Feeling the pressure

abcdef · Post by **abcdef** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 1:54 pm

Hi all,
Is anyone else out there finding these last few days hard? I have had day off work today and can't seem to think about anything other than Saturday! Must pull myself together before daughter comes home from school.
Anyway good luck to all.
abcdef

KE Mum · Post by **KE Mum** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 2:28 pm

Hi

I remember how it felt just before the test and how stressful the whole event becomes - for me it didn't let up until the letter dropped through the door in March. However, other friends of mine felt that as soon as the test was over they could forget about it, so may be your stress will become less on Saturday afternoon.

My advice (FWIW) is to appear totally calm at all times. Tell your child it doesn't matter if they get in, because they will be going to a really great school anyway, the test is just something that lots of children do just in case a grammar is appropriate. If they don't get in, it means that the school is not the school for them, so no panic - I said this despite my panic. My youngest took the practise test that the Foundation send through on the night before the test - I saved it specially for the night before - she managed to get nearly all of them wrong, so you can imagine how I felt.

Since then both of my kids have said that they felt absolutely no pressure and quite enjoyed the whole process. Neither of them realised that I was stressed over it, so it must have worked!

Good luck to you and your child and to all the other children who are doing the KE test on Saturday. Take a few deep breaths and stay calm in front of the children - you can run round screaming when they are in bed.

countdown queen · Post by **countdown queen** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 2:57 pm

Feeling unbelievably worried! Gave son five maths q's (usually his strong point) to do before school this morning. Idea being that it would be a quick confidence boost. Big mistake! He has got every single one wrong! KE Mums words made me feel a LITTLE better! I know that at the end of the day 'what will be, will be.' It's just so frustrating that no matter what you try, some have a problem with the ability to RTFQ- to quote Ken R-'READ THE FLIPPING QUESTION!' Anyone else got one like mine?!!

fm · Post by fm » Wed Oct 31, 2007 3:35 pm

At this stage in the game, I would be doing hardly anything with your child. I have seen all my pupils in the last few days and sent them all away with the instructions to play freerice.com if they feel like it but otherwise do nothing but GET TO BED EARLY. If you test them at this stage of the game, you are risking a bad result, panic on your part and low spirits on your child's. You have done everything you can, he has done everything he or she can, now have some faith in the system.

countdown queen · Post by **countdown queen** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 3:44 pm

fm - Thank you for the voice of reason! All son wants to do now is play football and relax! Other problem is, how on earth do I get him to have an early night Friday, the night before the exam, with all those wretched fireworks going off!!

abcdef · Post by **abcdef** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 3:56 pm

Thanks to all for replying - thank goodness we can speak openly on this forum, I feel everyone at school is shrouding themselves in secrecy about how much work they are doing etc.
I will try to take KEMum's and fm's advice about staying calm-can't wait until it's all over. My daughter seems okay about the whole thing so perhaps I should take my lead from her.
Countdown queen - I think I shall be letting some fireworks off of my own on Saturday!!

normalmum@mo · Post by **normalmum@mo** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 4:03 pm

Made the same mistake of giving dd some maths this morning too, BIG mistake! Think you are right fm, need to back off now and give poor child space and time (probably ideally away from me!!).
Have to say, thank goodness it's nearly over, I really want to be a normal mum again!!

Good Luck to all those taking the KE test this Saturday

countdown queen · Post by **countdown queen** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 4:09 pm

abcdef, It's nice to know we are not alone! As you say, at school everyone is very secretive or making comments calculated to make us panic even more! Well, we're very nearly there and yes, I think I too will be letting off some fireworks post exam!! Good luck to you and yours and everyone out there in the same boat! All 3000-gulp! of us !!

fm · Post by fm » Wed Oct 31, 2007 4:09 pm

To Countdown Queeen,

Go to your local swimming pool and make them swim a mile after school on Friday. That should do the trick.

Alternatively, stop worrying. My eldest didn't sleep until 2am due to circumstances and still managed to pass the test--I was a wreck of course!

Seriously though, if your child is bright enough, they will pass this exam. I know the KE is a nightmare for which to tutor but, in my experience, it really does select the fundamentally intelligent--either the very high level readers or the very mathematical or the rare beast who is both.

KE Mum · Post by **KE Mum** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 4:18 pm

And when your kids have all finished the test, read May Contain Nuts by John O'Farrell - it is about the 11+ and is quite funny. About an extremely competitive 4 x 4 driving mother who wants only the best for her little darlings (as we all do of course). She wants her daughter to pass the 11+ so badly that she sits it for her. Definitely worth a read. I suggested to my youngest that I sit the test for her (in jest of course) and she said - oh please don't, I definitely won't get in if you do it!!

It also helps to put into perspective all those ridiculous comments made by other parents. Just ignore all of them and concentrate on the only child that matters to you.