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More frustrations!

An old one to remind myself how cute they were!
Sunday evening, back to school after half term and the normal shouting match ensues as we ask where all Abi's kit is and she shrugs and says "it's not my fault..." There are a number of aspects that drive us nuts here - first that her immediate response is denial and abdication of all responsibility, the second that she genuinely doesn't care and the third that it still doesn't help is with where her (mostly new) sports kit is! While this is going on we have Izzy sorting her kit out while weeping quietly because she has decided (18 months after we said goodbye to him) that she misses Scooby! We decided it was just easier to suggest everyone gets an early night and packed them off to their rooms - there really isn't an answer for some of this I think!

This week has been a mix of school testing - the kids went of to St Gabriel's for their tests on Wednesday, Abi riding, Izzy doing her gym practice and me trying to land and then start to communicate my news at work.

The tests we think went well, if the kids are to be believed of course. They both had a number of tests, including verbal reasoning for Izzy, more of which in a minute, as well as interviews. The VR was interesting. We pulled an example test off the internet and then started to work through it with Izzy with increasing difficulty. We couldn't believe it was intended for 10 and 11 years olds! The test required pen, much working out paper and even more discussion as to what the questions intended - who knows whether we got it right or not! In the end Izzy said that the actual paper was similar but that everyone said they struggled so maybe we all missed the point. The interviews were conducted in groups of 4 kids at a time. Izzy said she was with one 'normal' girl and 2 'not so normal'. Apparently when asked what they would do with £5000 if given it. Izzy went first and said "I'd give a bit to my sister because she has a rubbish life plan(!), then I would buy a dog and a house in LA" whereas the two 'not so normal' girls went along the lines of charitable donations and solving world hunger!! Leaving apart the fact that Izzy demonstrated she has very little understanding of the value of money thinking she can have a house and a dog in America for less than £5k, I'm hoping she will at least get marks for honesty!

While we are on the subject of honesty, Abi is definitely heading further and further into the pre-teen emotional rollercoaster. This evening she was desperate for a few minutes cuddling up together on the sofa, while also pulling faces every time we ask her to do anything not in her game plan. Tonight the whole school bag discussion ended up with her stomping up to her room with a flounce. When I went up she was muttering into her pillow and I could see that she is at that age where she just thinks the world is conspiring against her (well, us at the very least). We are not but I guess that's what we have to accept - what do we know, we are just her parents after all! How little she realises - I now know that Mum and Dad knew soooooo much more than I did when I was a teenager (of course). Even today I still call them to discuss what's going on - I value their counsel above anyone else's. At least Kerrie at 28 now realises we talk some sense - she and Ryan popped in this afternoon to say hello - she's so grown up now and dealing with life so well, despite some of the bum hands she has recently had to deal with. I hope she gets what she wants most of all, she deserves it.

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