[Sazzy890]

My mum is exactly the same. She didn't ask me what I got for my results the day of my GCSE's nor my A levels. When I finished school she kept saying I should go to work as a cleaner and not do my A-levels. And when I did tell her my grades each time she said "oh that's alright then " (meaning "oh thats good" but it's a very half-hearted attempt at saying well done). When I said I was going to do law at university, she said I wouldn't be able to do it. I did it though, even without her support/encouragement

But thankfully my nan and my auntie have always stuck by me and pushed me to do well

[n x]

(Original post by vedderfan94)
My mum didn't get any qualifications after O-Levels and my dad dropped out of school at 15 so has no qualifications. Not that there is anything wrong with that as school was a lot different in the 60s/70s. But I find it annoying how my dad has never taken interest in school, sixth form, etc. I could tell him I'm going to Cambridge and he'd probably say 'oh right...good'. I'm glad that my mum on the other hand does take an interest otherwise I'd probably have less motivation to make my parents proud. Anyone else have parents/a parent who doesn't take interest in you academically?

Yeah like yesterday was exam results day and I said ''that'll be me next year'' and she just looked at me as if to say ..ok then

[Sophieangel]

(Original post by KJane)
Me too. In fact my parents were surprised when I said I wanted to go to University, they told me not to go and get a job instead. In fact I'm the only one in my immediate family to finish A-levels. They've never actively encouraged my school work or anything, I always did so myself without their prompts. The other day my Uncle (who used to be a university lecturer for History and Politics) joked to my Dad that he couldn't have produced such a academic child and if he ever thought in a million years that his daughter would be going to university.

My parents tried to discourage me when they heard more about the university process and thought the debt would be hard to pay back and would be upfront. But I explained it to them and they've come around.

Still, it wasn't until after 3 subject talks at various open days that my Dad realised that Creative Writing (Joint course with English Lit) didn't mean 'fancy handwriting.'

My parents would much rather that I had a job too, they consider uni vaguely like being in the dole - they think I get to have a good time at the expense of the government. Despite getting firsts for the whole of my degree my mum seemed gutted when I was excepted for my postgrad course. She just wants me to have a steady job as a teacher whereas I want to teach part-time so I can be an educational researcher and do my masters/PhD. It's gutting sometimes that no matter how well I do they never seem to understand or be proud of me, it just isn't what they expected........

[I<3LAMP]

Neither of my parents completed their O Levels and in fact my Dad left school illiterate (but good at sport )

They have no idea how the academic system works, but luckily I cruised through, my autistic brother doesn't have any interest in schooling and my sister is proactive and I'll guide her through her UCAS application this coming year. I imagine my little brother will need the most help but hopefully by then my parents will have cottoned on to how things work.

When I was younger it upset me...because my parents don't care how well I do as well as 'I do my best' and I'm happy. They were proud of me when I graduated which is enough for me considering my Dad never attended a parents' evening or school meeting.




EDIT: I think they know I'll be successful in whatever I choose, and knowing that they trust me and my decisions motivates me. I was the first person in my family to go to University so I know I've already succeeded.

[medbh4805]

my parents let me do what I want my older sister left school at 16; my older brother went to uni and my younger brother will probably leave at 18. Whatever our goals in life were, they were always accomodated.

it's built up a lot of self motivation, which I think can only be a good thing

[gravityisamyth]

(Original post by slightly)
Mine never actively forced me to revise or nagged me about homework, and my mum said on more than one occasion that she found going to parents evening absolutely mind numbing. I think they felt like they could leave me to it because I did well at school anyway, I was reasonably competent and never any trouble so they focussed more on my brother, who was a bit more 'off the rails'.

They sort of just expected me to be alright, and I was. That said, **** went down when I decided on going to art school. That's pretty much the only time where they tried to get involved and actively influence my academic life.

I still worry about making them proud though, because I think they thought they could rely on me to be the one to do well, and eventually give them some bragging rights. I hope one day I can still can, even if it's not in the career or direction they'd expected.

That is pretty much identical to my situation. Apart from art school!