Sunday 21 December 2008

CHRISTMAS IS NOT CANCELLED .......

.... which to be honest with you is a huge relief as for a while it seriously looked like Matthew, our 15 year old, was going to spend the big day in his bedroom with no presents. It all started in the last school holidays when we got a letter from school saying that due to the large amount of minus points Matthew had incurred over the previous half term they were going to have to monitor him with a view to him going on report. To say I hit the roof was an understatement. However I am pleased to say that none of the minus points were as a result of him being nasty and rude they were for things like throwing a pencil, forgetting his PE kit, not concentrating, late homework and general tardiness. So like I said I hit the roof - rather hard.

So you can imagine the size of the bump on my head when we walked in from a weekend at Center Parcs and I opened his interim report, I am surprised you didn't all hear me yell. It is predicted by the teachers that Matthew will get mostly A and A* when he does his GCSE's next year but this report had C's and D's on it - not good. Don't get me wrong I don't mind what marks my children get as long as they are putting in the effort and trying to get the best grades that they are capable of. These C's and D's were for behaviour, effort and quality - not good at all. On one of the occasions I hit the roof (there were many) he was told that if he didn't buck his ideas up he wasn't going to have Christmas this year, instead he would get IOU's which could be cashed in when his attitude improved - basically his Christmas would be cancelled. Hard? Damn right it is and I meant every word of it he only gets one chance at this and I am not going to let him throw it away and he has lived with me for long enough to know that I don't bluff. He learnt that the hard way when he was in a slamming door faze he was warned that he would loose the door, and low and behold he did - for a week. We don't have a door slamming problem in this house anymore.

Anyway I digress. The school was closed on the Monday after the report was sent out for the parents to go in to meet the form tutors with their children. So off I went with my boys to see what was going to be said about them. I can't praise Matt's form tutor high enough, bless her, she was brilliant. I told her what I had said to Matt about Christmas and SHE suggested that she would ask for another report from all his teachers before the end of term so I could make a decision about his presents. So on Friday there was a message on my answering machine reporting that his work and attitude has improved greatly and in a maths test he had come top of the class. Miss Hall-Jones has even said she will do the same again at the end of January so that we can keep on top of him which I am very impressed with. So well done that boy he has saved Christmas!

Another little catch up for HSMSHS.

I personally prefer Quality Street, love the green triangles, but everyone else prefers Roses so Roses it is.

Pete is improving day by day. He goes for a blood test next Tuesday so we will find out how his blood count is then but for the time being he is back at work and seems fine.

9 comments:

Bobs said...

I really admire parents who stick to their guns and carry out threats. The 'door' incident made me chuckle and think 'Good on you, Rach!' I hope his attitude carries on improving.

Great to hear that Pete is getting stronger too. Hope he stays well over the festive season.

I love your shots of the candles! So very pretty. I can't find the proper setting on my camera to take shots like this. What do you set your at?

xxx

Gemma* said...

love those candles . . . so christmassy :)

Photographing Mom said...

Beautiful catch-up!

So glad Pete's on the mend!!!

Good luck to you and Matthew! :)

Jenga said...

Go mum!!!Too right you should come down hard on him! I will be the same when mine are older. It did me no harm and it'll do them no harm. Standing ovation from me to you hun :D

Glad Pete is still improving xx

Bobs said...

Thanks for the info about the camera settings. I've actually been trying mine on the TV setting, but haven't found the correct shutter speed to 'freeze' the flames, or the people!
I'll have to have another try at different settings.
Thanks again, hun.
{{{hugs}}}
xxx

Igotmebabe said...

Well done you, its hard being a parent sometimes and also to follow through on your threats can be a ordeal.Love the door incident :)
Great catch up shots, love the food :)
Janette

Sue said...

Well, you know how I empathise already!!!

The book I brought to Anglesey about teenage boys is fabulous and has helped me tremendously with Joshua. http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0007278802
It's even helped me to "understand" Ian a little better too :-)

I couldn't read the Mars and Venus book BUT this I would say was essential reading for all mothers of sons . . . I wish I had read it years ago. Amusing to read yet full of insight and light bulb moments.

Josh thinks some of my actions are cool . . . wrong . . . I am now playing the system!!!!

Joshua's reports are worse now than they have ever been. He has never been straight As but now he is straight Cs :-( BUT so far has achieved two A's in his mock GCSE's.

I am honestly and truly sure that it is because he "pulls it out of the bag" just as many boys do . . . last minute . . . well what's the point in building up to anything . . . it would be a waste of time if it didn't then happen!!!

WELL DONE MATT :-)And what a fantastic response from the school too . . . noted it was a female teacher!!!!!

Just pray now he doesn't get a girlfriend . . . simply don't let him out, Rach !!!!!

See you on FB . . . Sue :-)

Sue said...

Whoops!!!

Photo is splendid . . . truly lovely :-)

Mima said...

So glad to hear that Matthew got his Christmas in the end, the threats obviously worked!