J went back to school on Weds. Thurs was parents' evening. Boy who bullied J in Year 9 was going round just ahead of us. A lot of earnest discussions going on with teachers and he didn't look all that happy. His parents looked like they wanted him to get on better. Forced myself to pray for him. 'Love your enemies' not always easy (or ever easy??).
Anyway as for J - in most subjects teachers very happy - aiming for As. We were just quite shocked (and I actually felt like crying) after seeing the English teacher. I was expecting that after J's not very good exam result last summer she would be able to tell us what she's done to bring him on where he's at now and what she expects in his mock. However she didn't know. She hardly seems to know him very well at all, looking quite stressed she just said 'Try and do your best J'. She really has no idea how he's going to do in the mock. She also told us that whereas last parents evening in June the exam was worth 40% of the total marks it's now worth 60%. Yikes! She told us several others did just as badly in the summer exam like it was reassuring. It wasn't.
Ok I don't blame her, she has a lot of pupils and the government has messed around with English GCSE so much they don't know whether they're coming or going. I wouldn't be surprised if half way through the exam they're interrupted and told some more changes have been made. It must be incredibly difficult for the teachers. But I've no confidence at all that my son is going to be ok in this exam. When I ask him what level he's working at he doesn't know.
Sooo... I got in the car, texted J's German tutor and asked if she knew anyone who did English. She put me in touch with an agency and J starts lessons with someone next week, much to his disgust. I just want him to give it a try, if he gets an A* in his mock (or even an A or B) and his tutor says he's so brilliant that she can't help him then we'll give up, ok.
If he's tutored up until the exam it'll cost us £500, on top of already paying for German, piano and skating lessons. Kids don't come cheap. He has to pass English though.
Saturday 30 November 2013
Saturday 23 November 2013
Not again
J is ill again. Really can't believe it. Has a temperature, headache and tummy ache. Why does he get ill so often? Not good at all with his mock exams coming up.
Just had his report and what was his worse subject? RE!!!
Dinner went well the other night. Guests (who were the associate minister of old church and his wife) said it was a 'delightful evening'. P cooked an amazing meal: apple and parsnip soup and ravioli, turkey casserole (with a Middle Eastern flavour), mango sorbet, fruit salad and chocolate marzipans. Yum. Who shall we ask round next?
Had 6th Form open evening at J's school on Weds. Very crowded and got a bit wet waiting outside hall for talk but quite interesting and J got quite enthusiastic about it. The days when he can abandon, English, RE and PE and do Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Physics seem very attractive to him. They have to do an 'extended project' and he is thinking of building a robot. When we went into the Maths Dept. a teacher none of us knew seemed to know all about J. Hmm.
The thing is though originally when we turned down a grammar school place (shock, horror) the plan was to go to grammar school for 6th Form. We were going to go to the grammar school open evening but J was sick then. Suppose we could phone and ask if he could look round if he wants. Difficult to know what to do. His current school 6th form seems very nice, they help a lot with uni applications, he knows teachers and they know him, he'd be with his friends but what if he didn't get quite the grades he could have got at grammar and doesn't quite get where he wants to go. Need to pray about this and not get stressed like I did about senior school application.
Yesterday P and I went to a large shopping centre where I didn't actually buy much (have already done most of Christmas shopping - when you do it on wheels you have to get ahead of the game). P got a new hand blender as old one started making strange noise. Back in the days when I was able to lift it I couldn't get to grips with it really - tended to spray the kitchen with whatever I was blending. New one is amazing - not only blends but chops, mashes and whisks complete with a handy jug.
Just had his report and what was his worse subject? RE!!!
Dinner went well the other night. Guests (who were the associate minister of old church and his wife) said it was a 'delightful evening'. P cooked an amazing meal: apple and parsnip soup and ravioli, turkey casserole (with a Middle Eastern flavour), mango sorbet, fruit salad and chocolate marzipans. Yum. Who shall we ask round next?
Had 6th Form open evening at J's school on Weds. Very crowded and got a bit wet waiting outside hall for talk but quite interesting and J got quite enthusiastic about it. The days when he can abandon, English, RE and PE and do Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Physics seem very attractive to him. They have to do an 'extended project' and he is thinking of building a robot. When we went into the Maths Dept. a teacher none of us knew seemed to know all about J. Hmm.
The thing is though originally when we turned down a grammar school place (shock, horror) the plan was to go to grammar school for 6th Form. We were going to go to the grammar school open evening but J was sick then. Suppose we could phone and ask if he could look round if he wants. Difficult to know what to do. His current school 6th form seems very nice, they help a lot with uni applications, he knows teachers and they know him, he'd be with his friends but what if he didn't get quite the grades he could have got at grammar and doesn't quite get where he wants to go. Need to pray about this and not get stressed like I did about senior school application.
Yesterday P and I went to a large shopping centre where I didn't actually buy much (have already done most of Christmas shopping - when you do it on wheels you have to get ahead of the game). P got a new hand blender as old one started making strange noise. Back in the days when I was able to lift it I couldn't get to grips with it really - tended to spray the kitchen with whatever I was blending. New one is amazing - not only blends but chops, mashes and whisks complete with a handy jug.
Tuesday 19 November 2013
A busy week
J had viral gastroenteritis and was unwell for most of the week but is better now. He has his mock GCSEs soon and I sort of feel he should be doing some revision but he doesn't seem keen. Sigh.
I was anxious about him being ill not just for his sake ( I hate my boy being sick) but also I was due to go on a healing retreat from Tuesday to Thursday last week. He was better but on Monday morning I fell getting out of the bath and I thought that was it I wasn't going but it seemed like nothing was broken (although my hip is still painful).
The retreat was awesome - a real encounter with God but very challenging as well. Dealing with the whole issue of loving myself, not easy.
Time seems to have flown by since I got back and we're expecting people for dinner. It's one of those really frustrating moments - asked P to light candle and he spent 20 mins looking for hs lighter and I'm thinking 'Just use a match'. Ah it's lit now, table looks quite good - red roses, red napkins, flickering candle-light.
Just praying evening goes well.
I was anxious about him being ill not just for his sake ( I hate my boy being sick) but also I was due to go on a healing retreat from Tuesday to Thursday last week. He was better but on Monday morning I fell getting out of the bath and I thought that was it I wasn't going but it seemed like nothing was broken (although my hip is still painful).
The retreat was awesome - a real encounter with God but very challenging as well. Dealing with the whole issue of loving myself, not easy.
Time seems to have flown by since I got back and we're expecting people for dinner. It's one of those really frustrating moments - asked P to light candle and he spent 20 mins looking for hs lighter and I'm thinking 'Just use a match'. Ah it's lit now, table looks quite good - red roses, red napkins, flickering candle-light.
Just praying evening goes well.
Tuesday 5 November 2013
Sea lions can't do piano exams
Today was meant to be a busy day: P take J to school, P go to Primary school Eucharist service, pick up J at start of his lunch break & take him to piano exam, afterwards go into town centre for bit of shopping & possibly treat for J, go home, piano lesson, dinner, go to 6th form Open Evening at Grammar school.
Instead we're doing none of that. J is asleep on sofa and P and I are propping our eyes open.
Yesterday J said he felt a bit ill but he often does. He went to school and had an early night. About 1.30 am there was a strange sound from his room, a bit like a sea-lion in labour. He was being copiously sick over his bunk. This is a high-level bed which means if you feel queasy a rapid exit is not possible. Various items of clothing and bedding were removed and J had a shower. We tucked him into his sleeping bag on his futon with a bowl and towel next to him.Twenty minutes later he appeared at our door asking for something to help his tummy pain. The next thing we knew he sank to his knees and was violently ill in our doorway - all over the floor and there was nothing we could do except watch. Good job P happened to buy new mop-head yesterday.
There followed several more episodes of sea-lion noises and requests for bowl emptying, all of which P coped with heroically, broken nights not being his forte.
It was obvious this morning that the piano exam wasn't going to happen but P phoned the exam headquarters and they had a vacant slot later in the month so it's been rearranged. Phew.
Hope he soon feels better.
Instead we're doing none of that. J is asleep on sofa and P and I are propping our eyes open.
Yesterday J said he felt a bit ill but he often does. He went to school and had an early night. About 1.30 am there was a strange sound from his room, a bit like a sea-lion in labour. He was being copiously sick over his bunk. This is a high-level bed which means if you feel queasy a rapid exit is not possible. Various items of clothing and bedding were removed and J had a shower. We tucked him into his sleeping bag on his futon with a bowl and towel next to him.Twenty minutes later he appeared at our door asking for something to help his tummy pain. The next thing we knew he sank to his knees and was violently ill in our doorway - all over the floor and there was nothing we could do except watch. Good job P happened to buy new mop-head yesterday.
There followed several more episodes of sea-lion noises and requests for bowl emptying, all of which P coped with heroically, broken nights not being his forte.
It was obvious this morning that the piano exam wasn't going to happen but P phoned the exam headquarters and they had a vacant slot later in the month so it's been rearranged. Phew.
Hope he soon feels better.
Monday 4 November 2013
Wales
Spent half term in Wales with my brother. My dad was also visiting him so it was an opportunity to see him. All went well. Had good but tiring journeys. Bit concerned about Dad's shortness of breath but he wouldn't let us take him to doctor. Kept getting bad then better again. Said he'll go to doctor when gets home. Storm escaped us in Wales. A few trees damaged at home but not too bad and house still standing.
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