From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

LotsOfTea

It's a real shame that LG's school seems to not have got it right on encouraging the kids. My DS's primary school used to give out certificates for 'living the school values' which were things like honesty, respect & kindness. Obviously they wanted them to do well academically as well but they did try and celebrate being a nice person too. They also gave certificates to kids who had a 100% attendance record each year but I didn't agree with that as you can't do anything about being ill. DS got really upset it one year due to the unfairness as he'd only missed 1 day due to sickness and hadn't wanted to be ill!

Homework was always a battle for us too at primary school until a new head teacher abolished it on the grounds that all the evidence says it's pointless for younger children. We breathed a sigh of relief! Secondary school is a whole different kettle of fish though and the kids are expected to organise doing their own homework and getting it submitted on time. And in my experience it works absolutely fine. DS knows he's expected to do it and just gets on with it which never happened at primary school. It probably helps that everyone has to do it or they'll get detention and they're treated as perfectly capable and responsible. I've been amazed at the change compared to primary school. 

Greying_Pilgrim

LotsOfTea - I agree whole-heartedly with the illness/absence line, and it was amazing LG wasn't ill last year.  But I also disagree with school parrotting that 'every day' at school is imperative to life itself 🙄  Much the same as any other human being, teacher's can have off days, kids can have off days, the weather can cancel plans, power cuts can cancel plans.......  And if it suits school, then no (worthwhile) work gets done.  Last year, the 2 weeks into Christmas and the 3 weeks down to the summer hols contained a big fat zero work, no trips and nothing that couldn't be opted out of (eg Christmas Lunch).  25 days of tumbleweed.  And yet if your kiddo missed 25 days of schooling, the welfare officer would be round....... I agree with every pupil having 10 days (for example) grace per year - use it to go on holiday, have a 'duvet day' whatever.  

School value awards are only handed out to one or two people per year group.  There's no rhyme or reason to it, and whilst I can appreciate that "achievement" can look different for everyone, I fail to see how kids who rarely attend school can win awards for the ability to handle change, or demonstrating tenacity........... Such awards have become meaningless at our school.  But I do wish there was some recognition if you 'did right where you could/most of the time' (iyswim). Even if it was a quick comment from the head on the end of year report.  The previous head wrote a little comment/personal note.  This head just stamps their siggie.  

The only reason i'm trying to encourage LG to do the homework is because in the future it will be easier to complete 'mandatory' work at home when at secondary.  But this current level of work being sent home is to make the school catch up the league table.  Which I don't agree with.  

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Money saving activities;

no parking charges as we used Shank's Pony to get to the town centre. 

Lunch made and devoured.  I made creamy potato with pasta soup; onions, celery, garlic, potatoes (diced), carrots (diced), stock cube and hot water boiled up in the PrC for 10 mins.  Naturally depressured, then; a tin of evap. milk added with tsp Dill, a tsp dijon mustard, pepper and a tsp greek seasoning added.  I had cooked up some macaroni - cooked all of what was left in the packet - and added half to the soup and froze half.  Served the soup with bread and butter (finished off the loaf), and it was enough for 3.  Clean plates all round.  

Tea will be burger baps and oven chips.  The burger baps are the YS'd ones I got from MrT the other week.  

No washing done today.  But I need to fold up the workwear that did dry yesterday.  There is sufficient to have clean workwear until midweek - and hopefully I'll have done another wash by then.  The weather is supposed to improve with us 🤞

house insurance quote has come through from insurers as M&$ are ditching their home insurance activity.  Quote seems awfully high, so I will have to get onto the comparators.  

Greying X

themadvix

Late to the party, but well done on getting the ball rolling on additional quotes GP - definitely gold star territory! 🌟 I hate doing it too, and for some reason it’s nearly always me who  has to take the lead - and same for you by the sound of it - but it’s definitely worth it. 

Sunshine_girl2

Schools are very closely measured on attendance these days , if I remember they need the school to be 96% or above to be at the expected standard . 

rtandon27

oooo - a gold star from MsVix - high praise indeed!

@Greying_Pilgrim - I too get that lump in my throat before certain tasks for the house!  - and we know OH won't do them at all, so in the same boat!

themadvix

rtandon27 said:

oooo - a gold star from MsVix - high praise indeed!

@Greying_Pilgrim - I too get that lump in my throat before certain tasks for the house!  - and we know OH won't do them at all, so in the same boat!

Well as I’d apparently set the homework, I thought I’d better mark it! 🤣 I hate it too, so you have to give credit where it’s due - especially for the lack of procrastination!

Greying_Pilgrim

Sunshine_girl2 - yeah, I know.  But the gov (?) attendance target and how school goes about promoting attendance don't make a jot of difference.  2 kiddos this week took a day off to game with each other - despite being off 'sick' they were right as rain the next day, bragging about what they did......  They do it because another kiddo in the class regular does it - for days at a time..........  And of course, I have no solutions - it isn't teacher's fault that the curriculum can't compete for interest against the lure of computer games.  Although I don't think our school makes the effort to make subjects interesting per se.  But I don't know how you go about being 'all things to all people'.

Cool start with us, and it's been cold over night - the windows are dripping with condensation 😭We didn't have the heating on, but it was so mild/humid yesterday, so warm/moist air would have been trapped in the rooms.  

Tea was as slated, and was munched.

I enjoyed watching the women's rugby and of course, was pleased with the result.  I don't think England underestimated their opponents at all, I think the French side played their hearts out, and were looking to win the match.  It took everything to maintain the lead, and whilst Ellie got player of the match, I wish there had been a co-player of the match award, Meghan Jones deserved that, big time. What this tough semi-final has set up is a match of teams for the Final - and I think it's going to be epic for Women's rugger.  I think they said last night that the match (at Twickers?) is already a sell out.  I will come out early, and say I'm supporting the England women, but I have no doubt that Canada women are going to be playing for a W.I.N.  An epic match should ensue.  Overall, I hope the winner is women's rugger.

I've the second part of the workwear wash on, and will look to peg that out as soon as poss.  Not too sure it's a brilliant drying day today.  Possibly too slight a breeze and not enough sunshine, but we'll see.  

Today should be a nsd.  I don't count them, and because I'm not trying to address a frittering habit as such (but neither do I want to develop one!), a nsd is less important in terms of monitoring, but it does provide a bit of 'we've got what we need - for today', reassurance and impetus to continue in that vein.

DH is supervising homework, and LG is doing well (computer based learning, so "interesting" I guess 🙄).  They are moving to written stuff now, so LG is heel dragging...... 🤣

Not too sure what will be for lunch.  I'm thinking soup, but then I'm not sure about tea.  Best option to use stuff up would be wraps.  I'll have a think on.  

I can't think of anything else MSE that I'm doing at the mo.  Ta for popping by.

Greying X

rtandon27

Greying_Pilgrim said:

...I will come out early, and say I'm supporting the England women, but I have no doubt that Canada women are going to be playing for a W.I.N.  An epic match should ensue.  .

🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 💯 🎉 🎉 🎉

❤️❤️❤️

Greying_Pilgrim

I wouldn't expect anything less rt 😁 and the team played so well against the Black Ferns that they clearly have the ability, will and passion to go all the way.  It should be a great match 😁

Lunch munched.  LG got an impromptu invite to a chum's around the corner for a quick pre lunch playdate.  I was making a vat of tommie sauce and as it got nearer to midday, DH was about to start more chores, so I suggested that he go pick up LG (we are keen never to outstay our welcome), and we'd have an 'earlier' (for us) lunch, so that the afternoon could be utilised as desired.

So lunch was tomato, orzo and basil soup.  The orzo was from stores, the soup was the HM tommie sauce thinned down with some stock and the basil was the plant that I got in the holiday MrL box, which mostly died, but has put on a bit of new growth in the last week.  There was YS'd MrL white bread rolls to accompany.  

Whilst I was in the kitchen, I heard an unusual bird call, so I used the m3rl1n app and it identified it as a Great Spotted Woodpecker.  I had though woodpecker, initially - but there is no way I could determine between types, and I couldn't see where it was in the tree.  It did it's 'cheuwk' for a minute or so, and then flew off - I just caught sight of it, and it's undulating flight.  It's been an age since woodpeckers have been anywhere near the garden. 

The washing is drying well on the line.  It is far sunnier than forecast and quite breezy, so I should be able to bring dry clothes in later 🤞 

Right, washing up to do.  I said I would do it, so that DH could get on with outdoor chores.  So better keep to my word 😁

Greying X