Are your Teens waiting?...Results day.

If you have teens of a certain age then you'll already know that tomorrow, Thursday 19th Aug is the day they all get their AS and A Level results. So at the moment there will be thousands of 17 and 18 year olds now wondering if they did enough.

I've already seen status updates on FB and Twitter, of friends of friends, teens, all worrying about picking up their little bits of paper with those magic letters on. I've resisted the urge to comment about how the time for worrying is long gone. It's done & dusted.

TD gets her AS Photography result tomorrow. 

Then she gets her 2 GCSE resit results next Thursday.

I really hope she gets the result she wants. But do you know what?

At the moment I honestly don't mind what result she gets. I hope she's done well, if not, does the world end? No. But of course, being a dramatic teenager, it probably does!!

TD is in the enviable position of already having a secured place in September, at a different college, on a completely different course, which is not reliant on her grades this year. So I suppose it would be fair to say that's why I can say that I don't mind, too much, what her results are.  But that wouldn't be the complete truth. As I've been writing this, I've thought long and hard about if the situation were different, would I feel differently?

We all want our children to achieve their best, we want them to succeed in whatever they choose and reach their full potential. And if they fail to gain the 'right' result in an exam it may well be devastating for some of them. Of course we don't want to see them disappointed and upset, as a mum when our children hurt we feel their pain, but things can be learned from all of our experiences. 

So, the answer is yes, in all honesty, I would feel differently. I would be upset for her, and I would hug her, commiserate with her and console her as best I could, as I have done the whole of her 17 years.
I also know, that after letting her lick her wounds, that I'd be able to help her understand that we can always take things from and learn from everything we do, including any of our failures...


If you're a parent awaiting tomorrows results along with your teens, I do wish them every success....and I would baton down the hatches, I've no doubt it will be a couple of bumpy days! 
Just saying....

No, I've got nothing....So something for your ears instead...

Grrr..this is so frustrating. I have absolutely no inspiration for a post, funny or otherwise.

Obviously I must be living an extremely boring, mundane life at present.

Nope, still nothing....::sigh::...I was hoping if I just kept writing something would come to me, but no...Hmmph...

So I'm going to post a music track, not just any old track though. Someone very dear to my heart. Just to while away the time, you know, whilst waiting....

No, I've still got nothing....

It's my beautiful TDs GCSE Music practical perfomance. Which she took in May 2009. Her 18yr old brother played guitar for her, with TD singing. The exam board gives you 1 hour and as many attempts as you need, but no editing on the recording.

And in case you're mildly curious, she got a B, even with the hiccup on the lyrics!

So sit back, turn up those speakers and enjoy.....I'll be back once I've unclogged the old brain cells....

16th Birthday... plus EXAM results!

Thank god the waiting for GCSE results is over!

TD got her results on her 16th birthday. A birthday lunch for TD and a friend was planned, to which I was invited (Erm... of course...I was paying!!) at a lovely little cafe in Brighton known for its 'Grunge' appeal & the music played, but with a wonderful selection of food. Followed by a 'smallish' gathering of her friends at home in the evening. I was a little concerned in the run up, that it was either going to be a wonderful day, full of celebration, fun & good cheer, as any birthday should be, or a day spent consoling upset/angry Teenagers about grades just missed/not achieved.

A feeling not helped by the fact that TD had originally stated at the end of her exams, that they had 'gone quite well', which as summer wore on, changed to 'Well, I think Music/Media/Drama went OK, but think I screwed up Science/Maths...' and by the day before the results, had morphed into 'I think I failed all of them!'. So I was a little confused about what to expect. But I did know that I was determined not to let any 'results' spoil her birthday.

So with TDs presents/card opening in the morning all done, we set off to TDs school to get her results. Picking up a friend on the way, who was also nervously saying 'I think I did OK at...but...Oh GOD!!'.... so on. I did my best to chat merrily(!) away, to try and keep their nerves at bay (or maybe mine..?!).

I parked up, and off they trooped. And it struck me, sitting in the car park, watching TD walking in, to get her 'achievements' of 11 years worth of schooling, that this was the END as I know it! My last child to leave compulsory education! I did have a 'flashback' moment, to her first day of school, a definite 'gooey mummy'' moment. A tiny, only just 4 year old, clutching my hand & skipping beside me. In her little school uniform, new school shoes, her hair in bunches with blue ribbons and a gap toothed grin, and a new, 'big' school adventure in front of her. Such a huge difference. And thought 'I really don't mind what grades you get'

Then, there they were, standing on the steps with their little brown envelopes and slips of paper. I was trying to read TDs face, to gauge her reaction, but with so many teenagers milling about, I couldn't see her properly. With that, my brand new (1 day old) phone warbled at me, so I'm sitting in the car trying to watch TD, also trying to figure out how the hell to open/read the text that someone has sent me at such a crucial moment. Realising I'm never going to be able to read the text (I really must change the font size, its far too small, nothing to do with my eyesight! ha) , I finally figure out its from TD! I phone her. 'I got 4 Cs, 5 Ds and an unfortunate G'. I'm still sitting in the car, she's still standing on the steps, we're talking on the phone!

So off to lunch. All happy, me mainly relieved for TD, no unhappy moments on a 16th Birthday. TDs friend calculating how much money she'd made by getting her grades (alot I might add...in the £500s(!?)). We had a lovely, giggly lunch, then home to get ready for a houseful of Teenagers.

TD had a great evening, all her friends were, and I'm not sure you will believe this, extremely well behaved, even with the small amount of alcohol we allowed them. Lots of dancing around the kitchen, VERY loud music(!), and loads of silly photos taken.

So, all in all a very good day...oh and by the way, TD got her 'septum' pierced on the same day...there's nothing quite like seeing your 'baby' girl, with what looks like a staple stuck through her nose to put any concerns of 'Exam Results' in their proper place!!!