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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

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Original poster

DS1 in the middle of mock GCSEs - would you let him go into town with friends tomorrow?!

27 replies

Misspiggy · 06/12/2005 20:47

He has an "off day" tomorrow during his mocks which I say should be used as a revision day but 3 of his friends are going into Reading to do some Xmas shopping (hmmm...they're 15 year old boys so that doesn't sound quite right does it - bet there are some girls involved as well! )and he wants to go along. I've just told him that he can't go and am now feeling majorly guilty. He isn't the most academic of kids so I think he could do with as much time hitting the books as possbut at the same time I'm wondering if some "time out" might do him some good - God I hate being Libran and indecisive! I am right, aren't I??

OP posts:

Hulababy · 06/12/2005 20:49

I was never allowed too. My revision leave had to be spent at home revising!

Many schools are starting to scrap revision leave (some during the real exams, not just mocks) to avoid this. they provide revision classes and quiet rooms instead.

jinglinggoblin · 06/12/2005 20:50

i would let him on condition he does some revision before or after. can you trust him to do it after? they probably wont be going that early anyway so he could probably squeeze some in beforehand. i never revised for anything, pressure always made me rebel!

PottyinaPearTree · 06/12/2005 20:51

Aaaww let him go for a few hours on the understanding that he puts in some revision time later. The break will do him good.

I'm a soft touch

Original poster

Misspiggy · 06/12/2005 21:16

He has promised faithfully that he will revise when he gets back but he does have a habit of "promising faithfully" and then conveniently forgetting all about what he has said. I must admit I am wavering, thinking "how much revision will he get done tomorrow when I'm at work and he's in a strop cos he's not been allowed to go, whereas if he does go, then he will hopefully feel obliged to do at least a bit in the evening!" but DH (step dad to DS1 and 2) is hopping around in the background saying he shouldn't go and I'll lose all authority if I change my mind - aaargh!

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followthestarlover · 06/12/2005 21:18

oh definitely! mock gcse's are pants anyway! i think i did dreadfully in all of mine! (still got 10 gcses though!)

Pixiefish · 06/12/2005 21:27

The mock's are pretty serious these days as they're the decider in which tier you'll sit in the real ones.

Original poster

Misspiggy · 06/12/2005 22:03

That's what I was thinking Pixiefish (great name BTW!). He is determined to get into the 6th form to do A levels and has been told he will have to really do well in his mocks (and of course, his actual exams!)if he is to be considered for 6th form. I've reminded him of this tonight but he wasn't impressed! I think I'm going to stick to my guns on this one but still feel really mean...

OP posts:

Tortington · 06/12/2005 23:01

my son has little possibility of passing anything - he too has an off day tomorrow - hes picking up his girly at school around 10.30 and coming here to watch telly.

colditz · 06/12/2005 23:08

Aw, give him a break. Schedule some revision after his tea. He probably wants to buy his lovely mummy a present......

grumpyfrumpy · 07/12/2005 11:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

handlemecarefully · 07/12/2005 11:27

I'd let him go on the proviso that he is really industrious over the w/end. It's his mocks after all, not the real thing

Avalon · 07/12/2005 11:32

Yes, I would let him go. He'll have time either in the morning or evening to do some revision.

Even if he didn't go, he wouldn't revise all day.

FlameRobin · 07/12/2005 11:33

I'd let him go - tbh if he is sitting his mocks now, all the revision in the world isn't going to help a desperate amount... As long as he gets some done over the weekend, it should be ok.

Original poster

Misspiggy · 07/12/2005 12:28

Oh the guilt....I stuck to my guns and haven't let him go ( I posted this last night so tomorrow is today now, if that makes sense!). It's a gorgeous day out there as well - far too nice to be stuck in your room revising I've been mulling it over all morning at work and wish I HAD let him go cos my mum was the same as yours GF and I never got to do anything at all on a school night or anywhere near exams and it was miserable. Oh well, it's done now - he'll probably not talk to me for days on end and torture me with (c)rap music played at a ridiculously loud volume....woe is me!! Thanks everyone for your answers.

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Pixiefish · 08/12/2005 16:11

How was he misspiggy? Let him do something as soona s his exams are finished to make up for it if you feel bad

Original poster

Misspiggy · 09/12/2005 12:17

Hi Pixiefish! - he was fine when I got home which made me feel even worse as I was expecting a mega sulk!! He has another free day today so guess where he's gone..Reading!! Thought that was ok on the understanding that he does some work at the weekend. We'll see what the results bring...fingers and everything else crossed!

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mumeeee · 10/12/2005 11:03

I know this is a bit late.My DD2 is in the middle of her mock GCSEs and the rule for her is that she is allowed to go out with her friends as long as she does some revision. This seems to work alright. She usually only goes out for a couple of hours. She sometimes goes to her friends houses to revise.

doormat · 10/12/2005 11:37

mumeee agree
I do this with dd3

Original poster

Misspiggy · 10/12/2005 14:08

I am so cross with DS1. After letting him go into town yesterday on the understanding that he would do some revision over the weekend and that all his courseswork is up to date, what arrives in the post this morning but a letter from the Deputy Head saying that he has outstanding coursework in 2 subjects ("oooh, that's good Mum - outstanding is good isn't it?" says DS2 (9 yrs) who was nosing over my shoulder at the letter - awww!) and that they have made arrangements to "support him at this critical time" giving him the opportunity to complete this coursework during the last 3 days of the study leave period. Well, I suppose he has shot himself in the foot really as he would have had these 3 days free and now he will be in school for them but I've lost count of how many times I ask him how the coursework is going, offer help (in fact DH sat with him til 1am helping him to tidy up and re-format his last piece of Business Studies c/work) etc. so he has as much support as we can give and still this happens. I'm a great one for not pressurising him too much re schoolwork but always showing an interest and offering help but this makes me wonder if my approach is wrong - DH (DS1's step dad) thinks I am far too soft with both my DSs. Why don't kids come with a manual?!

OP posts:

ThePrisoner · 10/12/2005 16:03

Because you'd have nothing to talk about on mumsnet!

Tortington · 10/12/2005 16:59

well i have opposite approach i am ogre mum and still have same results. its a teenage thing, lazy lying cheating unwashed pimplefaced wazzacks they are

hativity · 10/12/2005 17:10

don't know why but keep getting drawn to teenage threads (dds are 5 and 3). Last night it was girls lying about their age on msn, now this. Can I give mine back when they hit 10? You have my sympathy. heartfelt. Just hope mn is still around for me...

Original poster

Misspiggy · 10/12/2005 17:15

"lazy lying cheating unwashed pimplefaced wazzacks they are"....ah - you've met my son then?! I made the mistake of going in his room this afternoon - it's like some hideous biological experiment in there. Wonder if I can swap him for a labrador?! He'll be home soon, oh joy, so I'd better decide if I'm going to ground him til he's 18 or try the "good cop" approach AGAIN!

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Tortington · 10/12/2005 17:27

mines gone to gilrfriends again - after being in town all day buying her a xmas pressie with my money.

Original poster

Misspiggy · 10/12/2005 21:59

Strange you should say that! The trip to Reading yesterday was to buy a pressie for Secret Santa that him and his friends are doing between them - budget? tenner each! When I said to him "I'm looking forward to my present then if you're spending a tenner on your mates" he went pale and started muttering something about Xmas being an expensive time before disappearing off upstairs to his "pit" ! What's the betting I get another car wash voucher redeemable when he can be bothered to do it and it's not too hot, too cold, too windy etc etc outside to be washing cars

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