11 Plus Exams Forum

My DS is driving me crazy. I despair with him sometimes and cannot believe it can be that difficult to remember to bring home a P.E. kit that he has taken to school with him!!

In November he actually left it on the bus (this is on the way to school!) so had no kit for two consecutive weeks. He has lost one complete kit which has disappeared last term.

Despite all my attempts at reminding him, he confessed to me today (I was looking for the kit to wash this afternoon), that he had left his sports bag at school on Thursday night. When he went to find it on Friday, it had disappeared!!

Has anyone got any ideas ...........

No, but I want you to know that I feel your pain. DS is halfway through year 8 and the tally is one pair of trousers, one jumper, one shirt, one tie, one pair of school shoes, one PE kit, phone x 3 (he has been really lucky and got it back twice), one tennis racket (got it back) and another PE kit (got that back too). And that's the major stuff. He knows that any more and he has to pay for it.

That's quite a list too Scary mum. How can they forget these things! He only brought home one black and white games sock on Monday, and when I mentioned this, the reply was "I saw one on the floor but didn't think it was mine." !!!!! Why didn't he just open the sports bag and check!! This will be the fourth pair we are on now. My DS is in year 8 too and I did think that he may improve as he got older ..........

Year 7 child - lost one rugby sock
- one pair of trainers ( found a week later)

I'm quite impressed with him. Also, he seems to have got his school bag organised and not left items at home that he needs.

I think losing things is natural for most kids this age.My older daughter has lost a science text book and another reading book, not to mention all the pens and lunches that have gone astry.

If there is a magic cure then please let me know! DS1 has to pay for anything he loses which focuses his mind a bit. He still loses things regularly but at least he puts in some effort towards finding them. Hit them where it hurts - money - DS1 has missed out on at least one cinema trip with his friends because he had to use the money to replace pe kit.

I agree with andyb. My nephew in year 8 was like this as well but he improved when he had to pay for these things with his pocket money.

outofboroughmum wrote:I agree with andyb. My nephew in year 8 was like this as well but he improved when he had to pay for these things with his pocket money.

I liked this idea so much we have just made him pay for the PE shorts, it was only £6 but I agree to the principle that he does need to know that replacing items cost money that we would not rather pay out for. DS was not exactly happy but maybe next time he might remember to bring his things home.

Fingers crossed ....................

I found that making them pay for what they lose goes a long way. Although it does not completely cure their scatterbrains, it does make them worry a lot more, which is usually sufficient.

Being the mean mum I am, I usually add charges to cover the expense of travel and parking - I am inclined to charge them for my time as well, but maybe that would be taking things too far

Interestingly, when DD lost her logoed (sp?), embroidered initial official school PE t shirt (when I got it, it was very important she had this particular one ) and I said that she had to pay for the new one, all of a sudden it wasn't quite so important to have the expensive ne, a pack of 2 from the supermarket was sufficient