MSE Parents Club Part 12

Becles

greent wrote: »

My DD is 12 and DS1 is 10. I know some of her friends parents will spend £500 on each child at Xmas/ birthdays - that's just ridiculous!

I've noticed that too. Do you get pestered for Easter presents? Friends of my lads were getting xbox games and stuff like that for Easter presents.

Mine got about a fivers worth of Easter chocolate and a five pound note

Happy birthdays and yay to all the achievements this morning :j

After the spider incident last night, Charlotte spent the morning making Craig some spider pictures :rotfl:

jillie1974

SugarSpun wrote: »

Yay for Maddy!

This is a heads-up - the first photoshoot pictures are here, and are currently uploading to FB. The cutest will turn up here later on.

gorgeous photos SS

Sami_Bee

oh I meant to say as well about older children being expensive,
AFAIK all schools have a 'kitty' for children that can't afford trips so if anyone was having trouble they should speak to the teacher or school secretary (who are hopefully as nice as my mum's one!) to see if there is help available, I think it's only for those on free school meals tho.
My mum's school ask the teachers to pay for themselves on expensive trips and offer out spare places on the coach to (paying) parents/grandparents to keep costs down and they are in 'well off' area.

Also worth asking about 2nd hand uniform at schools too, mum's school sell off unclaimed lost property at the summer fayre which often includes pe pumps, school jumpers etc and my old high school had a thing for 2nd hand uniform too.
also our local charity shops usually have uniforms in.
I'm not sure about those who say they need a laptop, yes access to a pc is probably needed but I'm not sure if I'll be letting the boys have computers in their rooms - maybe I'm harsh/will change my view at the time tho.

I know the biggest expense for my mum was our yearly new school shoes at high school, when we 'had' to have a pair of kickers each (the total cost of 2 pairs at the time was pretty much my dad's entire weeks wage :eek:) although I see a lot more girls in ballet pumps etc these days, I guess I'm stuffed having boys - they will probably want the equivalent of rockport/timberlands when they go! At least now you can shop around on t'internet not like in my day (lol I'm not even old!!)

elle_gee

Tia, it said "Daddy knows a lot but Mummy knows everything"

This morning we've had "Handsome [han-suhm] adj. gorgeous boy. granny magnet" on, and now we have "Mummy's world revolves around me" with a pic of a globe on it. We're off for a walk to the post office so changed into something warmer

Back later once the grouchy one has had a nap on his travels :hello:

Buttonmoons

Is it fair that kids who get free dinners get to go on the trips for free? Where as parents who are above the cut off point can't afford to send their child but get no help?

Annoys me that!

SS - Those are gorgeous pics! I had a nosey on FB and I love the one where she is flashing her nappy - Peek a boo!!

I haven't found Keira to be expensive at all and I spoil her rotten, it's only this year I've really had to start buying her clothes as before her Gran bought loads and she got ellie's hand me downs and from some other people, I still get all that but Ellie is more jeans and jumper, Keira likes big puffy frocks and sandals!

I think girls are less brand concious unless they are into named sports wear - henley whatever it is! I remember I got teased to death for my hi tec gym shoes, and everyone else had adidas, I didn't care though.

I think my cats cost more than Keira right now, she only eats about a teaspoon of grub! She got a pair of 3-4 jeans from Mckays (or M and Co) for her birthday and they are really nice, they fit her perfectly in the length, so I know she is on track heightwise but jesus christ do they think all 4 year olds are obese!! I haev tightened the inside straps to the tightest they go, plus it has a little belt and that is strangled around her stomach and it still falls down! She doesn't have a belly but I don't think 3-4 year olds should!!

aless02

SS, sooooooooo cute!

greent

Sami_Bee wrote: »

oh I meant to say as well about older children being expensive,
AFAIK all schools have a 'kitty' for children that can't afford trips so if anyone was having trouble they should speak to the teacher or school secretary (who are hopefully as nice as my mum's one!) to see if there is help available, I think it's only for those on free school meals tho.
My mum's school ask the teachers to pay for themselves on expensive trips and offer out spare places on the coach to (paying) parents/grandparents to keep costs down and they are in 'well off' area.

Also worth asking about 2nd hand uniform at schools too, mum's school sell off unclaimed lost property at the summer fayre which often includes pe pumps, school jumpers etc and my old high school had a thing for 2nd hand uniform too.
also our local charity shops usually have uniforms in.
I'm not sure about those who say they need a laptop, yes access to a pc is probably needed but I'm not sure if I'll be letting the boys have computers in their rooms - maybe I'm harsh/will change my view at the time tho.

I know the biggest expense for my mum was our yearly new school shoes at high school, when we 'had' to have a pair of kickers each (the total cost of 2 pairs at the time was pretty much my dad's entire weeks wage :eek:) although I see a lot more girls in ballet pumps etc these days, I guess I'm stuffed having boys - they will probably want the equivalent of rockport/timberlands when they go! At least now you can shop around on t'internet not like in my day (lol I'm not even old!!)

The kitty is very limited - it doesn't exist at some schools now. The voluntary contrib sometimes is rounded up to the nearest 50p/ £1 towards the kitty for such cases, as it is a shame if a class of 30 can't go on a trip because 1 parent hasn't paid. If it's a more expensive trip then it can come down to school discretion - and often is for less well off families.

Our primary sells off lost property/ donated second hand uniform. The secondary doesn't (they used to, but I think that less and less people bought it) DD's uniform has to be bought from specialist suppliers as the sports kit/ jumpers/ blazer are all crested. The colour of the uniform is green and yellow, too - so not something you can routinely pick up in many places - and the skirt has to be a certain style, as do the shirts (and, yes, they are picked up if that's not the case) Ballet pump shoes are not allowed - need to be lace/ buckle styles, no heels - essentially something like Clarks, tbh. I have seen some uniform on freegle before now, which is where DD's will go when outgrown.

DD has only had my laptop since Feb - and it has restricted times built in for here user name and very strict parental controls on. She used to use the main pc in the office, but DS1 (10) also often needs that for homework, so it was easier to let her have my old one, as they often both need it. Some of her friends have have tvs and pcs in their rooms from a young age. I often see some of her friends on fb at 10.30+ at night. DD can't access PC after 8pm She has a tv since X,mas (joint bday Xmas pressie - Dec bday - it was explained to her that it would be a joint pressie if she wanted something so large. (never had a joint pressie before) She had a few little bits to unwrap on each occasion also) but is only allowed limited access to that too (I'm so mean!! :rotfl:)

Becles wrote: »

I've noticed that too. Do you get pestered for Easter presents? Friends of my lads were getting xbox games and stuff like that for Easter presents.

Mine got about a fivers worth of Easter chocolate and a five pound note

Mine got an egg each from us (bought when they were mega cheap in Sainsbury) and an egg each from my mum & DH's mum and a total of £7.50 each from great grandparents. They wouldn't DARE pester me for Easter presents!!:rotfl::rotfl:

greent x


ETA: Gorgeous pics, SS!!

tiamai_d

The most expensive thing for DS1 are his shoes. I buy him sketchers trainers at £40 a pair, but I worked out that they do last longer than the cheaper ones. School shoes I but whatever, usually brantanno ones no more than £25 because they don't last no matter where they are from. Christopher needs boots, which is a pain in the bum in the summer and they usually cost £40.

MIL usually buys them clothes for birthdays so all I have to do is school uniform. I buy 2 school jumpers at £10 each and than asda trousers and polo shirts.

Christmas I do go over board, but they don't get much throughout the year.

Sami_Bee

Tia, keep an eye on mandm they've recently started doing sketchers, I think they're too small for DS1 but they might get bigger ones in future

Greet - your not mean, you're a responsible parent

Sami_Bee

I pray that things uniform-wise changer here by the time the kids are at high school though the 2 that will probably be chosen between have hideous uniforms! one is manky brown and the other is blue - ok for boys but if we get #3 and they're a girl they wear ankle length pleated skirts _pale_ vile!!