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AIBU?

School work during summer- AIBU

59 replies

jaderosee15 · 28/06/2020 07:13

I have two children, both in secondary school, going into year 8 and 10 in the fall. Because of lockdown they can't go out with friends or do any clubs. I want them to study and catch up on school work for 4 hours day but they refuse to do so. Sometimes they play in our backyard and they have online violin lessons, but other than that its gadgets the whole day Am I being unreasonable making them do school work

YABU- No they should not have to do work
YANBU- They should do work

How are your children spending summer in lockdown?

OP posts:
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Am I being unreasonable?

192 votes. Final results.

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You are being unreasonable
67%
You are NOT being unreasonable
33%
mummyh2016 · 28/06/2020 07:16

I don't think you're unreasonable to expect them to do some school work but I think 4 hours a day is way too much sorry.

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letmethinkaboutitfornow · 28/06/2020 07:21

Compromise?
4 hours sounds a lot in the summer (where are you based? Fall is usually not used in the U.K.- just for holiday length)

Maybe 2 hours solid study then play time. If not, change WIFI password... any ‘threat’ involving WIFI or mobile data restriction works in our household! ☺️

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jaderosee15 · 28/06/2020 07:24

@letmethinkaboutitfornow- We are based in the US but my kids go to a British school.

We could start with two hours, but my main problem is they don’t have enough to do in the day

OP posts:
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Egg · 28/06/2020 07:24

Why can’t they go out with friends?

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Egg · 28/06/2020 07:25

Ok just seen you are in the US so maybe stricter lockdown where you are.

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LockdownMayhem · 28/06/2020 07:26

Have you already broken up for the summer or do you mean once the holidays start? I will probably get my kids to do a bit of something over the summer (so reading and writing for my youngest and other bits and flute practice for my oldest) but it will probably be max an hour and only a couple of days a week.

I don't usually make them do anything in the holidays, but because they've been off school for so long (we have been homeschooling), it's more to have a but of continuity before September, but it certainly won't be too full on.

I think 4 hrs everyday is a bit much to be honest. I'd try and compromise with them more and get them on board. Maybe concentrate on subjects they struggle with more?

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Di11y · 28/06/2020 07:27

4 hours is crazy, but the alternative is not gadgets. they could do creative things, would they be interested in a woodwork project or something?

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Piggywaspushed · 28/06/2020 07:28

Is it now your summer holiday in the US? If so, YABVU.

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LockdownMayhem · 28/06/2020 07:28

Sorry, cross posted and see you're in the US, so probably have broken up already. We lived in the US for a number of years and those summer holidays were looong! Not too bad when you can go out and about or on holiday, but tough to fill the days if you're stuck at home. What have the school said?

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sarahmisss · 28/06/2020 07:30

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Nofunkingworriesmate · 28/06/2020 07:35

4 hours is intense
Find fun ways to get what you want for example
Learning games online
Forest school outdoor learning ( lighting fires etc)
Art and crafts
Online tic toc
Chslkeges

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Mostpeculiar · 28/06/2020 07:36

I feel for you the six weeks holiday are horrifically long and unnecessary once you have teenagers I’ve dreaded them from a good 5 years now. The day that parks picnic are met with “what do I want to do that for” is a v sad day

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VashtaNerada · 28/06/2020 07:36

Did they do work during term-time? Unless there is a very good reason to think they’re behind, I would give them a break during their holidays. And even then four hours sounds excessive. Mine have been accessing keyworker provision (UK) and it’s a little patchy so I’ve been doing small amounts with them on the weekends and then during holidays I’m planning to give them a short task each morning (maybe ten minutes long) and insist they get some reading done, but that’s about it. They need a break.

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DNAshelicase · 28/06/2020 07:44

If you’ve been failing to ensure they work so far what would be different in the holidays?

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cheesecurdsandgravy · 28/06/2020 07:51

YABVVVU

They’re still children - albeit it big ones. They still deserve time to “play” four hours a day for the next two months is quite ridiculous. By all means encourage reading, cooking, sports/exercise, board games, card games, arts and crafts... but why make yourself and them stressed and miserable for very little gain?!

If it’s because they’ve done no work for the last two months, how are you going to get them to start now?!

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EmperorCovidula · 28/06/2020 07:54

YABU. The boat has sailed on that front. I know some children would but most wont and at that age it’s too late to make them do something they don’t want. You could however remove gadgets and give them a wide variety of books to choose from.

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YouCantBeSadHoldingACupcake · 28/06/2020 07:57

My dc will not be doing anything school related in the summer holidays. They have done their schoolwork all through lockdown, they deserve their 6 weeks off just the same as any other year

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FourTeaFallOut · 28/06/2020 07:59

Four hours seems like a lot. Do you have a plan about what those four hours would look like? Would you be teaching or would you have them signed up to online learning platforms or would the be expected to figure out fours hours worth of work on their own?

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LinManWellWellWell · 28/06/2020 08:03

I think it’s important for them to find constructive things to do - especially as the holiday in the States is soooo long. But framing it as 4 hours a day work is hard. How about a reading challenge? Writing a book? Or some kind of longer term project? Cooking? Making sure stuff done on gadgets is educational? Tbh if they are already on gadgets all the time they are bound to get bored eventually. How strict is lockdown where they are?

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Heartlake · 28/06/2020 08:08

Do exercise with them every single day, start the habit! Bike rides, cricket challenges, there's all sorts you can do. 2x intense 45 minute slots each day is plenty. Tell them that they're expected to read, clean, prepare food and do laundry every day. They're old enough. Encourage them to work together.

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Heartlake · 28/06/2020 08:09

Sorry 2 x 45 min of study that should be!

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puffinkoala · 28/06/2020 08:12

If they are going into years 8 and 10 do they really need to do anything? If for example the Y10 is going a language GCSE (you said they are at a British school, so I assume English exams) it might be worth getting them to do Duolingo each day. But otherwise I can't really see the point -might as well enjoy the summer.

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zoemum2006 · 28/06/2020 08:13

I think the main aim is to keep them off their gadgets 24/7 (I fully support that idea!)

We have a policy during the week of the hours of 10-2 being 'trash' free time. So no trash tv or computer games in those four hours.

Some things these do: exercise, make a movie trailer, cooking, project work, educational tv, art work, reading.

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FourTeaFallOut · 28/06/2020 08:17

I can definitely see a point to some home learning over the holidays, especially the very long holidays in America where the learning loss can be significant. I'm not sure I could make four hours work but I'm not against it in principle.

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Heismyopendoor · 28/06/2020 08:18

4 hours a day is excessive. My dd is almost 12 and has been home educated for a few years now and doesn’t even spend that amount of time on her learning each day (in will increase as she gets older) so I think 4 hours is too much.

I would get them to do 30-60 minutes of personal reading a day, 69 minutes of exercise and then spend an hour going over things they’ve learned over the past year. They will also have their music practice each day I’d assume and then could try something like learning to code, some art work tutorials on YouTube etc. You could get them to write a paper about something, such as a marine animal, a country, a certain time period in history, that will get them working on research, reading and comprehension, writing, spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.

You can always set them other tasks to fill up some of their time such as cooking, cleaning, gardening, meal planning, write the shopping list, diy that needs done.

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