Support thread for parents of teenagers

136 watchers

LindsD May 2023 9:58am, 23 May 2023 61,845 posts	0 LindsD Sorry - no experience here apart from my own which was many years ago.
LindsD May 2023 9:58am, 23 May 2023 61,846 posts	0 LindsD Although tahini is the thing for weight gain, so I was told when Dad was ill.
Chrisull May 2023 10:57am, 23 May 2023 20,221 posts	0 Chrisull A-levels in this house for one of the twins (the other has aced his course and has already finished his final project and should get a distinction). He's shown a maturity and determination to his revision in the last 2-3 weeks which is good, but I fear (and he fears a little I think) that this could have come earlier - it's a little late in the day, especially as he now knows where he wants to go and what he wants to do. Before then I felt his lack of direction/intention impacted on his not really getting into revision mode. I hate exams as a means of dealing with things and determining the future. My eldest (now 21) thinks he got lucky as his exams were cancelled and wouldn't have got his predicted grades (but he had a superlative set of mocks in his back pocket, which his peers didn't have). So only one of my 3 gets sit the A levels, the one that has struggled the most with exams historically (and physically just getting the information down he's a slow writer, he knows the material and the teachers think he's a wonderful contributor in lessons, but it's often not there on the paper). Spoke to a good friend yesterday who has a similar but different problem, his boy apparently knows his stuff, gets everything down but often misreads questions and puts down something unrelated to the question. So fist-bumps/shout outs to all the others on here going through it, coz it isn't pleasant, and I know there will be much worry between now and August.
LindsD May 2023 10:59am, 23 May 2023 61,850 posts	0 LindsD This sounds familiar. LittleD keeps saying 'I need extra time'. We are at AS level, but she wants to change schools next year and is worried that any new 6th form will want some kind of AS grade to let her in. We tried for extra time and were told that her teachers don't support that, despite me having a letter from the ed psych and a letter from her consultant supporting extra time, and at least one of the teachers saying she did support it.
Serendippily May 2023 11:34am, 23 May 2023 28,630 posts	0 Serendippily School change cant come fast enough I hope it goes as well as it can chrisull Our braces were removeable lf and she used swoosh for quick mouth cleans. You can get protein porridge but im not sure how protein rich that really is. Protein shakes are i guess the obvious
Chrisull May 2023 11:46am, 23 May 2023 20,223 posts	0 Chrisull That's tough and must be so frustrating that people are supporting extra time and yet the school are saying no.
LindsD May 2023 12:12pm, 23 May 2023 61,853 posts	0 LindsD Yes, very. Need to start putting pressure on people again for her.
DrPhleecingD May 2023 3:20pm, 23 May 2023 54,686 posts	0 DrPhleecingD Linds: can you cite any of their official policies back at them? That would be my route, together with threatening to raise it with governors if they are not following their own policies.
LindsD May 2023 3:29pm, 23 May 2023 61,858 posts	0 LindsD Good idea. Governors have been no use in the past. I wrote a complaint that they didn't even respond to. The head responded basically saying it was our fault.
TeeBee May 2023 4:32pm, 23 May 2023 9,721 posts	0 TeeBee It's so tough and so unnecessary. I hate exams. Both my dh and I under-performed at A level compared to our 'potential', but both of us turned out just fine. Good luck to all teens and parents going through this arbitrary and biased process. ds has his first 2 A level exams tmrw.