Results day…
So Thursday was GCSE results day for our teens….and I don’t know about you but it has made me even more proud of the way our teens overcome huge issues in their lives. For me it’s not about the grades, it’s their sheer determination in the face of adversity that is what needs recognition, not by what number they got 9-1….the very fact that they finished their schooling is absolutely paramount.
This day is monumental, as not only do they find out what or where their next step is, they find out what they can do if they receive support from those around them. One thing that has stood out for me is the amazing resilience of our teens, as not only do they have to deal with their health needs fluctuating on a day by day basis, they also have to do the ‘normal’ things like exams and trying to fit in.
If you had suggested to me even one year ago, scrub that…six months ago, that my daughter would be receiving her results on this day, I would have said ‘never on your nelly’ as neither of us ever expected her to be doing any. In our prior life (i.e. before we moved), we (she) never received any support and we were left to flounder but since moving, she has received and is still receiving support from an amazing team of people around her who are willing her to achieve.
It took the awareness of one very special tutor (you know who you are 😉 ) from our local HHTS team, who recognised my daughter’s abilities despite her health. She understood that with 1:1 support, my teen could achieve so much more than she ever thought possible. For this, I am eternally grateful as you could see her potential to progress when others have discounted her as non-cooperative or impossible to educate and could only see the label around her neck.
My teen is now looking forward to starting college in September – OMG 😳
To say I am speechless and totally blown away by everything that has happened these past few months is putting it mildly (though obviously I am writing a blog so I’m not that speechless 😶 )
Support for you and your teen
Having the right support network around our teens helps us as Mums, as we are able to back off and begin to give them responsibility for their own lives. These invaluable organisations believe 100% in our teen’s ability and know that their health does not define who they are or what they can do now or in the future. It’s about giving them the independence to manage their health needs using simple tools that can be used again and again.
So if you are a Mum of a teen with chronic ill health, do not despair, there are wonderfully supportive people out there who will go out of their way to ensure our teens get the support they so rightly deserve that they can achieve whatever they put their mind to!!
I am one of those very people, who not only supports you to but has plans in the pipeline to do monthly workshops/group sessions to help our teens too.
Self-care isn’t selfish, it’s your right as a human being to put yourself first; after all isn’t this what they say in the emergency procedures on a plane, “to put your mask on first”. Same with self-care…look after yourself and the rest will follow.
You are your teen’s greatest advocate so don’t ever let anyone put you down and say you can’t, whatever your teen needs (and you) is within your grasp, you just have to make that initial choice.
If you would like to connect so we can talk more about what I offer and how I can help please get in touch, or message me on Voxer (a safe recording app for us to bounce ideas back and forth) web.voxer.com/u/rfried559 It feels like having a good ol’ chat without any pressure.
All my programmes and workshops are based on making time for your needs so you have the energy to focus on what you and your teen want out of life.