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Teenagers

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

Original poster

First exam today- fingers crossed

31 replies

WildThong · 30/04/2014 12:06

In fact everything crossed. So much hard work and revision, I've never seen him so nervous as he was this morning.

OP posts:
FantaSea · 30/04/2014 12:07

What is the exam OP? Hope your DS does well Smile

Original poster
WildThong · 30/04/2014 12:40

English at Intermediate 2, a biggie for him.
ThanksSmile

OP posts:
kaytola · 30/04/2014 12:44

Oh good luck to your DS! We start exam hell on the 12th May.

Original poster
WildThong · 30/04/2014 12:54

kaytola, I actually think I feel more nervous now than I did for my own exams (about a hundred years ago)

OP posts:
FantaSea · 30/04/2014 14:13

Exam hell starts here on the 19th May. I know what you mean, OP, about being more nervous for them than for your own exams, I am the same!

Do let us know how he got on Smile

cuddybridge · 30/04/2014 20:48

we got off to a bad start ds missed the college bus, so mad dash to college 20 miles away for English exam, arrrived 30 mins late due to thick fog, and hes not allowed in!!! eek.

Half an hour later, I get a text, English higher is tomorrow!!, do I kill him???? or set his alarm clock for extremely early????

Original poster
WildThong · 30/04/2014 23:40

One of DS friends was also 30 minutes late. He slept in for the exam (it was at 1pm Shock)
He was gutted actually, although they let him in but he didn't get extra time so only did half the paper.

OP posts:
LIZS · 01/05/2014 08:18

This time next week here . The following week is very full on .

RawCoconutMacaroon · 01/05/2014 08:38

Exams start on 6th here with Higher Maths... So much pressure and stress (mostly on use the parents I might add!), trying to provide the best study leave environment, cups of tea, favourite dinners, a supply of Irn Bru (absolutely essential!), and a mixture of positive encouragement and cajoling re studying.

DS3 has Aspergers and therefore requires a fairly "hands on" approach so it does feel like the entire family is doing these exams.

The amount of printer ink and paper we have got through lately is shocking! I think we might have downloaded every past-paper on the SQA website...

JUST KEEP SMILING everyone, it will all be over soon!

Mrsjayy · 01/05/2014 08:44

how did he get on, It is Higher English today dd did last minute revision at 8 15 Hmm swallowed some calms and went out the door muttering Shakespear quotes

Mrsjayy · 01/05/2014 08:45

Half an hour later, I get a text, English higher is tomorrow!!, do I kill him???? or set his alarm clock for extremely early????

oh god i would have strangled dd Grin dds friend forgot to go to the History standard grade last year he just thought it was the next day

chemenger · 01/05/2014 08:48

Higher English here as well, hoping for questions that suit the Great Gatsby and The Crucible, revenge and the importance of the colour green in particular. I feel I helped her friends who are doing Hamlet with my summary - "loads of stuff happens then everybody dies". DH is definitely more nervous than DD.

Mrsjayy · 01/05/2014 08:50

I was trying to be cheery and och you will be fine but my insides are churning

RawCoconutMacaroon · 01/05/2014 08:53

Cuddy, omg! That must have been stressful! For those in the Scottish system, the sqa website has an exam timetable every year, not a bad idea for parents to check exam times (schools can vary the times very slightly, usually not be more than an hour, but the day will be correct).

Each pupil should have a print out of their individual exam timetable... Copy it out. There should also be a copy of all the exam timetables for the school up on notice boards for people to check.

We've been through SG/H/AH with DS1and 2, and are now on Highers with Ds3. My words of wisdom would be "leave early" catch an earlier bus, or drive earlier. So much better to have a relaxing hot chocolate in the cafe next door to school than be on the broken down school bus (this happened to ds1), or caught in a long diversion due to an accident closing a road (also happened to DS1)...

Mrsjayy · 01/05/2014 08:55

dd left early she usually does she declined a lift from her friends mum she likes the walk she said probably so she can freak out before she gets there

RawCoconutMacaroon · 01/05/2014 08:58

Being in walking distance would be good - yes a walk to clear the head before going in to the exam would be helpful I think.

chemenger · 01/05/2014 09:08

I missed the bus to one of my highers, back in the 1970's, lived in a small village with a limited bus service. A random woman, who I had never seen before or saw again stopped and gave me a lift. It is hard not to believe in some kind of guardian angel type thing....

Nowadays I would have told my children not to accept lifts from strangers, of course.

dottygamekeeper · 01/05/2014 09:37

We had AS French speaking on Tuesday, which went better than expected (though it could not have gone much worse!) and we have AS and GCSEs starting on 12 May. I have exam timetables pinned up on the wall, in my diary and in my phone because with 2 different sets, involving 3 different exam boards, going on at 2 different schools, I am finding it hard to keep track.

Our final exam in this household is 23 June so we have over 6 weeks worth of angst to look forward to (although at least after half term they are quite spread out)

Original poster
WildThong · 01/05/2014 09:50

Hi, well one down! Jabbering like a budgie last night, must have been the release of adrenaline Grin

Yy to whoever said about favourite dinners - how many meatballs can one boy eat! I've lost count of the amount of times I have said "you can only do your best"
Onwards and upwards, good luck everyone.

OP posts:
Mrsjayy · 01/05/2014 09:52

good for him yes i expect dd will come home jabbering like a budgie too Grin then crash and burn

FantaSea · 01/05/2014 10:27

DD has a chemistry re-sit practical later this morning and has just texted to ask me if she should take an Imodium as her insides are all over the place. I'm hoping she is ok in the exam - I am worried now.

Good luck to everyone Smile

Mrsjayy · 01/05/2014 10:29

oh no does she have immodium with her can she get to a chemist poor kid if it will help her tell her yes take one god it is so stressful for them

FantaSea · 01/05/2014 10:32

Mrsjayy thank you, yes she has some with her as she gets very nervous for exams and they seem to help. I have got her the instant ones which are just small white tablets so it just looks like a paracetamol (but a lot smaller).

Mrsjayy · 01/05/2014 10:34

yes I took them on holiday with me they do work quickly ( i have IBS) anyway tell her to take them

FantaSea · 01/05/2014 10:36

DD says they work in 10 minutes which is what you need before an exam. I have told her to take one so she should feel a bit better soon.