A Levels and GCSEs have started in the UK and I am keeping my anxiety to myself as my 18yo heads off each morning, but how are you doing? Any tips and tricks that may help?
I've found just keeping myself busy on a morning and out of the way of my GCSE daughter is helping - this morning I took a cup of tea to the bottom of the garden to check on my plants. Keeping it very low key when she leaves, a quiet 'hope it goes ok' (not good luck!) and don't hassle her about whether she's got her pens etc.. She told me in no uncertain terms she doesn't want us involved so we're pretending not to be! When she gets home, we ask her how she's got on, and that's it, if she wants to tell us anymore then she will though find I get a bit of info and he dad gets a bit about something else. 16 days and counting!
Strangely, for a very anxious person, I am not feeling at all anxious!! I have one doing GCSE's and one 'A' Levels. Just keeping my distance, buying snacks and cooking favourite meals, ignoring mess, encouraging exercise. I think I will be more nervous on results day!!
Special snacks, not the usual ones you buy but things they will find as treats. (yum yums, Starbucks iced coffee and today these fantastic things called Little Moons!) Also churning out my sons fave meals this week. Agree on a small amt of chat on exiting the house. Sending lots of love and support to all. x
Mum guilt as I have to leave early for work before they go to exams each day! I have one doing A levels & one GCSEs. Always deliver the cup of tea & coffee before I head off, with a motivational quote written on our white board each day. Ignoring the accumulation of revision piles at every turn (once they’re finished there will be a mass tidy / sort out!)
It feels so nice to be asked! Such a tough time for worried parents juggling work and exam support and teen reactions to said support 😉. How are you doing Lorraine?
I am oddly nervous!. Our eldest didn't do the exams due to the pandemic though she did do GCSEs so in a way it is our first experience of such future making exams. My 18yo is finding it exhausting but working so hard. I really felt them all over the bank holiday - hard to revise in the sunshine. Trying to keep a low profile in my own home and keeping everyone else as quiet as possible!
They are lucky to have you and one day may even come to realise that (probably in 30 years when their own kids are doing exams). I know what you mean about keeping everything else quiet in sympathy. I’m off to work now to ask my colleagues with exams how THEY are doing.
A levels here for our eldest daughter and so far so good but we're two exams down and 7 to go. Feels like the end of a very long road. The looming loss of her heading off to uni is overwhelming me at times with a lot of mixed emotions. For so many of us, after a tough few years supporting our teenage girls through the pandemic, I keep having to give myself a talking to that we're nearly there, although I suspect we'll soon be dealing with the next phase/hurdle. I'm trying to keep my 'please eat breakfast/get some fresh air/have an early night' comments to myself at the moment as it was clearly making her annoyed and she seems to be calmer, the less I say and the quieter I am! Plant pot parenting resumes!
You are indeed right Pot Plant parenting is best! It is a blow when they leave home so make sure you have much to look forward too - but they do come home quite a bit!
We have both A Levels and GCSEs going on in our house. Also trying to keep a lid on my anxiety for the sake of them !! Keeping it light and casual, I try to send a ‘you’ve got this’ text before each one goes into an exam, ignoring the mess of paper and revision notes all over the house from both, making lots of cups of tea and giving shoulder massages…..
Eldest doing a levels here, I’m helping where needed and keeping out of the way when not. Ignoring the mess as she’s now taken over the kitchen table and has piles of post it’s all over the house. Slightly concerned as she hasn’t been feeling great after having covid again at Easter and we can’t get into the doctor for another week.
Thanks for that - I’ll have a look and see what I can find. She’s taking feraglobin and a multi vitamin but any other suggestions gratefully received
I've found just keeping myself busy on a morning and out of the way of my GCSE daughter is helping - this morning I took a cup of tea to the bottom of the garden to check on my plants. Keeping it very low key when she leaves, a quiet 'hope it goes ok' (not good luck!) and don't hassle her about whether she's got her pens etc.. She told me in no uncertain terms she doesn't want us involved so we're pretending not to be! When she gets home, we ask her how she's got on, and that's it, if she wants to tell us anymore then she will though find I get a bit of info and he dad gets a bit about something else. 16 days and counting!
Ditto on the 'nothing to do with you front'. Though I did find a clear water bottle and then felt like a hero, it is hard not to 'fix' things.
Strangely, for a very anxious person, I am not feeling at all anxious!! I have one doing GCSE's and one 'A' Levels. Just keeping my distance, buying snacks and cooking favourite meals, ignoring mess, encouraging exercise. I think I will be more nervous on results day!!
Special snacks, not the usual ones you buy but things they will find as treats. (yum yums, Starbucks iced coffee and today these fantastic things called Little Moons!) Also churning out my sons fave meals this week. Agree on a small amt of chat on exiting the house. Sending lots of love and support to all. x
Good snacks or what we call 'luxury snacks' are the right idea.
Mum guilt as I have to leave early for work before they go to exams each day! I have one doing A levels & one GCSEs. Always deliver the cup of tea & coffee before I head off, with a motivational quote written on our white board each day. Ignoring the accumulation of revision piles at every turn (once they’re finished there will be a mass tidy / sort out!)
Ah I love the idea of a motivational quote of a morning. We used to do this but they started writing smart arse stuff on the board!
It feels so nice to be asked! Such a tough time for worried parents juggling work and exam support and teen reactions to said support 😉. How are you doing Lorraine?
I am oddly nervous!. Our eldest didn't do the exams due to the pandemic though she did do GCSEs so in a way it is our first experience of such future making exams. My 18yo is finding it exhausting but working so hard. I really felt them all over the bank holiday - hard to revise in the sunshine. Trying to keep a low profile in my own home and keeping everyone else as quiet as possible!
They are lucky to have you and one day may even come to realise that (probably in 30 years when their own kids are doing exams). I know what you mean about keeping everything else quiet in sympathy. I’m off to work now to ask my colleagues with exams how THEY are doing.
A levels here for our eldest daughter and so far so good but we're two exams down and 7 to go. Feels like the end of a very long road. The looming loss of her heading off to uni is overwhelming me at times with a lot of mixed emotions. For so many of us, after a tough few years supporting our teenage girls through the pandemic, I keep having to give myself a talking to that we're nearly there, although I suspect we'll soon be dealing with the next phase/hurdle. I'm trying to keep my 'please eat breakfast/get some fresh air/have an early night' comments to myself at the moment as it was clearly making her annoyed and she seems to be calmer, the less I say and the quieter I am! Plant pot parenting resumes!
You are indeed right Pot Plant parenting is best! It is a blow when they leave home so make sure you have much to look forward too - but they do come home quite a bit!
We have both A Levels and GCSEs going on in our house. Also trying to keep a lid on my anxiety for the sake of them !! Keeping it light and casual, I try to send a ‘you’ve got this’ text before each one goes into an exam, ignoring the mess of paper and revision notes all over the house from both, making lots of cups of tea and giving shoulder massages…..
I must perfect a shoulder massage, though I am often batted away if I offer physical interaction! hard to judge the moment!
Eldest doing a levels here, I’m helping where needed and keeping out of the way when not. Ignoring the mess as she’s now taken over the kitchen table and has piles of post it’s all over the house. Slightly concerned as she hasn’t been feeling great after having covid again at Easter and we can’t get into the doctor for another week.
Good luck, Holland & Barrat do an exams vitamin pack FYI
Thanks for that - I’ll have a look and see what I can find. She’s taking feraglobin and a multi vitamin but any other suggestions gratefully received