Hoorah for 6th form and their anything goes dress code policy.

Her current issues are all to do with time management. She can't get up in the morning, but stays up far too late not working but staring at her phone (as they do). She doesn't get up when the alarm goes off, then slings abuse at me and ds/the dog when we variously go in to remind her she needs to get up, then she goes back to sleep and then wakes up in a panic (as everyone needs to spend an hour putting on makeup before they go to school, obvs) and slams around screeching. Although does occasionally break off from screeching to shout to me to ask me to bring the hamster some breakfast. I kid you not. And there is constant whingeing about how much work she has to do, but all I see her doing is staring at her phone and watching "I'm an impoverished celebrity, feed me an insect" or "Snog, Marry, Pass the brain".

BD, I do hope ddog is ok. :(