How is everyone making the time pass?

[um]

Lol - I am making lemon cake with dd now!

That and 2 hours a day at the gym and the effects of both should cancel each other out

[Stevehopkins]

Haven't tried lemon cake; another classic recipe is the carrot and roast walnut cake

We have also planted cucumber, carrots and red chillies last week.

This is the best time to grow vegetables

[Camphillian]

@UM i have the same worry
Its very odd with my younger brother because he is intelligent and I know he'll do better than me but its just something about the test that makes me uneasy : /

Shouldn't it be your parents or carers that are worrying about this rather than you? There will be plenty of time for you to worry about the grammar test when your own DCs are taking it, assuming you have changed your mind about not letting them take it. You sound very stressed about something that can't possibly be your responsibility - I would forget about it and concentrate on your own work if I were you.

[um]

I think it is nice that an older sibling should have concern for his younger one.

My dc1 is 8 years older than dc4 and 10.5 years older than dc5, who came along just before his 11 plus.
I wouldn't say he worries about them but he does care and really looks after them. I didn't teach any of them their colours, shapes, numbers etc - ds1 taught them everything. Even potty training,...but at cost, I suppose that is where the phrase 'spend a penny' comes from as ds1,2 and 3 would receive payment for everything they got the little ones to 'do'

Ds1 was saying that, the summer before dc4 takes his 11 plus, he will have finished his A levels and will dedicate that summer to helping him - I thought that was sweet and hope he always looks out for ds4 (ds4 needs looking out for ).

This compassion certainly doesn't extend to siblings close in age, though; ds1 has spent the last few days taunting ds2 about how he could end up in the comp while he gets to go to CH...Lord give me strength

[UmSusu]

I don't know if this would help but I have started cooking in the evenings with DC. Last night we made rock cakes with raisins. Not only therepeutic but quite tasty

Noticed that you are new to the forum: Steve, are you waiting for results too over in Harpendon?

[Stevehopkins]

Not yet, a couple of years to go

[Stevehopkins]

Older child doing the gcse test

[um]

Glad to see your English has considerably improved since earlier this evening

Has your older child taken the RS GCSE course as an option?

[Stevehopkins]

Yes, she has. Thanks for writing.

[um]

PS Camphillian, didn't mean to shout you down or anything.
Just trying to explore/explain the dynamics of families with large birth gaps between children as being different to the average family where children are 2-3 years apart.