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

[cottonwoolbrain]

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.

Contact schools and explain how homeschooling is not working out and feel children and falling behind, I would imangine the school may offer to have children back as they too don’t want children’s education to suffer.

Thank you so much for all your replies. I was feeling really low when I posted the OP. I can see lots of you with far more reason to struggle than me and I'm sorry its a surreal and unsustainable situation.

To those of you who will for various reasons be relieved of they dont go back on 8th I hope whatever the outcome you can find ways around it.

@urkidding I think every child is different.If you are blessed with an 8 year old who is not easily distracted, enjoys home learning and is generally easy going lucky you. Bizarrely, teachers often comment how well behaved he is at school and how he contributes well to the class. Attack me all you like but the underlying attack in a child you know nothing about was spiteful and uncalled for.

As for me, I am on long term medication that impacts my mood and sleep so that is probably making things worse and its why I work part time. Prior to this I was able to catch up on sleep in the day if necessary and I'm not getting that now which perhaps goes some way to explaining why I'm such a terrible mother who needs her children back in school pronto.

Keep hanging on everyone and let's hope for some good news when they issue the "road map" on the 22nd.

Anyway off to discuss infinity and its relationship to black and white holes with with my children who while they are miserable and missing friends / won't sit still are both highly intelligent and interested i the wider universe !!

As a person on the other side of the screen from you, if we go back to all kids in school before Easter, I will be very surprised. By that point, though, I will have lost the plot. Shielding, not seeing kids because not one of them has their camera on, not hearing them because they communicate only via the chat function, and having no clue how they are or how they are doing is killing me. I want to be in my classroom with my children, doing what we do best. Learning, engaging, building and storming relationships, growing. I am genuinely hating this. If you can get them to do the bare minimum, then get on FaceTime or something with friends or family, do it.

@Gilly12345

Contact schools and explain how homeschooling is not working out and feel children and falling behind, I would imangine the school may offer to have children back as they too don’t want children’s education to suffer.

I think that would apply to almost everyone. So it's not a viable solution for most.

I wouldn't be lying if I said I have signed up to be a volunteer vaccinator, do my training tomorrow, so when I have shifts I will require a school place. I need to be away from my children. I love them but I am not a teacher. I can't cope much longer

You are doing a fantastic job in these most difficult of times. I'm working full time from home and it's a struggle.
I watch others who do not work at all and plaster Facebook with pics of themselves round friends houses or general out and about pics and have given home schooling the big heave ho.
It makes me angry and a bit jealous tbh.
My children hate me and are resentful, their friends are out having fun.
I tell myself I am the better parent in the long term, but am I ?
I'm trying to get the balance right but feel it is destroying me
Anxiety levels are about to peak I fear

I've been very stressed too - children not very attentive in school class sessions on Zoom (not that surprisingly since the lessons are rather dull and technical issues often mean poor sound and picture quality). I posted on another thread an article I read in The I where a child psychologist suggests more flexibility in home learning and not too much angst about following all the school teaching sessions. I have decided to stop being so anxious about formal learning and involve the children more in deciding what they want to learn/write about. The article may be helpful for some people so I'm giving the link.

inews.co.uk/news/education/trust-children-teach-themselves-homeschooling-tips-clinical-psychologist-dr-naomi-fisher-865207

Pretty sure if they send all students and children back on 8th March that we will pay for it down the line with another lock down, plus more teacher / support staff / parents illness and death.

@AllAroundTheWrekin

Pretty sure if they send all students and children back on 8th March that we will pay for it down the line with another lock down, plus more teacher / support staff / parents illness and death.

I know, I’m really hoping they don’t for that reason. Health before education, the latter doesn’t need to be done in a school building and you can study all through life.

It seems everything is looking extremely positive at the moment and cases are falling quicker than expected.
I hope this doesn't lead to knee jerk reactions though.
I'd be happy with a slow phase if necessary but that will cause synchronisation issues for teachers with families.
Maybe 2 weeks before Easter then they can monitor the impact of that over Easter

Op, dc don't really have to sit still to learn esp small dc.
If they want to move around let them mine won't learn and sit at desk

@AllAroundTheWrekin

Pretty sure if they send all students and children back on 8th March that we will pay for it down the line with another lock down, plus more teacher / support staff / parents illness and death.

Praying they take it slowly tbh.

For some courses it’s pretty essential to study face to face and you can often only study all your life if you have the money to pay for it. My daughter has funding for a 3 year course. She’s lost half of year 2 and most of year 3. There is no second chance.

Not expecting them to return until after the Easter hols. Anything earlier is a bonus to be honest.

I do wonder whether it would be sensible to pull the holidays forward though, do a two week half term in May possibly though there's a lot of bank holidays over that period. You could create a longer more productive term I think with a bit of careful thought and still finish around the usual time.

Similarly, I'd really like to hear from teachers (not bloody Gove or pissed off pontificating parents) as to what extra support they want heading into the summer and autumn /all of next year terms to get kids back up to speed. A TA in every state school classroom or whatever? We should have a plan and be gearing up to recruit and fund it now. Not making vague noises about support

my child is on a EHCP and in infants school . remote learning is impossible for my child due to age and needs .
pandemic home learning is not the same as home schooling two must never been confused as the same .
I trust and follow the measures that my child school got in place to keep schools to keep covid free as much as they can .
My child has one to one and has separate work that been set out by the teachers instead of remote learning and seems to make good progress .

I be very surprised if they don't open infants and primary schools by the 8th of march or very slightly afterwards . my theory its not going to happen all at once .
The Main concern of the higher infection rate was in secondary schools , colleges and universities not the lower ages of children below primary level before Christmas lockdown and the only thing that has change is the government goal post of driving down the infection rate .
At the moment we at the similar level of infection that when we in July nationwide .
I see no evidence or reasoning at of schools remaining shut beyond march the 8th and that the PM will be talking about plans with school around 22nd February which will leave roughly two week window till the 8th of march to help schools to prepare (government did say that schools and parents will have that two weeks notice). .
By this weekend its we should have already vaccinated the target amount 15m of the most at risk from dying we should be well on the way to start on the next group that are at risk by the time schools starts.

I think seen something that it could be likely children could have the jab by the end of this year or early next year if they start testing on younger ages and that it goes okay .

The last 12m has been tough on everyone but there is some positive things emerging from this and that makes things little optimistic and we can't always assume we going to be stuck like this forever .
The fact is that permanent shut down of schools and lockdown itself unsustainable to society and public health .
Focus on the positives op and worry about the negatives when they arise and always have hope .

Johnson is saying he is optimistic.

A very clear sign he is about to do something completely stupid again.

I have a few children from tots to teens! One disabled / shielding. Single mum. It’s very challenging (financially too) at times but my children are thriving & loving all our time together. We are working but finding time for family activities too. Obviously plenty of squabbles due to age gaps / differing needs but we can plot on like this as long as we need to. The older ones miss friends so we find ways for them to interact. I take a long soak in the bath as needed to unwind. Housework has been less of a priority.
Mainly I want my children safe and with new variants affecting younger people / children more I’d rather carry on than risk their long term health.
I think everyone needs to be kind to themselves, try and find fun family time / eat together etc and not worry too far ahead- it definitely helps us

@allaroundthewrekin

He's basically a modern day General Melchett.

I feel very guilty as I have not had a job since 2019, so with Homelearning I have not had to juggle work as well as the children.

Neither have special needs just the same, my 8 year old is still in creative and in play mode... she isn’t concentrating and she can do it, just not engaged... although this time around we have to log all work on the system, which has enable to complete it and also great as it monitors where they are in their learning journeys, especially by September they go up a year!! My aged 12 DS is the same he will complete the work, but then tiptoes back to his Xbox for 3.30pm... the more I have encouraged the country walks and running, myself and the whole family the more the two of them dig their heels in and he says that he socialises with his friends over Xbox!! He is too young to go out on his own... These are modern times and likely to be the norm!!

I would feel very sorry for Boris, you don't mess with millions of a mothers a year into a lockdown! Open the ruddy schools and save yourself or you will be eaten alive

Snowy I disagree I would just rather they opened safely... And stayed open.

@TrustTheGeneGenie

Well actually, most of the best school systems in the world start formal schooling with reading and writing at age 6-7. There is a myriad of evidence that this is beneficial and children of 5 should still be spending the vast majority of their time playing

Ah yes it would have done wonders for all the should be reception starters to be totally isolated for a year. It's all well and good saying they start at 6 elsewhere.... yes, fine, but they don't have a year of total isolation beforehand because that's not beneficial. It's detrimental and it's cruel.

What would have happened with nurseries? They'd have less places for babies because they'd be full of 5 year olds who should have been going to school. What about parents who cannot afford another year of nursery or childcare?

What about universities? No intake for a whole hear? How does that work?

It didn't happen because frankly it's a fucking stupid idea.

No, they would simply have had another year at nursery. Which as it turns out would have resulted in much less isolation and detrimental impact on social development that supposedly being in reception and not attending for most of the year.

Children in later nursery years get funded hours as I'm sure you know so that could easily have been extended to 5 year olds. SO much more money has been spent on nonsense than the amount that would have cost so it's a non-argument.

Universities were unable to offer the services students were paying for so yes, pre-September it should have been announced that all places would be deferred a year and Government pay furlough for the staff for their teaching hours. Although nothing to stop them continuing their research activities this year and in many areas this may have been particularly helpful at the moment for them to focus on that full time (economics, medical science etc).

@IPreferCatstoPeople

As a person on the other side of the screen from you, if we go back to all kids in school before Easter, I will be very surprised. By that point, though, I will have lost the plot. Shielding, not seeing kids because not one of them has their camera on, not hearing them because they communicate only via the chat function, and having no clue how they are or how they are doing is killing me. I want to be in my classroom with my children, doing what we do best. Learning, engaging, building and storming relationships, growing. I am genuinely hating this. If you can get them to do the bare minimum, then get on FaceTime or something with friends or family, do it.

What a lovely post. DD's teacher says the same (although she's primary so all the kids want to do is chat although never about the work). She has gone for a just do what you can approach and since the pressure has been taken off dd has done far more than when she 'had' to do it. She also lets me tweak the topic so if the assignment is about America we'll do the same thing but I'm dogs so at least she gets the skills but it's on something she's actually interested in. This means she works better alone and it saves time I'd have spent nagging her.

The one thing I've put my foot down on is that I will prioritise our relationship above schoolwork. I think if I send her back happy she's more likely to learn when she does get back. I've no idea how anyone working full time does it though and take my hat off to you. I'd be at the end of my tether and snapping all the time.

One SEN child. One not. Both angry increasingly during school days. Not coping brilliantly. I reached my wits end before half term. Couldn't function and felt like I was cracking up with it all. I am absolutely dreading Monday. Sen child already saying he is not doing school anymore. School is doing best to put on full timetable and keep it interesting. I don't know what more to do. The constant motivating, nagging, feeding, checking, supervising, helping, refocusing is absolutely killing me. X 2. They need desperately to be at school. I envy those who are happily cracking on in lockdown. I am already worried about how they will be going back. No one is talking about that. And the ongoing impact.