Much as I would sometimes like to be able to take the place of my children (and not always when they’re doing something really fun like tubing in Vang Vieng – I mean when they are ill, or in pain) – the thought of sitting down in my daughter’s place this morning and doing her Chemistry GCSE paper for her would be my worst nightmare. I don’t even know how to draw the shape of a water droplet correctly. I’d get no further than printing out my name – and I’m even having difficulty with that at the moment -trying to move from married to maiden name is more complicated than you think.
I am not in Florida on my travel blogger press trip. I am at home with my children. So instead of heat and sunshine and shopping malls and beaches and somebody to look after me, I am playing a very different role. When she is revising she sends me texts requesting endless cups of tea and chocolate. This morning I woke her with a cup of tea in bed, a pile of freshly washed clothes, a jumper warming on the radiator, made her scrambled egg on toast for breakfast (although she spat the toast out and said it was mouldy). Tried to avoid any altercations with her brother – busy hogging the computer trying to print off something about Smurfs in French.
It was all quite calm. She was calm. I drove her to school. She found a huge hole in her tights and might have to say she fell over on the way to school if anybody asks – although I don’t know why – they all have holes in their tights all the time. In my day – a teeny hole would have meant I either stayed at home all day through mortification or I’d have been expelled.
I hugged her when she got out of the car. Told her to give it everything she’s got. She’s ready. That’s the best she can do. Waved as I left them both and gave her a massive thumbs up. She smiled.
It was easy for a moment there to justify my decision. I drove away thinking about how pleased I am that I made the decision to stay and do what I can to help her get through it all. It might not be much….but it’s important and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
So much work goes on behind the scenes during exams. The effort put in by parents I know who revise with them, prop them up, doing what they can to help. She’d better not get too used to it though. I’m lucky most of my classes are not too early in the morning or that I have to be away for work – lots of people can’t give that last minute TLC because they have to be out at work or away for work. Childcare issues. What a bloody nightmare they are (both the care issues AND the children).
janelle
May 21, 2012you’re a star mum! it DOES make a huge difference that you stayed…exam fever here at school….aren’t exams ghastly!?
xxx
Family Affairs
May 21, 2012They’re horrid. Are you doing them at school at the moment with the kids? Lx
Allison Ogden-Newton
May 21, 2012They are all so young and yet under much pressure. As long as you got English and Maths and enough other subjects to do A levels you were ok in our day. The rest was just showing off. Now if you drop to even an A in any subject, even if you get straight A*s at A level, some courses like Medicine and Unis like Oxbridge are automatically closed to you. It is ridiculous and does not allow for kids who develop at different times. My Joe works so hard at his GCSE’s I am amazed at his commitment but as a Mum it’s hard to know what to do other than ‘be’ there. Having said that we are planning to go with our other son Sam as he cycles from London to Paris in June for Street Child Sierra Leone http://www.justgiving.com/Samuel-Ogden-Newton-0 so I won’t be there for a couple of days but he appears to think that is a good thing!? Oh well its a shame being a Mum doesn’t come with instructions, having said that I never read them anyway..Best x
Family Affairs
May 21, 2012So true. So much pressure. GOOD LUCK with the bike ride. Impressive. I am SO pleased I’m not doing exams today. Lx