Helpful Tips for New Parents please!!!

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eagerdad
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Helpful Tips for New Parents please!!!

Post by eagerdad »

I found the forum a few months ago and have been lurking. My DS has been offered a place at CH (Letter finally arrived 18.05 on Saturday 14th ).

In advance of the welcome pack from CH I would like any advice and tips from past/current Parents on items a child will need (sorts of things that schools neglect to tell you).
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englishangel
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Re: Helpful Tips for New Parents please!!!

Post by englishangel »

Congratulations to DS and I am sure you will be inundated with suggestions, not just from parents, but we have some sixth formers on here too.
"If a man speaks, and there isn't a woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"
lonelymom
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Re: Helpful Tips for New Parents please!!!

Post by lonelymom »

I would say plenty of tuck (don't underestimate quite how much is needed - however much you think, DOUBLE IT). Also, I bought my daughter astro turf trainers, as stated on the sports list, and she has never worn them. I don't know whether this is different for boys, maybe someone could let you know. I also bought her some plain white sports tops, also on the list, but she doesn't wear those either, prefering to just wear the one with the CH badge on it and putting it down to be washed regularly. I bought two pairs of blue shorts, again on the girls' sports list, only one of which she has ever worn! It seems that there is plenty of time to have these items laundered in between use, so not as much is needed as I thought. I don't know if it's just my daughter that hasn't used these things, but I'm sure it will be very helpful for the new parents if we all post messages with 'unused' items of clothing, so that they can all save a bit of money. If I think of any more I'll let you know.
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ailurophile
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Re: Helpful Tips for New Parents please!!!

Post by ailurophile »

Unlike Lonelymom, I find that my boys appear to use their 'indoor' trainers for all kinds of outdoor sports activity, including the vey muddy steeplechase! But they assure me that outdoor trainers are unneccesary for sport (although they do wear these as casual shoes when they're in civvies).

BTW, if you're buying school shoes from Broadbridges, it's worth noting that they stock a cheaper version of Doc Martens. They won't offer you these unless you ask (I've been told that "the Matrons recommend DMs", to which I was tempted to respond that the Matrons aren't paying for them!), but if your child is at the stage where they're likely to outgrow their shoes every eight weeks it's probably worth trying the economy version and saving yourself a tenner.
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Mrs C.
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Re: Helpful Tips for New Parents please!!!

Post by Mrs C. »

There`s a school Thrift Shop in Prep Block where good condition second-hand items of sportswear, shoes etc can be bought quite cheaply.
The best way to forget your troubles is to wear tight shoes.
Momto2
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Re: Helpful Tips for New Parents please!!!

Post by Momto2 »

Congratulations to your son! You'll hear at some stage what house he'll be in - before the New Entrant's Day in May.

I've just asked my son and his reply "lots and lots of tuck" - echoing Lonelymom :D

I cannot begin to tell you how many socks my children have lost over the years at CH - you can never have enough and it is a real pain naming them all but so worth it. CH fleece - on list but very expensive - has only been used once with 2 children when DD broke her collarbone and couldn't put anything over her head!

Not sure about the white sports shirts - my daughter plays sport every day and has about 5 white shirts - she would never have time to have just one laundered between times. The children are given sports kits for matches so it really doesn't matter if it has the crest on or not - go mad and buy lots of cheaper ones in my opinion - my children tell me the school wash is very good and nothing has ever come back shrunk. They're both seniors now so tend to do their own washing in house and will wash anything for the juniors to make up their loads!

Always put the duvet & pillow covers on before leaving home - so much easier than doing it at school.

I'm sure we'll think of other things over the months but please do keep coming back and asking :)

PS: As Mrs C says, the thrift shop is excellent!
lonelymom
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Re: Helpful Tips for New Parents please!!!

Post by lonelymom »

I agree about the trainers, Momto2! But I made the mistake of buying astro turfs, outdoor AND indoor trainers! Apparently (so I'm told), some just wear the same trainers for indoor and outdoor. And my daughter (apart from never having worn the astro turfs) wore her best trainers for the EXTREMELY muddy steeplechase, and they have never been the same since!

This year she just has one pair of trainers for indoor, outdoor and steeplechase!

As for the white tops, it probably depends which Active the child chooses, if they choose something such as craft they will have days when they can put clothing down to be washed, similarly if they do hockey or something one day they can put their white top down for washing. I would also agree with Momto2 about the socks, loads of my daughter's have gone missing.

I did think of something else ealier, but I've forgotten what it is now. No doubt I'll remember it later.... :?
lonelymom :rolleyes:
lonelymom
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Re: Helpful Tips for New Parents please!!!

Post by lonelymom »

I've remembered it! 'Waterproof jacket' the uniform list said. Never been used...

I wish I'd thought of starting this thread before my daughter started, I'd have saved a fortune if I'd had the benefit of other parents' experience.
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Jade
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Re: Helpful Tips for New Parents please!!!

Post by Jade »

Does anyone know if my DS can choose the house he wants to be in? What's the differences between the houses? I thinks he wants to go into Mid B, but that is only because he stayed there for the assessment. Thanks in advance.
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John Knight
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Re: Helpful Tips for New Parents please!!!

Post by John Knight »

Jade wrote:Does anyone know if my DS can choose the house he wants to be in? What's the differences between the houses? I thinks he wants to go into Mid B, but that is only because he stayed there for the assessment. Thanks in advance.
I think he would probably like to be in my old house... Barnes B :D
Prep B 49 / Barnes B 39 - 1946-1952
lonelymom
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Re: Helpful Tips for New Parents please!!!

Post by lonelymom »

John Knight wrote:I think he would probably like to be in my old house... Barnes B :D
Would that be because it is now a girls house? :shock:

I don't think they do get to choose though, I think they just get assigned a house unless they have a sibling already there in which case they can choose to go into the same or a different house. I may be wrong though.
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Momto2
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Re: Helpful Tips for New Parents please!!!

Post by Momto2 »

I'm sure they don't choose but I think same sex siblings are given the choice as to whether they go into the same house. Is it Great Plum's father who sorts the houses out? I always think of him as the Sorting Hat from Harry Potter :D

We are delighted with our children's houses. Have to say Mid A is an excellent house for boys - drum majors and bell ringers!
eagerdad
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Re: Helpful Tips for New Parents please!!!

Post by eagerdad »

lonely mum wrote
I wish I'd thought of starting this thread before my daughter started, I'd have saved a fortune if I'd had the benefit of other parents' experience.
Thank you all for your tips :D , the thought for the thread came from that I helped many parents at my DC's prep school over past 11 years. Many things at CH seem shrouded in mystrey (not intentional), I have found this forum a welcome insight into the CH life(wished I had discovered CH 3 years ago for DD) .
Perhaps at some point a Sticky can be put together for future visitors to this site.
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Great Plum
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Re: Helpful Tips for New Parents please!!!

Post by Great Plum »

Momto2 wrote:I'm sure they don't choose but I think same sex siblings are given the choice as to whether they go into the same house. Is it Great Plum's father who sorts the houses out? I always think of him as the Sorting Hat from Harry Potter :D

We are delighted with our children's houses. Have to say Mid A is an excellent house for boys - drum majors and bell ringers!
I don't think that Dad is a sorting hat - but I will ask him next time I see him! I don't know how the houses are worked out to be honest... (I'd always suggest Maine if you had a choice but that's because I was there!)
Maine B - 1992-95 Maine A 1995-99
thriftymatron
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Re: Helpful Tips for New Parents please!!!

Post by thriftymatron »

I run the Thrift Shop and and am always willing to open it at other than the published times (Thurs 3.45 -4.45 pm during the term and 4.30 - 6 pm on the first day of term), providing I am not on duty in the boarding house. Alternatively, I can leave items with a pupil's matron for them to try on, if they are unable to meet me due to other commitments. They then give the required cash to the matron to pass on to me in return for the goods.

I am usually around in the holidays as well and have often made arrangements to meet parents prior to a visit to Broadbridges. Our stock obviously fluctuates as we mostly rely on donations of items from parents. We have a limited number of new items at bargain prices - eg Hi-tec Football boots in sizes 2 - 4 at £5, Speedos in various sizes £1, size 9-12 navy games socks £1(too small for any CH pupils!). For the past 2 years we have also sold civvies and now sell anything else that comes our way and pupils might want! All funds raised are divided between the boarding houses each Christmas and last year amounted to £90 per House, so the pupils benefit twice, in being able to buy a bargain and then by having the money added to their House Funds to pay for treats etc.

The Thrift Shop is opened on New Entrants' Day in May and will be manned by pupil volunteers, as I will be on duty in the boarding house that afternooon. It usually gets very busy and patience will be required, especially as our premises in the Prep Block are smaller than before! You can pay by cash or cheque (payable to "Christ's Hospital") but not by cards. If you live near Horsham and would like to come in before then, feel free to contact me to arrange a suitable time to visit.
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