I know there's so many of these threads..

[noteabagsleft]

As above I know there is so much of these but just looking for some support really from people who knows what it's like!

Homeschooling 🥺
Is driving me mad!
I'm stressed, don't want the kids falling behind others in their class, I've had a headache all week from screens and I've got massive guilt for my 4 year old who is only in primary 1 so very minimal work, she's kind of been left while I help the others!
I have 5 children (3 SC that love with us full time) all having to do home learning and a big range of ages, they all need support, maybe because of no classmates to bounce off and no actual face to face teaching by the teacher their struggling. Their happy to do the work but not really managing to do it alone so I'm having to offer ALOT of support. My DH works full time long hours so I'm on my own. I'm self employed so unable to work atm due to having the kids at home so losing a lot of money as well as gaining ALOT of stress!! They all have tablets which aren't great with google classroom! We have 1 laptop and I have a decent iPad which is easier. So juggling between them all and trying to split the time equally between them! It's so tough! Anyone else struggling?

Phew that was a rant!! Sorry 🤦🏼‍♀️

I posted a similar thread earlier OP, you’re absolutely not alone.

My dd1 is 9 and has been calling a classmate to discuss work. Is this something that some of your older ones can do?
Are their teachers aware of your situation? It’s a lot to expect of you and I’m sure they wouldn’t expect you to do it all. I find a lot of the pressure im under comes from myself and the school very much have a ‘do what you can’ attitude.

Deep breaths, we can do this

Ah apologies I've seen a few but then couldn't find them again to comment on

Yeah they have been talking to friends about it but think most kids are struggling just now it's alot for them too

The schools know my situation and I have explained there may be some days they won't get everything done which their fine with.

I agree I'm putting so much pressure on myself and getting myself stressed when I shouldn't be really

Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday 😂 my house needs cleaned, haven't had time to do it properly

Sorry for the late reply!

I didn’t mean it like that at all! If feels so good to rant doesn’t it?

Hope you’ve had a good weekend. Tomorrow’s a new week- we can do it!!

Hi! Me too, but only 4dc here. Fancy a support thread tomorrow to get us through the day?
My dc are 7,8, 13 and 15.
The 13yo (DD) has a laptop and works really well independently. She only really needs IT support and occasional feedback. I’m very lucky.
DS15 needs constant prodding, plus feedback on where to write more (most places!) and he’ll structuring his thoughts/ work. Tomorrow is his first day on google classroom (was on satchel one til now) so expect lots of teething problems. He’s been loaned a school laptop so at least that’s something... though school haven’t installed office and we don’t have permission too, which is a problem as he can’t access everything that’s set.
DS8 is smart, but unmotivated. He needs me there to explain any videos as he drifts off. He struggles to write anything over 5 words without me there to help him think through his answers even though all the thoughts are there so needs nearly 1:1 input.
DS7 couldn’t read in March, but we worked on it last lockdown (he wouldn’t try before as he’d “done enough work in school” and would have meltdowns at the thought of extra work at home. He can now read to the right level, so that’s something. He can also do his maths (and his older brother’s!) but has zero confidence and will only work with 1:1 input. Both the younger 2 just have kindle fire tablets, which is another barrier.
Last week they did about 4 hours a day each, and I did 9-6.30!

Oh it's just so hard! The kids are happy to do the work, apart from my oldest he needs a good shove 😂 but I just feel so guilty cos I don't have the time to be as full on as I would like, and I don't want them falling behind because of me. Im pretty sure most kids will be on the same boat though.
My day ends up being a full day too, by the time I get through everyone, so we have stopped for lunch, 2 kids still to go 🙄

Hope everyone else is doing well xx

We’re having IT problems. The printer is down and WiFi keeps dropping out. DS15 seems to be on track in terms of submitting work, but hasn’t shown me any work so god knows what the quality is... he keeps “forgetting”.
The youngest is behind schedule due to needing lots of breaks. We’re still only half way through the English he started 2 hours ago. He keeps having a meltdown and telling me to go away and he can do it on his own, followed by another meltdown 2 minutes later asking why I’ve abandoned him!
DS8 is doing ok so far...
DD13 is doing well.

Hmm, strange it’s our eldest that need the shove to get started! How old is yours?

We’re doing ok today, I’ve learnt to relax a lot since lockdown 1- I was so so stressed about getting everything done!

Dd1 is 9, she’s pretty independent and goes off to her room and gets on. Quality and presentation is definitely an issue though as she very much has a ‘that’ll do’ attitude!

Dd2 is 5 and very hard to motivate. She has a kindl fire too which she got for Xmas. It’s great in some ways because she can play the phonics and maths games that school send but not so good because there’s other things to do too and I have to try and peel her off it!

Dd3 is 8 months, teething and trying to crawl and get into everything. The quality of the day usually hinges on her mood! Luckily she’s been ok today so we were able to get on and finish fairly early. I even managed to get a wash on!

I’m taking that as a win... won’t hold my breath for tomorrow though! One day at at time!

We’re still going!
Ds8 found maths really hard (he could do it no problem before lockdown!). Ds7 didn’t help as he kept trying to answer for him/ take over.
Ds7 found English so hard we had to spread it over 3 40minute sessions.

Any tips for when 2 of them need 1:1 support? Send help! (Or chocolate)

@OddshoesOddsocks I’m impressed at your achievements with a baby in the mix too!

@Howmanysleepsnow achievements vary greatly from day to day 😂 we were due a good day, last week was absolutely awful from start to finish!

Is it just my children who aren’t sleeping well? All 3 still awake (in bed with lights out) having been sent up at 7.30 as normal. Their sleeping pattern has been out for weeks!

Mine used to sleep 8.30-6.30 (younger 2). Now I struggle to get them asleep before 10.30 /11 and this morning they weren’t up until 8.50.
They’re in for a shock next week when I’m back on nights (PT only) and they’re in bed for 8 before I go!
By the way @OddshoesOddsocks I’m also impressed at your 9yo’s independence. If I leave DS8 for a second he’s rolling around on the floor complaining it’s too hard!

Mine are exactly the same @Howmanysleepsnow! Dd1 still gets up at 7 though because she sets an alarm so she can have minecraft time before school work 😂
Dd2 won’t be up til around 8.50 though...I might wake her up now in an attempt to right her sleep pattern but I have a feeling I’ll just be setting myself up for a grumpy day!

She is very good, I don’t think I appreciate it enough though because I expect a lot of her. I always have because she’s the first and she’s the Guinea pig! I should probably give her a bit more credit!

Good luck on nights, I don’t envy you at all there!!

They’re still in bed. I just woke the teenagers up but I’ll leave the little 2 for a while: this is hard going even when they aren’t tired! Once I’m sure the older 2 are awake and logged on I’m going to take the dog for a walk and get a little bit of peace and solitude before chaos begins!

DS8 slept until 10 (the latest ever!) but seems refreshed so maybe it’s not a bad thing. He’s even trying his English alone.

We’re done! On time for once. I gave up on the schedule the teachers set and did the hardest stuff first, which worked well (I had to stagger the youngest 2- got one to watch a video lesson/ read the PowerPoint then went through it and through the work with them while the second started on their video/ power point and alternated through the day) The morning was pretty tough, but work got easier as the day went on and concentration waned. I’m completely drained now though!
How did everyone else manage?

We didn’t get very much done at all this morning! I went to the supermarket and then we had a nice leisurely lunch... they did do well this afternoon though, dd2 was VERY hard to motivate but we got there in the end, mostly with some easier tasks that could be done on her tablet! I think I need to up her reading and writing, I know she’s only 5 but she’s not doing very much at all...

They’re both in bed but still awake, I’m not hopeful for a productive day tomorrow, they’ll be exhausted!!

Mine went to sleep around 10. Hopefully they get a good night and do well tomorrow, especially as I have 4 hours of e-learning to do and don’t fancy an 8pm start!

Eeek good luck @Howmanysleepsnow!

Are they doing ok?

Our success was short lived. Dd1 woke up late today (which is good as she obviously needed it) but is feeling crappy today and is feeling very overwhelmed by everything. We’ve looked through her days work and picked out the important stuff which she can work through but I think there’ll be lots of breaks today I think

Not going well here. The youngest 2 are very whiny with no focus, the eldest keeps trying to guess answers rather than watch lessons. I think we need more sleep...

And it gets worse... DS7 has had a screaming tantrum because

1. I chose the BFG as their class book (I didn’t) and he hates it
2. the lessons aren’t even about the BFG and he’ll only do it if they are because he wants to learn about the BFG (see point 1).
3. the lessons are stupid and for babies and he knows all this already.
4. he doesn’t know any of this (see point 3). He’s gone to his room to calm down. I’ll be happy to get English done today (we already did maths) and leave art and computing (which is hard without a computer anyway!) On the plus side DD13 is finished and DS8 nearly is (thanks to a missing video meaning the English lesson is awol!).

He’s come down and apologised!!
We’ve done 1/2 of the English and the rest is waiting until tonight/ tomorrow

Blimey what a day @Howmanysleepsnow!

Dd1 spent all morning feeling very sorry for herself. She did half her maths then English.
Dd2 did some maths then we made some cupcakes (partly for something to do, partly because in the current climate I need a constant supply of cake!)

Very little actual work achieved today... one of those days where you desperately try to search for the educational value in everything. Baking- maths, walk round the village dropping cakes to people- PE, watching the inauguration (not that they did) eating cake- not sure what lesson that is but seems educational!

They’ve not had dinner yet, dd3 has cut yet another tooth and is asleep on me and I’ve got an online quiz with colleagues later which I definitely fail miserably at and I can’t have a glass of wine because of sodding dry January! 😂