Chai And A Chat #33 #ChaiAndAChat

20 May 2019 42 Comments

by Ritu in Chai and a Chat Tags: , , , , , ,

Hey there Peeps! Time for our weekly catch up, get that drink ready!

  • If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that it’s been another week of rushing around… And it won’t end anytimes soon either… not whilst that cast is still on Hubby Dearest’s foot…
  • If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that this week we had to tiptoe around Lil Princess… Yes, I know she is moody at the best of times, but the past week was stressful for her and her compadres, as it was SATs week. The time the government wants us to test the 7 and 11 year olds, supposedly to see how the school is doing, but inevitably, it ends up stressing the kids out too, no matter how much we try to play them down at school. At 7 it’s a lot easier to make things seem like a usual school day, but at 11 the classrooms change round, with display boards covered up, and desks lined up in exam formation, so even if we are trying not to make things different, they are. She was okay with the English tests but he is not a fan of Maths and they stressed her out, especially the reasoning papers… Still, they all got through and I am told the papers appeared to be pretty fair. So it’s up to the children, as to how they perform. We try, at home, not to make too much of a big deal about it all, but she is old enough to understand that she is being tested and marked… and it affects a child. We celebrated the end by going for icecream at the local Treatz dessert place! (Maybe more my treat than theirs…!)
  • If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you the usual backs and forths occured with training and tuition, from Tuesday to Sunday… and culminated in a cricket match on Sunday morning, which they lost… but Lil Man bowled pretty fantastically in. Though there were no blue skies this time!
  • If we were sipping chai together I’d mention that, if you remember, I am the head of the School Council, and we have been raising funds for improvements within the school. One idea we had last year, was to provide books for the three playgrounds for use during lunch time. Not every child wants to run around like a loony, so I made this my project, but time was always against me. Last week, I was informed that I needed to spend the year’s budget, so off I went on Saturday and spent a cool £100 on books for my playground boxes. I also raided my kids bookshelves as there are so many books there that they havem but don’t or won’t read… and hey presto, we have three fantastic boxes ready for the children to dip into!
  • If we were sipping chai together I’d let you know that the rest of the week went relatively smoothly, but I am still tired!
  • If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d tell you that this week cannot go fast enough, as we will be on our half term break from Friday for TWO weeks! Even though it feels like a short while since we had Easter break, the past 5 weeks have been crazy, and I can’t wait!
  • If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d mention we have meetings with the Head this coming week to discuss our futures at school, and possible classes for next week… who knows what it may hold????

Have a wonderful week, Peeps! Let me know how your week went!

42 Comments (+add yours?)

  1. Trackback: Five Links Loleta Abi | Loleta Abi

  2. robbiesinspiration
    May 24, 2019 @ 05:15:21

    The book boxes are a nice idea, Ritu. I feel like I am having a mid life crisis at work.
    it feels so unrewarding.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Ritu
      May 24, 2019 @ 07:00:56

      Work for me is stressful due to the time of year, with assessments and report writing looming, but it’s rewarding. And I have a few courses to look forward to next term, before breaking for summer.
      I hope you find your way, work wise, Robbie 💜
      The boxes have gone down a treat!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  3. Invisibly Me
    May 22, 2019 @ 17:26:42

    Are you ever not manically busy, Ritu? I hope the meeting with the Head goes well, and not long now until the half term!! xx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Ritu
      May 22, 2019 @ 21:57:35

      What is it like to not be busy??? I think I’ve forgotten! The meeting is to be after the half term… I have even longer to wait to findout my future role at school!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  4. Rachael Stray | https://rachaelstray.com/
    May 21, 2019 @ 15:16:11

    Ritu I love the playground book box idea – gosh I would’ve loved that when I was at school. Sometimes it’s nice to run around but also sometimes you just want to get lost in another world by the power of a book. I hope the SATS week went ok I feel for the children I really do.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. Jennie
    May 21, 2019 @ 11:34:20

    I love the books for the playground!! What a great idea! Thank goodness the SAT’s are over and your two week break is around the corner. 😀

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  6. thereluctantpoet
    May 21, 2019 @ 02:33:16

    Reblogged this on The Reluctant Poet.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. Leanne
    May 20, 2019 @ 23:33:38

    I enjoyed reading your busy week that seemed to be a blur.
    I’m still exploring my jewelry making future – there are so many variables, it seems it will never go anywhere – with reading books, the news, looking and applying for work, and of course, making jewelry. I made a pretty pair of dangle earrings that I thought were too heavy, but I wore them out on Saturday night and they weren’t too heavy. They did get caught in my hair though and I learned that the earrings I made had an optical illusion 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  8. johnrieber
    May 20, 2019 @ 19:13:12

    You had a busy week and so did I! I was in Paris for meetings – how can that ever be a bad thing? Now, more work before London rears its head!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  9. dearanonymousfriend
    May 20, 2019 @ 15:30:41

    Testing (the schools) always got to me, it puts such pressure on the kids. It always affected my girls, but the ice cream looks like it put the world right again. Enjoy your break time, I know you deserve all the down time you can get. I hope it is going okay with your husband, a laid up husband is no fun!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Ritu
      May 20, 2019 @ 15:39:39

      Thank you!
      I was not a test fan at school either, and yet, here I am as a teacher, so I can’t have been that bad… but I really don’t like the age at which they start…
      Hubby is getting there. We get this cast taken off and changed to a slightly easier to walk one next week, but still no driving and having to work from home…
      Thank you for asking!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      • dearanonymousfriend
        May 20, 2019 @ 22:16:55

        As you know, I have had my husband laid up with ankle and knee injuries both. The first time he broke his foot off and that was months and months of healing and it still is not completely healed yet, several surgeries and lots of appointments and cast changes, the severed quadriceps tendon wasn’t as long, but still a lot of work. I feel your pain and tiredness and am here if you need to talk.

        Liked by 1 person

      • Ritu
        May 21, 2019 @ 06:57:03

        Thank you so much. I appreciate it ❤️

        Liked by 1 person

  10. Maggie
    May 20, 2019 @ 14:49:08

    Testing has become the norm and I question the effectiveness of adequately measuring what a child has learned or retained. I am happy your are trying to diffuse the stress at home.

    I love the idea of a cup of chai. What a pleasant image.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Ritu
      May 20, 2019 @ 15:38:10

      At this age Maggie, a child hasn’t reached their full potential, and sometimes testing, even though the school try not to pressurise the kids, becomes huge in their home life, and scores are all that matter to some parents, rather than their child’s wellbeing…

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  11. syl65
    May 20, 2019 @ 14:35:57

    Here the kids (elementary) are tested, tested and tested. There has become such an imbalance between actual teaching, creative arts and testing. Those growing brains are being stressed. Try and have a good week Sister!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  12. OIKOS™-Publishing
    May 20, 2019 @ 14:08:49

    Don’t worry about math or physics, Sis! Maybe it helps you know, that transferring these theoretical things to practice had helped me. For example, our physics teacher explained the refraction of light based on playing snooker. From that point on, I was thrilled. Physics was the highest for me..;-) Best wishes for a beautiful week. Michael
    [By the way, these tests only serve to consolidate the class society. :-)]

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  13. tidalscribe
    May 20, 2019 @ 13:48:09

    Our youngest was in infants when SATS started and we were told we must Not even mention that Anything was going on and certainly not the word TEST!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Ritu
      May 20, 2019 @ 15:35:01

      We try to explain this to the parents, but it doesn’t help when parents are so score focussed, and some are already discussing 11+ when the kids are 7!

      Like

      Reply

  14. joshada
    May 20, 2019 @ 12:41:02

    How many books do you have?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  15. joylennick
    May 20, 2019 @ 09:37:08

    I always enjoy reading about your mad weeks, Ritu….(it takes me back, while yours seem busier!) Being all for ‘happy families,’ I’m glad I didn’t beat my lads too hard (yeah…) when young…Now that I’m an ‘older dame’ and birthdays come around too quickly,the darlins’ treat me well. Weather and atmosphere pleasant enough during the week, then Friday ANOTHER? birthday. Visits and cards, three lush plants, pink top and jeans…a manicure and dinner for two! Wow. AND my dear friend Georgia gave me a surprise birthday party, and someone I had never met before, bought me a trough of pansies and another a basket of eggs from her chickens. How novel was that? Yep, kind family and friends certainly make the world a better place. Have a saner, pleasant week. You do a grand job! Hugs x

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Ritu
      May 20, 2019 @ 12:49:48

      Oh Joy! Happy Belated Birthday!!!!!!!
      Sounds like you had a lovely week. ❤
      Mine are always rather crazy.., but I guess that’s part and parcel of being a working mum nowadays!

      Like

      Reply

  16. Trackback: Chai And A Chat #33 #ChaiAndAChat – Vijayagiri views

  17. Govardhan
    May 20, 2019 @ 07:57:46

    Reblogged this on Vijayagiri views.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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