Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Homeschooling going to shit - a support thread

273 replies

Brokenchair1 · 23/03/2020 10:14

Schoolmum WhatsApp group rapidly filling with messages about people doing the Joe Wicks live PE, photos of kids sitting at desks dressed and working, mum's joking about how lovely it is to home school.

Meanwhile in the broken household....single mum here, I have a Skype meeting at 1 I need to prep for, DD 7 currently refusing to do anything and keeps sitting on me saying she wants to play. 3 months of this 😭

Anyone else where homeschooling isn't filled with colourful timetables and colour coded snack trays...join here for support and commiseration.

OP posts:
Original poster
Brokenchair1 · 23/03/2020 10:15

This was meant for chat! Reported to be moved

OP posts:
PeppaisaBitch · 23/03/2020 10:17

Mine are little but I think you need to have clear structure. I actually timetabled getting dressed and making the beds so that it gets done. So tempting to slob in your pyjamas.
Next recognise that some playing is learning and if she wants to play she can as long as after/first she does whatever you want her to do.
Plus you don't have to stick to the school day timetable. Don't think you have to start at 9.
Hope your day gets better.

Original poster
Brokenchair1 · 23/03/2020 10:22

Thanks. We've done all that, was super organized last week, got all the work books etc set up. Got a timetable with DD. I think I just need to lower my standards a bit and get through each day with me sanity Grin

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

General education Home educating
Reginabambina · 23/03/2020 10:23

Trying to get my 5 year old to do work sheets with questions like ‘what is the missing number? 10, 15, 20, ?, 30’

I’m pretty sure that five year olds aren’t supposed to be able to do that, if they are then clearly the school have been doing a terrible job teaching him.

PinkyU · 23/03/2020 10:27

Regina try using a number line then you have a visual of how you jump 5 numbers at a time.

Lindy2 · 23/03/2020 10:35

DD9 is working away beautifully.

DD11 with SEN, ADHD and ASD has just got out of bed. Her school teachers have set several hours of work following her normal timetable with an hour of work per lesson. It's too much and too intense for her. I'm going to sit with her and I'll try to get her to do a bit of each. This is going to be incredibly difficult.

Reginabambina · 23/03/2020 10:50

@PinkyU turns out they have been taught and the little bastard was just lying in an attempt to get out of it. It’s going to be a really really long week.

Hoohaahoo · 23/03/2020 10:52

I have ADHD and so does one of my children. It’s safe to say we are not doing well so far!

I’m trying to be chill about it. I’m not a teacher so I can’t expect myself to find this easy. We’ll do what learning we can but my main aim is getting through the next however many weeks and staying sane.

EscapeTheCastle · 23/03/2020 11:01

We have work set but the online platform to do them on has crashed. Did do Jo Wicks P E this morning instead. Will do tomorrows work today and todays work tomorrow.

Original poster
Brokenchair1 · 23/03/2020 11:04

Also trying to be chill here. We're in it for the longhaul. Think I was being a bit smug about how I will cope on my own working full time and homeschooling. Am now feeling very bitter about everyone going on about sharing shifts with their partner Wink

I meant this thread to be a bit light-headed ie those of us who are not managing Instagram worthy homeschooling ha ha

OP posts:
NoGravyForYou · 23/03/2020 11:05

Having a structure to the day is the only way to get through it. Not in the UK so we are over a week in.
Exercise before we sit to do work, and then snacks on the table while they are working.

Rockbird · 23/03/2020 11:07

I have no excuse for failing so miserably today, just that DD1 (12) is being a lazy difficult so and so! DD2 (8) has done lots of work already, DD1 wants to be spoon fed everything, it's driving me crazy.

Ihatesundays · 23/03/2020 11:09

DD is sulking in bed. Nothing achieved

NoGravyForYou · 23/03/2020 11:09

It's definitely not instagram worthy though. There's been lots of shouting and fighting 🙈

lizgh65 · 23/03/2020 11:09

Need to get them hooked on something! The best bet I have found so far is Seneca - they actually sit there and do it for more than 10 minutes!! I've just joined their FB group as well where they are sharing tips on new resources etc - should be useful. Link is www.facebook.com/groups/DistanceLearningForParents/

Reginabambina · 23/03/2020 11:11

So I’ve now finished the work we were given for today. I feel like I should probably be getting him to read or something but in the alternative I could just let him watch as much tv as he wants and feel smug about how ‘well’ I’ve done. I’ve chosen the self deception route until at least after lunch.

FthisS · 23/03/2020 11:11

Our school have sent class dojo out saying no work is to be issued until April 20th, but we can do some learning if we wish. We are doing baking and writing out the recipe etc.

crazydiamond222 · 23/03/2020 11:12

I have a 4 month old who will only nap on me in a darkened room for 4 hours a day and tfe rest of the time will not be pit done for more than 5 minutes and a nine year old with severe autism who will only work with one to one support and gets upset when I am babywearing. Needless to say we are not getting any homeschooling done. When I have time away from the baby I am focussing on lifeskills with him, the rest of the time is chill out on the ipad. Life is more about survival at the moment, anything else is a bonus. Good luck and virtual hugs to everyone it is tough but at least the sun is shining.

Xiaoxiong · 23/03/2020 11:14

Mine got up, had breakfast, did the Joe Wicks PE session (which I had to do with them to keep them on it) and then I had to get on a work zoom call so they have had a morning of Minecraft and Monument valley.

I'm aiming for 2 hours of homeschooling a day. I can't possibly do any more while also working and doing my half of the household chores without having a complete meltdown.

LadyMadderRose · 23/03/2020 11:16

I just came looking for this thread... thanks OP! :o

It has gone to shit big style this morning. Well with DD it has. V grateful for my fantastic chilled, self-sufficient teen who is getting on with it, but 10yo DD hates any change in routine, is very stressed by school being off, and has basically dissolved into tears and screaming several times over perfectly easy work that she knows how to do. There's no point trying to push her as I know from experience she'll get worse and worse, so I'm leaving it for a couple of hours.

I did have a timetable and structure for the day - a fairly basic one, not colour coded - but that doesn't endure it gets done if they are in no mental state to do it!

I work from home all the time anyway so I'm used to it, but getting my own work done is going to be a challenge.

On the bright side I think for my very highly strung DD and probably many kids, it's about not being used to it and being stressed and anxious. Eventually I predict she'll settle down and it will get easier, and we should let it goooooo if we don't get very far on the first day.

Brew and 🍫 for us all.

Allthegoodnamesweretakenalread · 23/03/2020 11:18

Mine really didnt like the Jo Wicks at all. However Super movers on iPlayer is a winner! 6 and 3 year old have been at it for an hour!

Original poster
Brokenchair1 · 23/03/2020 11:20

Glad I'm not the only one. DD crying over (really simple) maths and I've just let her go on to hama beads. We do what we can to keep sane. Must remember it's a huge change for kids who are out of routine too. I'm actually amazed she put clean pants on today!

Meanwhile I'm quickly working my way through the stockpile of chocolate....

OP posts:
palindromeam · 23/03/2020 11:20

I could post some instagramable stuff but that is the fleeting moments. Doing addition of fractions has reduced dd to tears. (She nearly cried during joe wicks).

But we got to the end and the last question showed me that she does now understand equivalent fractions which I'm pretty sure she didnt this time last week. Go me!

bananapyjama · 23/03/2020 11:22

No structure here; we're taking it easy.

DD8 has a pile of work books that she dips into when she wants (she's quite enthusiastic, so I haven't had to nag). School have set links to a variety of online platforms, which she enjoys using, so she's logging on once per day to do some activities. But she is just doing these things for some of the time; not all day, not constant, not in a set timetable.

Other activities today have included; feeding the dog, sorting washing and loading the machine, playing board games. Yesterday she did crafts, built Lego and helped make dinner.

Yes, she is currently watching telly and I'm having a brew. This is going to last a while, no need to 'use up' all of the school work in the first week.

Relax mummies.

Original poster
Brokenchair1 · 23/03/2020 11:22

@ladymadderrose sounds like we have the same DD! Mine is having mini meltdowns but again she is a lover of routine. I also mainly work from home but again used to my own routine and getting things done in the morning.

May have to rethink doing more work in the evening.

OP posts: