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Original poster

Is anyone dc doing some extra work over the break to make up for lost time?

79 replies

Homeontherangeuk · 22/07/2021 10:23

My dc are doing some workbooks & twinkl wordsearches/crosswords etc to keep the brain ticking over, reading loads of library also... Anyone else?

OP posts:
Workinghardeveryday · 22/07/2021 16:16

Absolutely not!! What a year they have had, the last thing they need for their summer break is to be doing schoolwork.
Kids need to be kids and play and relax, not dread what extra work they have in the holidays.
A perk of being a child is they don’t have to continue their work in their time off and can switch off from school. Plenty of time for that when they are adults and have a job to worry about!

NoWordForFluffy · 22/07/2021 16:23

@LBOCS2

Nope. My DC are meeting expectations for their respective academic stages and have had a weird, unsettled year. They always have access to books and educational apps but mostly we're going to spend the summer chilling out, seeing friends, going on holiday. A bit of normalcy for them.
I came to say exactly this. Not a chance are they working!
toocold54 · 22/07/2021 16:43

No they need a break and have some normality which they haven’t had for a long time!
My DD won’t be doing any school work (I’m a teacher) but I’ll always encourage reading, painting, playing games, playing outside etc which are all very good for them and probably more advantageous than doing school work.

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Shergill15 · 22/07/2021 16:51

I probably will do some- overall DD is where she should be academically with some areas exceeding. However her teacher said she needs a lot of encouragement with writing - seems to struggle to get her thoughts on paper within the time in classes and her writing can be a bit hard to read, probably when she's rushing. So we'll probably do some writing stuff but if possible in a way that makes it interesting for her. Fortunately she loves to read so we'll keep that going

NoMontaguesOrCapulets · 22/07/2021 16:52

Nope.
We're going on rollercoasters, visiting waterparks, going out for meals and going to the seaside.
I'm a teacher - school has been shite and we all need a break.

emeraldcity2000 · 22/07/2021 16:56

We'll do a bit but only because dd enjoys it. She's doing well so just a bit of reinforcing the year. I'm very excited to do a lot of fun stuff too though. I saved all my extra hols from maternity leave (most went on homeschool) to have 3 of the 6 weeks off... so super excited to spend the time

GiantToadstool · 22/07/2021 17:04

Nope. Teachers I know really dont do this.
Twinkl worksheeta are just timefillers. Ay that age learn through play - go places, explore, talk etc.

If anything they are "behind" in experiences and play... do this

madmomma · 22/07/2021 17:14

They'll be doing an hour's quiet reading every day, tables practice every day, daily spellings practice and whatever interesting bits and bobs I can find on the internet. That leaves lots of time for fun but still keeps their brains ticking over.

Nohomemadecandles · 22/07/2021 17:17

I mean, horses for courses but I feel quite sorry for some children.

Spellings & practice papers & times tables... what a time to be alive... Sad

MiamiPants · 22/07/2021 17:19

No.

No lost time for my DC academically. Got exceeding in all areas of their reports.

They will be spending time catching up with lots of other things though.

Seeing friends and family we haven't seen.

Going to the beach/city/other places we have missed visiting.

Playing with their friends plenty.

JustMeAndWheatley · 22/07/2021 17:22

Yes. DS has GCSEs next year and is way behind where he should be. Online learning really hit him hard.

itstoohotinhere · 22/07/2021 17:27

No. Mine will be doings GCSEs and A levels next year, but school sent home a letter telling parents to let them chill. It's been an unbelievably stressful year. My 17 year old's mental health really suffered so she needs to relax and live.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 22/07/2021 17:32

No no no, they’ve had enough crap this year. And my dd is about to go into y11.

I’m a teacher with 25 years experience. No need for more work in the holidays after what they’ve been through.

Stompythedinosaur · 22/07/2021 17:36

No. They read for fun, though, and we do things like baking and shopping which involve maths.

CustardyCreams · 22/07/2021 17:39

No

Disgustedatmyself · 22/07/2021 17:44

No.

DS is going into Y10 in September so will be working towards GCSEs.

We’re going away a couple of times and he’s working for BIL a couple of days a week for some spending money.

We’ll think about school in September.

confusedofengland · 22/07/2021 17:45

We are going down the fun route more than formal learning.

My 7-year old DS3 loves reading & prefers to read or do word searches etc than to go on his tablet, so it's nice & easy with him.

12-year old DS1 also loves reading & is teaching himself Swedish with Duolingo.

10-year old DS2 is a bit trickier as he doesn't really like reading, but he quite likes reading in bed sometimes & writing stories, so will encourage that. He also needs the most help/work as he has SEN Hmm

I work in a library, so really ought to get the younger 2 signed up to the Summer Reading Challenge & they do all pop in to visit me from time to time.

We do also have one day for each DS in the summer holidays where they do a meal from start to finish- choosing, shopping, menu, set the table, cooking, clearing up - and they learn a lot from that.

1AngelicFruitCake · 22/07/2021 17:54

I don’t get this ‘how miserable for some children’ pity! Are people honestly saying their children will have no time to do a few spellings, reading and a bit of maths. Could be 10 minutes here and there. No big deal, rest of the day to do whatever they want! Helps it keep ticking over.
Funny how everyone comes on and says ‘my child is greater depth/exceeding/total genius!’

JassyRadlett · 22/07/2021 18:01

Yes - DS1 has dropped back this year to just 'meeting expectations' and while that's fine, he's capable of more and we have secondary admissions coming up in a year. School hasn't been able to extend the most able since lockdown as they've been focused on catching up those who fell behind - understandable. DS1 is up for doing some work over the holidays as tbh he's been a bit frustrated even though he's loved being back.

DS2 has struggled a bit with writing in Reception (he's a left-hander who didn't settle on his left hand until the first lockdown and didn't have any other kids at nursery to copy - his hand strength and dexterity aren't great) so we'll be encouraging captions, labels, colouring in for him as well as random bits of reading.

They'll both have lots of sports camps, hanging out, relaxing and holiday time too. A bit of structured work won't kill them.

ChaBishkoot · 22/07/2021 18:13

Yes absolutely. 30 mins of something plus both are good readers so read for several hours a day. Plus lots of sport, swimming etc. Both of mine are doing part time camps (in the US) which are almost entirely outdoors from 9-2 everyday so DH and I can also work. Neither of mine complain about work- but we try not to do just worksheets- we might do a project, learn something new in math they haven’t done before, write a story over several days.
We are also a low screen family so other than the odd movie and the Olympics they won’t be watching too much TV. I am sure they’ll emerge unscathed.

Camomila · 22/07/2021 18:24

I don’t get this ‘how miserable for some children’ pity!

When I was a kid I was massively jealous of my Italian cousin's summer holiday homework (longer holidays than here so the schools set work). I used to make my mum or granddad make worksheets for me.

1AngelicFruitCake · 22/07/2021 18:36

@Camomila

I don’t get this ‘how miserable for some children’ pity!

When I was a kid I was massively jealous of my Italian cousin's summer holiday homework (longer holidays than here so the schools set work). I used to make my mum or granddad make worksheets for me.

😄 sounds great!

There’s a competitiveness to it all. Like some people prioritise mental health, even if that means they’re on mumsnet for hours, children having hours of screen time! 20 minutes input a day with the rest of the day free to play, days out etc is a good balance for us.

nicky2512 · 22/07/2021 18:49

Ds has GCSEs next year and has been set a fair bit of work by school for over summer. Basically everything they should have got done this year but didn’t.
He’s ok about doing it and will probably try to get it out of the way quickly.
While I would rather they just had a good break I can understand school wanting to get it done.

Etherel · 22/07/2021 19:11

What is "work"?

I make my children do daily excercise in the garden by letting them run around/ play a game/ going on a walk. They help cook, measuring out ingredients, reading recipes, handling heat safely. They are encouraged to read and are avid readers. We play games (e.g. dice games) which need at the least basic addition/ multiplication. They frequently use ICT equipment, are encouraged to write post cards/ letters and have grown up with a basic understanding of a second language, which gets practised with little phrases. We do little experiments at home, explore interests, complete bits in magazines. We do crafty bits.

None of that is active sit-down work for them. It means I have to be educated to a reasonable level to be able to guide/ explain (e.g. why things work the way they do) and maintain an amount of curiosity and creativity myself. It help us bond and keeps me young.

They are learning without knowing it, a few times a day, every day. No need to make them do "school work".

GiantToadstool · 22/07/2021 19:12

Absolutely Etherel. Some parents I think assume that workbooks are "real work" withiut realising the real life aspect of learning.