Wednesday, January 21, 2009

The worst times to be a parent

are I think when you can do absolutely nothing to help one of your off spring when they are suffering.

My 17 year old started throwing up in the early hours of yesterday. He wasn't due to go to school anyway because he had a study day - with which to prepare for his very important A Level exam.

Yesterday he did no revision whatsoever but spent his time sending me the occasional message like this one: "OK, I'm fairly sure I'm dying." If that was designed to put my mind at rest it didn't exactly work.

I'd like to be able to say it didn't matter too much as he was already done so much revision for the exam, but if he has revised for this already it must have been whilst my back was turned.

He has gone in to do the exam. He looked as bad as he assured me he felt. He is obviously totally unprepared for the exam.

And I can do nothing at all to make any of it any better, so I feel crap too.

5 comments:

Lisa Rullsenberg said...

Awh, that is grim, but at least you do recognise that this is one of those situations where you are powerless....

Rather than feeling the solution is (a) feel YOU can fix son's (possible/probable) lack of revision or (b) start legal action.

Your sanguine despair is, by comparison, a paramount of wisedom.

Doesn't make you feel better, granted, so I would recommend chocolate, alcohol and time with your lovely man Reidski.

Gill said...

Sometimes things happen that we have no control over so don't feel bad. If he's old enough to be taking A levels he's old enough to take responsibility for his own actions re the revision, and I'm sure you did what you could about it at the time (ie nagging!). As for the sickness there is nothing you could have done to prevent it and I'm sure you did your best to alleviate it. But as mothers are to blame for absolutely everything in Britain from knife crime to the health of the nation its probably all your fault anyway ;-)

J.J said...

I like the sound of your feel better prescription Lisa!

Gill - mea culpa! I AM a parent therefore it is indeed All Entirely My Fault.

Gill said...

I just had to leave a message because the word verification is KERAP!

J.J said...

Appropriate as Kerap is exactly how he said he did in his exam Gill!