Eleven Plus Parents

Some mothers and fathers seem, at times, to need to be able to regard themselves as a supply chain. From experience some parents will be able to recount in great detail how versed they are and how comfortable they feel with supplying goods, toys, telephones, lap tops and smart phones. There will have been days in the past when proud parents telephoned the grandparents to recount how the precocious one was able to turn on the digital recorder before he or she could even walk. To ensure that participation in the supply chain is maximised some parents will need to have a general understanding of the products that will be displayed before their eyes. We can see, for example, how useful a text messaging service could be to a ten year old – along with the requisite `pay and go’ mobile phone. Changing to a contract, for example, may be helpful for some children. If it is coming out of the family’s joint account then someone in the family, other than `the eleven plus candidate’, needs to understand the various permutations. When parents are dealing with their eleven plus children they have to be very aware of the advantages in being able to adopt a system where cost effectiveness is balanced against aspirations. Children need to be able to show that they are flexible and able to adapt. Children need to be able to listen to reasons why some events cannot happen – and why something must happen! All of this is to maintain that to some eleven plus children the eleven plus year can be a particularly fascinating period of time when parents spend money! Problem One – How can I Inspire my Eleven Plus child? Solution One – Buy as many solutions as possible to hasten the integration of voice, multimedia, video and data services. Self-respecting eleven plus children may feel that they need the best possible IT solutions. Children will possibly be able to explain to their parents how their parents can monitor any sites and how their parents can gather the money to be able to actually buy the ipad before school starts. Problem Two – Where can I get some eleven plus training? Solution Two – Ask experienced and well respected educational and IT providers. These consultants may not need to be paid as long as all parties can try to work out complementary reward system. Some rewards can be very simple. “If I clean all the shoes this week, can I have a top up of my phone?” A more complex system may need to emerge. “Mum, it is January now and the examination is some months away. (Mum thinks – time waits for no man!) I want to pass my eleven plus. (Mum thinks – what now?) There is a new ipad app that may well guarantee me a grammar school place. (Mum thinks more money!) I promise I will show you how to use it. (Mum thinks – maybe.) Mum, real do need a new ipad – and there is a boxed one on ebay and it is really cheap. (Mum thinks but will it help you pass the eleven plus?)