STRESSSSSS

[Lovely_Laura]

Arghhhh. Can I just scream for a bit please??

Tomorrow my son's doing grammar school test. Whether I agree with the grammar system or not unfortunately the catchment area we're in either means grammar or 2 of the worst schools in the county. It's such a lot of pressure to put on a 10 year old who, however much we try and help him stay calm, knows that tomorrow is MASSIVE! My husband's feeling like a failure that we live in a rough area, says he should have provided better to buy a house somewhere nicer, husband freaking out=hell. I'm sat here trying to be all calm and relaxed but inside I'm stressed out. If he doesn't get a place in grammar school we have to hope he can go to a school miles away but of course we aren't in the catchment area of anywhere decent so get the last pick. TOO MUCH PRESSURE.

It's son's birthday tomorrow so he's not happy he's got the test anyway. He says his birthday is ruined by it and whatever I say apparently makes it worse. I've just baked a gorgeous looking chocolate cake for him that's shouting my name. The syns without icing are already 250 though. :giggle: Stay away evil cake!

Sorry, I just needed to let off a bit of steam. 1 day shouldn't mean so much!

Anyone got some sand I can bury my head in please?

 

[Littleslimmingbee]

i genuinly believe that life is what you make it, so there are better schools out there.. maybe that offer better oppurtunities, but the point is, whether he gets into grammer school or not he's going to do really well if he wants too, and although he'l have to work harder.. he'l be greatful for what hes got and be proud of himself for how far he'l come.


granted, id be pretty peed off too if i were doing a test on my birthday! Good on you for avoiding that devil cake! thats will power.. now go slap your hubby and tell him to stop freaking out! your poor son doesnt need his dad's worries on him too! its difficult i know, but i know your only ever doing the best you can for him and thats more than enough.. far too many parents with the cash to provide lots of children, but never actually give anything worthwhile, like.. proper parenting and love!!!!


all the best to your son hun, itl all work out xxxxxxx

 

[mumtheshopper]

I do know how you feel. My daughter sits it in 3 weeks. In fact she has to do two tests, on two different dates in half term. Yeah she is ecstatic!! ANd she is one of life's worriers at the best of times. And guess what? She broke her finger on Tuesday!!! Sheared in 2, and will probably ahve to ahve it pinned once the swelling is down! That's really great for the 11+. She is taking it out of catchment and out of area. We live in Beds and she wants to go to school in Bucks, which is the last county in the country to be still totally Grammar school. Every child takes the 11+. We, however, ahe a 3 tier system, where she is in the iddle of middle school, and wouldn't actually move up til 13. So it really is not the easy option for her to move school and take the 11+ now! She must so want to do it, and yes, it is MASSIVE!! Really feeling your pain.

 

[Lovely_Laura]

Thanks Fern, you're right of course that it wouldn't be the end of the world. He's an intelligent lad and I hope we've raised him well enough that he will do well whatever happens. I didn't slap Matt but threatened too and he's gone quiet now.

I hope it goes well for your daughter mumtheshopper.

 

[MadameLaMinx]

Aww, Laura *hugs*

My two nieces attend the same grammar school I went to and their younger sister is under pressure from her classmates to get a tutor to help her pass the exam. She is 9. Thats how ridiculous this is. If you need a tutor to get you through that exam, IMO, you shouldnt be going there in the first place. Forcing children into education they are not really equipped for is asking for them to fail. Fortunately my nieces parents are eminently sensible and besides not having the money to waste on a private tutor, think that children should go to the school that their educational abilities is best suited by - so if she goes there great, life easier in terms of managing the three of them, but if not, then so be it. However, we are lucky enough to have a good choice of schools of both grammar and comprehensive standard and so it wouldnt be too terribad if she went to one of the comprehensive ones, or specialist colleges, whatever fancypants name it is they are giving them these days to make them be special and unique and different from one another.

I think the pressure put on kids from these exams is just silly.

 

[MadameLaMinx]

PS, yes, I can totally see the irony of me stating that I went to a grammar school and yet voluntarily choosing to use the word "terribad".

 

[Lovely_Laura]

Thank MLM, I completely agree about the tutors though to hear it from you is great because I've been questioning our decision not to get him one. Well, I'm not sure we could have afforded it anyway but it's really tough listening to the stories from his friends about their tutors and how much their mums think it's helped. One friend has been going for 2 years and does about 5 practise papers a week. We took the more relaxed approach which was the only way with our son. He's done practise papers and can just about get through them in time...He reads an awful lot which has hopefully helped with his vocabulary. If it wasn't for the lack of decent normal schools then I wouldn't mind so much if he doesn't get in. Just thinking about the alternatives makes me cry.

Oh well he's there and doing it right now, nothing more can be done. It sounds dramatic but walking him up there to the door and then leaving sort of felt like I'd taken him to his execution! Not good for mummy emotions.

I guess we're lucky that we hear the results in a week. It's not too long to wait although a pass doesn't guarantee a place it would take some of the pressure off.

Thanks for listening to me waffle.

 

[Littleslimmingbee]

thinking of you both! hel be just fine. xxx

 

[KarenB]

Awwww, bless. Hope it all goes well for him today and he can get to enjoy the rest of his birthday. Wishing him the best of luck x.

 

[MadameLaMinx]

Hope it went well!!!

 

[Janine 40]

My thoughts are with you. Give your son your best smile and tell him "you will be great!!" Ignore your husband, he is an adult and should know better, men eh!! lol.

If your son sees you smiling he will too. Look after yourself and everything else should then follow, you are the backbone after all and are stronger than you than you think!!

Lastly "Be kind to yourself!!"

Chin up!!

xx

 

[Kenco]

Hope everything went okay for him and that he enjoy's his birthday.x