^^^^ What an incredible picture

We have snow and I have to go out in it 

Parent's evening at the eldest's school later but first I have to make my way over to collect the youngest soon.  If I fall there will be tears.

Take care Ells

I'm too spoilt Moonie....the OH has rang to say he's finishing work early to collect the wee one because I can't be walking anywhere in that weather

I do laugh at your posts Ells. You sound very like me and Mr Woo ..............I'm a bit spoilt like that - it's a bit naughty but .............Mr Woo likes to be the Knight in Shining Armour .............who am I to spoil things

Well if they want to do this stuff Soozy then who are we to argue?   

Took the top of the tomato sauce bottle to clean it ,I then gave the bottle a good shake...but I hadn't put the top back on .My kitchen looks like a scene from CSI .

Oh! well done your OH

Sorry but.........

Just back from my eldest's parents meeting.  The teachers all said the same, lovely boy who they have no problems with and is polite and well mannered BUT he doesn't have any confidence which is affecting his ability to speak out in class and although he tells me he has made loads of friends some of his teachers say he has people that he chats to through the day but nothing they would describe as proper friendships and this, again, is caused by the lack of confidence

What can I do for him?

Awww Ells. How old is he?

The amount of people who have made silly calculator jokes currently stands at 5,318,008

Ells your son sounds fairly normal just a bit shy. How do the teachers know? They wouldn't see your son at breaktimes? Hope he's not aware of the scrutiny as that could make him feel even worse?

Sport is always a good icebreaker? What activites or clubs do the school offer? Sometimes its less daunting to make friends in a smaller group.

He's 12 Sprout.  He has always had the same kind of report from teachers.  Good boy but lacks confidence.  He has no friends outside of school apart from the boys on xbox (primary school friends) and I think this shows when he's at school because he finds it hard to just get involved with the other boys.

He tells me everything is fine though and that he has plenty of friends and he honestly doesn't see what the teachers see 

I've told him the teachers are just concerned that his lack of confidence is holding him back in class and he says he just doesn't want to be 'showed up' in front of the other boys if he says something silly.

He hates sports and refuses to even enter a conversation about football etc.  This is one of the main things that bothers me.....if he doesn't like something he just refuses to give it any attention.  Which is fine for football etc bu when he hates English and french and just refuses to do any more work than the bare minimum that becomes a problem.

I know you mentioned friends but are there one or two close enough to have a sleepover. Not a lot........just a couple to settle him at first? 

My son just rang. He's won tickets for the BRITS on Twitter. It's getting ridiculous now the amount of stuff he wins. So .........if any of you lot are on Twitter it really is worth entering the comps you know. Our Strictly Tickets last week were brilliant!

There are the 3 wee boys from his primary school who he gets on great with but they're all now in different classes and seem to be making other friends.  I've asked him to message them all and see if they want to go to the cinema this weekend so hopefully they do that.

The strange thing is......he's pretty happy!  He's not bothered that he doesn't have friends in the street or that he goes nowhere.  He's always chatting on the xbox and thinks that's good enough.....which is fine as he's quite popular on there but I just want him to have people that he wants to go do things with but he's happier here stuck to a tv

That's a good idea.  

He still sounds normal to me, just one of the "quiet lads". If he is non-sporty and his interests lie elsewhere, hopefully there'd be other clubs and activities he could consider participating in [ with a view to making friendships]. Hopefully he has subjects he likes too?

Thanks Rog and Sprout.  I feel better now for venting lol.  

Rog, I've asked him to look into the after school clubs and see if he finds anything he's interested in and he's going to do that. 

I suggested that as I was shy at school, and felt much more confident in smaller groups eg after school clubs, whereas the bigger school environment was very daunting.

Ells your son sounds a lovely wee lad, I'm sure he'll find his feet in time.   

Soozy.... if I give you my numbers, could you ask your son to buy my lottery tickets for me?            

Me too? 

Oh I need in on this.  I need a bigger house.  And a pool.  And the sun.

I'm not greedy.

I've just had the most delicious snack.  You know those unbaked baguettes you can buy that usually sit in the cupboard til they go out of date?  Well one of those filled with chicken mixed with taco sauce with salt and pepper.  Mmmmmm.

And sparkling strawberry water....it's my new fav drink.

I don't need a bigger house....just a better one, and all me family and mates to be sorted   

I live in an old terrace house so it's quite small.  I love the area though so I am really against moving but sadly I think I will have to

I say I don't want a bigger house but one more room, even if it's a box room wouldn't come amiss 

You could get a better house out of it though Ells 

They have been building some gorgeous new homes in the surrounding areas but every single one of the new estates ends up with a bad reputation.  I think I'd rather have my tiny home in a great street rather than a lovely home in a nightmare street.

I'd like to private rent but there's not a lot of security in that.

It's a conundrum Ells 

Sure is Sprout......or maybe I'm just too scared to make the move so am finding faults

Try him in a drama class Ells.