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Original poster

If school's don't return on March 8th what will you do?

479 replies

cottonwoolbrain · 11/02/2021 15:06

I am goign to be completely honest. I can't handle this anymore. I'm not sure what I'll do. I'm in tears every day now and the rest of the time just feel completely and utterly numb as if I'm doing everything on autopilot. Keep shoutinbg at the children - rate its going they'll get Stockholm Syndrome being coooped up with me as I am

DS (8) needs almost constant supervision to get him to do any work at all or even to sit in his chair. HIs school have great distance learning but I'm exhausted trying to get him to do it even with online classes. DD is 15. She's great at doing the work but is understandly stressed and lonely and worried about next years GCSEs and I feel like I'm getting the brunt of it.

I work part time and its the sort of job that requires high concentration levels. I can't just stop to answer questions about everything under the sun (including the flipping sun).

I'm breaking. Half term starts tomorrow. Hopefully a week of not home schooling will help and then I''ll be counting the days until March 8th but I'm so desperately worried they won't go back and I'm not sure what I'll do or how I'll cope.

DP helps as much as he can but most of its falling on me.

Sorry don't knwo what I'm saying except that i dont thknk I can hold out much longer and its messing up my children so badly.

OP posts:
Alonelonelyloner · 11/02/2021 20:42

My daughter (13) had 3 emails at the weekend from her maths teacher saying.....I'm waiting for your homework.
Are you sending me your homework?
Shame no homework!!!!

We have been working for hours every day and I've been barely managing to do my own full-time work. I can't think straight anymore.

I just emailed the teacher saying she's trying her best. And I am.
If I never look at effin trigonometry again it'll be too damn soon!

GalesThisMorning · 11/02/2021 20:45

@Thewiseoneincognito my son is due to return February 25th. I can't see them changing that - especially as our rates are back down to 85/ 100k and falling. Wales has been stricter than England in many ways. Hopefully we'll see the benefits of that!

Bollss · 11/02/2021 20:47

@DenisetheMenace

GameSetMatch

I’ll just carry on, what else can one do? It won’t help crumbling to bits even if it’s what we all want to do.”

This, really. Crying every day and shouting at your kids is quite an extreme reaction. Have you sought outside help?

No it's not. And what help?

Who the fuck is going to help?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General education
GalesThisMorning · 11/02/2021 20:50

Also my son's teacher will apparently be wearing a mask. I know many on MN don't agree but I would happily send my 4 year old in a mask if it meant they could safely attend school. My nieces and nephews of a similar age have been wearing masks since March. Kids can wear masks just fine, its not a big deal and better than the alternative

Princessbanana · 11/02/2021 20:58

My children moved schools last year and started in a new school in September. This school only has 13 in it. There are two rooms with the years spilt into two groups. My older child is in one room and homework has been great, just a simple time table, books and pages included. My other two are in the other room with the teacher/principal and oh my god, I have literally been harassed since Christmas with the homework. Constantly getting emailed and messages to send work in, constantly asking for them to go on zoom which aren’t compulsory as it’s only to see their friends and catch up. Reams and reams of homework and trying to figure out what exactly it is she wants done. It’s honestly so stressful and I can feel my anxiety rising every time my phone goes off. I’ve honestly given up looking at my emails unless really needed!

Chewingle · 11/02/2021 21:01

Just crack on
Nit ideal
But when you are a single parent with no support network.... it’s what you have always done and always will do.

And it’ll be ok.

Chewingle · 11/02/2021 21:05

@GalesThisMorning

I haven't read the full thread, but to all of you in despair hang in there!! Here in Wales Reception - Year 2 are going back from the 22nd. Everything suddenly feels doable again. Surely England won't be too far behind. Hang in there, don't give up, and hopefully it won't be too much longer
This would mean a lot more if your children were actually back. You’re in the same position as those of us with a 08/03 days though We just don’t know and it could change
needadvice54321 · 11/02/2021 21:07

I've arranged for DS to go back to school after half term. He's entitled to a place as we're both KW and he has SEN but we're struggling. He's falling behind, failing most of the assessments and has become withdrawn (part of his SEN is struggling with social skills)

So I contacted school to express my concerns and they've offered to put him in a bubble after half term. He has a couple of friends who are there already and they said a TA is always in the room so if he's struggling he can ask for a bit of support (from a distance!)

I was so worried that his year group wouldn't go back Sad(year 7)

coffeelover3 · 11/02/2021 21:10

If I were you I'd forget the schoolwork for the 8 year old :) Honestly he will learn more from doing what HE wants to do, whatever he chooses to do. I think a lot of the 'schoolwork' is going in one ear out the other at the moment. DS age 11 had assessments this week and even though I know he has done the work - I was there lol!!! - he didn't have a clue about a lot of it, he's forgotten it already. For an 8 year old I would just leave the schoolwork and have a happy child, which will help you enormously. You're his mum not his teacher. Honestly that's what I'm doing - the relationship with my ds is more important than getting all the homework done, which is what it is at the end of the day. Take a chill pill, he will catch up no problem, he's only 8, and to my mind you're doing more harm than good by forcing him, plus you're wrecking your relationship with him. Let him off, see how he fills his days. Trust him :) he will learn things.

greenlynx · 11/02/2021 21:10

Tbh I would rather primary schools go back first. Whatever my difficulties are, even with SEN and at exam year my DD is sitting and engaging in lessons. In some lessons she needs me to be around just in case so yesterday I managed to do ironing, and the day before I wrote a couple of emails. However I can’t imagine how working parents with kids under 8 are coping. They should be in priority group, they must be drained completely.

ArchbishopOfBanterbury · 11/02/2021 21:11

Cry.
Hope to avoid losing my job. Realistically, invent a childcare bubble (with my parents in their late 60s) so kids get other company and I get some time to work.

GalesThisMorning · 11/02/2021 21:15

I dont understand why people are telling me my school won't be opening after half term Confused school has emailed with a return date. Why would they lie??

spiralshell · 11/02/2021 21:18

Chewingle, it’s not the same position at all. Our school has confirmed KS1 children are returning from the 22nd. Tomorrow is the last day before half term and they return after that. Rates are low in many areas and getting lower all the time. I thought I was negative!

RedcurrantPuff · 11/02/2021 21:19

I am doing zero home schooling. I’m not a teacher and trying to hold down a demanding full time job. Something has to give. Kids will catch up, they’ll be worse off if I end up sacked or having a breakdown.

Mumoftwoinprimary · 11/02/2021 21:19

Say “oh fucking hell”. And then get on with it.

borageforager · 11/02/2021 21:20

@GalesThisMorning

I dont understand why people are telling me my school won't be opening after half term Confused school has emailed with a return date. Why would they lie??
Are you in England?
Chewingle · 11/02/2021 21:21

@GalesThisMorning

I dont understand why people are telling me my school won't be opening after half term Confused school has emailed with a return date. Why would they lie??
They’re not lying

Think about it

Just pause and think about it

But you are in a very similar position to those of us with a 08/03 date

toocold54 · 11/02/2021 21:21

I dont understand why people are telling me my school won't be opening after half term confused school has emailed with a return date. Why would they lie??

Are you in England?
I am a teacher and neither mine nor my DCs school have set a date yet. The government have said from the 8th so we're planning on that but we know it could change again so it's not set in stone.

GalesThisMorning · 11/02/2021 21:22

Wales. Infants return from the 22nd.

ElliFAntspoo · 11/02/2021 21:23

It seems to me the thread falls into two camps.

Those that recognise the world has changed, that they do not get to control that change, but what they do get to control they can plan by. These people seem to be moving ahead and slowly rebuilding their lives based on what they see as being probably futures, and if those futures are different, they adapt and overcome.

Then there are those who seem to be flustered and have a problem dealing with the reality of the situation they are in. They seem to be floundering, stressed, and desperate for someone else to change things for them. They seem to grab a hold of everything the Government says, and hand onto it because it gives them hope, and are then shattered when they find the goalposts are moved yet again. But at the same time they are just trying to be victims. They have watched the goal posts change every single time a decision has been made, and they still grasp a hold of the new goal and hope they aren't pinning their salvation to another false endpoint.

You get to choose. I choose to stay calm, plan for what I can control, ignore what I cannot control, and just hope that we don't lose our income or our lives. I don't get to choose anything else, so why would I stress about it, or go onto MN looking for other people who also don't have any control or any constructive advice to compare frustrations with?

Thislittlefinger123 · 11/02/2021 21:24

Try and persuade their school to pay even a fragment of attention to the children at home instead of focusing it all on the children at school

THIS. With f**king bells on!!!

Sadly I already have and they couldn't give a shit quite frankly. If we find out on 22nd Feb that they won't be back on 8th March then we won't be engaging with the "work" from school anymore. My DC and I are battling through the worksheets and pdfs each week, only to get to Friday and for me to realise that actually the content is crap and they haven't learnt anything particularly new or meaningful. It's dull and unengaging (not live teaching or pre recorded), which probably seems okay when in school with interaction with teachers and peers. I will be looking at the curriculum, and trying to cover the minimum myself using other sources and that'll be it. I refuse to play along with the school's pretence that they are teaching my DC anymore.

GalesThisMorning · 11/02/2021 21:24

@Chewingle except that my childs school is opening on a date that has been confirmed by my government, my LEA, and my child's head.

I've paused. I've thought. My son will be back in school in just under 2 weeks. Hopefully England follows suit.

spiralshell · 11/02/2021 21:25

Chewingle, it is not a similar position because England haven’t confirmed a return from the 8th. They’ve said that’s the earliest possible date, for some children.

The return date for infants has been confirmed in Wales.

GalesThisMorning was trying to be positive in her earlier post.

Confused
MarshaBradyo · 11/02/2021 21:26

I don’t think Wales is in same position is it

It’s confirmed there whilst we have a plan on Feb 22

RedcurrantPuff · 11/02/2021 21:27

@Thislittlefinger123

Try and persuade their school to pay even a fragment of attention to the children at home instead of focusing it all on the children at school

THIS. With f**king bells on!!!

Sadly I already have and they couldn't give a shit quite frankly. If we find out on 22nd Feb that they won't be back on 8th March then we won't be engaging with the "work" from school anymore. My DC and I are battling through the worksheets and pdfs each week, only to get to Friday and for me to realise that actually the content is crap and they haven't learnt anything particularly new or meaningful. It's dull and unengaging (not live teaching or pre recorded), which probably seems okay when in school with interaction with teachers and peers. I will be looking at the curriculum, and trying to cover the minimum myself using other sources and that'll be it. I refuse to play along with the school's pretence that they are teaching my DC anymore.

Yep

I got a sniffy text from school telling me my child (no idea which one) was not engaging with RE and telling me to email the school for support. Meantime I emailed my son’s guidance teacher to let him know my son was struggling and no reply weeks later. They can piss right off.