General Chit Chat!

Well Im back up now and the weather here is grey and dismal but at least it's cool !!!

My hankering at the minute isnt anything sweet - it's hummous for some bizarre reason !!

yeah same here - we had rain last night that was like a wall of water.

just back from the gym and had a great session, now going to potter about for a while before getting on with the never ending housework lol.

I got a letter from the uni I am starting at in September and its an invite to a bridging course for one week before uni starts proper and its a chance to meet people that are starting in 2nd year and get to know where everything is on the campus so am looking forward to that

Glad you had a good session.

Bet you're really excited about uni - I know I would be

I really am, its getting a bit closer now and knowing that I have this course coming up means I am not so nervous as I was worried about having to ask all the folk that had been going for a year already - I am quite quick at making friends, but have no sense of direction even having to find my way about Edinburgh is going to be an experience for me, never mind finding my feet at the uni campuses - it is apparently over 3 different campuses.

That sounds good Irnbru!! I'm sure you'll be ok finding your way around and getting to know your fellow students! I really envy you starting a new challenge and meeting new people....I wish I could decide what to do with my life...I need to retrain though as left Uni 9 years ago now...the question is - in what?!!!!

Had a bad day car wise - we got a 3 year old people carrier 2 months ago and been told today that it needs £1,000-£2,000 spending to fix a problem with it and it will take up to a week....not happy at all....its just out of warranty and we've got to hire a car as they don't have a courtesy car to lend us!!!

Pigged out on Thornton's continental in despair

Sorry about the car 4angels, it's a killer being able to get Thorntons in the supermarket now. It just sneaks into my shopping basket (honest )

Oh 4angels that's awful and must be so frustrating too!!!

Starbuck !!! You know Thorntons doesn't sneak !!!

Oh no 4Angels - what a nightmare - that is a lot of dosh to find and to be without the transport will be a nightmare - especially with having a big family - can see why you would want a consolation thorntons - SB I didn't realsie they sold it at supermarkets - probably better i didn't know lol

I am excited and terrified in equal measure - but so looking forward to studying psychology it is so interesting

Irnbru - I am so jealous - I'd love to go back to study but I don't have the money and I'd be too scared !! Good on ya !!

Looking like car is going to cost around £2,200 to repair but its got to be done, we just wouldn't have overstretched ourselves if we'd known we would have to pay for repairs so soon!!!

Anyway....it does sound really interesting Irnbru and I can understand why you are excited and terrified at the same time. What do you think you'll do at the end of it or do you dare not think that far yet?

What course/subject would you do Stella do you think if you could go back and study?

I've looked at various courses but I don't know what I want to do, there's not much funding available to me (except in things I wouldn't really consider anyway, like nursing) so money is a big factor, time commitment is also a problem and I have panic attacks before/during exams!!!!

I'm not academically minded at all, being taught doesn't agree with me. Couldn't wait to get out of school and get on with everything.

I admire you Irnbru and think your brave, and I have every faith in you and that you'll be fine and really enjoy it.

I know what you mean Starbuck - I think mine was avoidance technique (of the real world) and parental pressure (I knew from age 5 that I was going to Uni though I didn't know what the hell it was at that age!!) rather than actually being academic...I find life quite hard and scary really and I certainly haven't found a niche that I am any good at or enjoy and I'm getting old now lol!!

I don't think I will push my kids into staying in education, more direct them to learning a skill/trade...yeah getting the basics if they are able to like a few GCSE's and certainly supporting them if they do want to stay on at school, but I'm happy for them to do what they'll be happiest doing if you know what I mean!!

I'd love to go back and do a degree in music. Thats what I originally signed up to do when I went to uni but I changed my course when I got there.

4angels - ouch about the car - you have my sympathies

Thanks everyone for your kind words

I am hoping to go onto the 3 years post grad to specialise in either child/educational psychology or sports and exercise psychology - I think its amazing how exercise helps with depression and the psychology behind eating and would love to expand in that area - but I will have year two to firm up on what direction to take and the post grad to specialise - I would love to go onto the Phd but will depend on where my life is at that stage - if we can manage financially, if I want to get out and use the skills I have learned or continue on studying or even if we are sick of being skint and want to start having holidays again lol - so i know the general direction i want to go in - but not the specific direction yet if that makes sense. - just call me a late bloomer lol. I am lucky with it being Scotland so i don't have to pay for the degree course.

It is interesting what you say about your kids and how you don't want to force them - there is so much pressure on them to choose what can have a major impact on the rest of heir lives - it took me until i was 40 to go in the direction i really wanted - how can we expect our kids to know at their age - i have always stressed that happiness is the most important and practical skills will often get you just as far as academic ones.

ouch on the cost to fix the car 4Angels thats a wack of dosh to find with cars your hand is always in your pocket

oh degree in music sounds really interesting - do you play any instruments Stella?

ps 4Angels - is it worth shopping around for a quote - last time my car was due its mot i was told 500 quid and that it needed welding, took it away to another place to get the welding done and they told me it looked like it wasn't necessary and we took it there for an mot and it passed.

Dr IrnBru...I think Dr Pepper got there first lol!!! (sorry lame joke!!)

I think its great that you've taken action Irnbru and your career area sounds really fantastic! Do they fund all courses in Scotland or is it like where I am - only if you don't already have a higher qualification ?

Thanks Irnbru I know what you mean and sometimes it does pay to shop around! Our car has been to two garages so far who couldn't fix it and finally it is at the dealership for the make of car that it is who have diagnosed the problem and are now fixing it.
We save a bit of money normally on MOT's etc by not using our semi-rural local garage who's prices are higher out of convenience I suppose and going to the industrial estate a few miles away instead, but we have paid a couple of hundred on failed attempts already these last few weeks before taking it to the dealers.

Has been a total, utter nightmare...lesson learnt do not buy a car that has a) been used as a company car, b) is listed in the classified on ebay, c) that you have to travel couple hundred miles to get!!!!! (hubby's idea not mine....I'm sure you can imagine that has been pointed out several times!!!), d) that is out of warranty on miles not years!!! e) that is red (not significant but I wanted a blue or silver one LOL!!)

Rant over LOL!!!!!!!

lol @ Dr Irnbru, yes you get one of each qualification paid for, so one hnc, one hnd, one degree.

what a nightmare about the car - i got my car 3 1/2 years ago from ebay and its still going strong - but yes we do love pointing out these sort of flaws to our husbands eh ? lol *and relax* we all need a rant every now and then.

When I left high school at nearly 16 my mum was adament I was going to go to college and then uni, I had absolutely no idea what she wanted me to do though as I didn't have a clue.

Well I just went to the job centre, applied for a job as an office junior at a business travel agency and went for the interview on my 16th birthday.

Offered the job there and then, accepted then had to go home and tell mum I had a full time job starting monday, didn't even have my GCSE results yet (probably a good thing or I might not have got the job ) Mum was livid but got over it.

Worked there for 10 years till I had the kids, so I couldn't have been that bad.

I hated school - it was an ordeal i got through and as soon as I could leave - i did - my Dad demanded that I stay on for more qualifications or get a job - but i left without either. Then i got a job a couple of days later and have never stopped working since - but my work offered a day release course so I went for an HNC in business admin - and what a difference college was to school.

Lol at your mum insisting you needed to go on to uni despite you not knowing what to study - bet you wont do that to your kids though - so it all works out eh?

I wouldn't make my kids go if they didn't want too, just want them too be happy.

As it happens I've taken the steps today of taking my 3yr old out of private nursery. He started going because I thought it was the right thing to do, but he's always been a bit funny about going and his behaviour has started going down hill. I'm a stay at home mum anyway so it wasn't for childcare just to get him mixing with other kids really. I'd rather him be happy though and hopefully he'll be happier now.

yes SB I know what you mean - there is a certain expectation that kids are supposed to do certain things at certain ages - its so silly as everyone is ready in their own time and mum's instincts are usually spot on - why make your child unhappy because of other peoples expectations - he will be more ready next year by the sounds of it

I can really empathise with you Starbuck! Good childcare where they are happy is a tremendous concern and you definitely did the right thing if he seemed unhappy.

I had a similar experience with a horrible nursery attached to a school and my son a few years ago and I removed him. After this I felt that no-one could look after him properly and I didn't trust anyone to, but I was crumbling under the pressure of 3 small children.
Due to him having special needs he needed to socialise with other kids especially ones who were good role models (behaviour/speech etc) , so I sent him to a rural nursery instead which he absolutely loved, my only regret is that I didn't do it many months sooner!

I visited a lot of horrible nurseries first which smelled of wee and the staff were indifferent, before finding one with a large garden, where the staff were called 'Aunties' and gave the kids lots of praise and cuddles and they ate homecooked food and learnt through play. He flourished and was the happiest I had ever seen him, he never mentioned his horrible nursery ever again. My other 3 all went/still go there and I wouldn't have considered anywhere else.


When they are so small sometimes we have to rely on our instincts as to whats best for them. Now I have 3 at school I am still fiercely protective but have had to step back a bit as I can't be there to catch them when they fall.
My 3 year old goes to nursery 2 short days per week and loves it, she needs the social aspect with her siblings being at school and the independence away from me as I don't want the reality of going to school 5 days a week to be a big shock to her.
Likewise I hate the toddler groups here as they are clique, so she had no chance of socialising in this situation either!

I still have problems trusting people to look after them all but its getting a bit less sensitive and emotional as they get older and more independent.

Sounds like your instincts are spot on Starbuck and if you ever feel the need for a break or if you feel he needs to socialise and that the time is right for you both, take a peek at what else is available in your area without committing yourself as you never know there may be a gem out there!

xxxxxx

Thanks 4angels, you've made me feel like I've done the right thing.

Thats ok Starbuck sometimes its helpful to know that others have been through similar experiences and that you are not alone. You trusted your instincts and as his mum you know far better than anyone else what will make him happy. God knows its tough being a parent though, so many emotions, guilt etc!!!! Take care hun xxxxx

I haven't got any children but I used to be a teacher (Key Stage 1 and 2) so I can empathsise as I've spoken to loads of mums who have been in similar situations. Dont worry about your decision SB I'm sure its the right one xx

In answer to a question asked yesterday - I do play instruments - I'm a bit rusty but I'm sure I'll get back into it. Piano and Baritone / Euphonium.