Why is it so hard to teach your own child?

[mymindminecraft]

My DS is in reception, so I understand the work, I can get my head around phonics and the quirky terms they seem to have for everything maths related bloody number sentences.

Normally I have great patience to play games with my kids, or do messy crafts or baking, but I can't seem to teach them. I can even explain it, I feel like I want to explode with frustration trying to get DS to write or just actually look at the word in the book to read it rather than guessing from the pictures. Ahhhhhhhhhh and it seems to take so long. I know young children have short attention spans, but we achieve nothing.

I’ve been teaching for years and years, including my own children in a class. But, I struggle to teach my dd aged 8 now we’re at home. It’s so much easier at school. They just conform and do what is expected of them. I teach remotely and wait until my school day is over before I can even think about starting her lessons.

I think many people tend to have high expectations of their own children and very little patience. They look at their kids as a reflection of themselves and their own intelligence, so there is a lot at stake. "You are MY child, you cannot be that stupid!"

I am so grateful for this thread. Thankyou all for being so honest and putting this terrible frustration into words, its like therapy

My year 8 holds me up on some undeserved pedestal that I am the font of all knowledge, in all the subjects she has. I did ok at school but it was almost 30 years ago. Spent most of today googling areas of trapeziums so I could answer the never ending list of questions.

Op I would do learning on the sly eg colouring, motor skills, holding the pen, do mazes stuff like that.
Just read for phonics.

Read books, get him to read a word every so often, flash Cards.
Basic maths and counting.
Build on the foundation skills.

I think it is because of the emotional connection with your own children. The closer you are to someone the harder it is to carry out a professional kind of role with them.
I'm not a teacher but I coach a sport on a voluntary basis. I have almost infinite patience when I am in my coaching role, but I get frustrated very quickly if I try to coach my own children. I'm very fond of the children I coach but of course I don't love them like my own children so it is easier to be that little bit detached and not let things get under your skin. It works the other way too of course. When I shout "tidy up time!" all the children flock to help, but at home a fair number of them probably throw tantrums if their parents ask them to do any tidying. I don't have any super powers - I'm just an adult that isn't Mum!
I think it happens in other roles too. One of our neighbours is a senior doctor but says that she is a complete wreck if any of her family are ill or injured.
Don't be too hard on yourself OP. You are definitely not alone in having these issues. I agree with the other posters who've said that play is crucial at this age. Keep more formal learning to short periods so that neither of you gets too stressed but try to work things like counting, simple arithmetic etc into games a bit too. I'm sure you are doing a much better job than you think you are.

I feel better my 5 year old had a major meltdown during her zoom class she'd had enough and then she threw an whopper of a tantrum for about 30 mins she's fine now.

I feel sorry for them they've had two year groups worth of education severely disrupted and they can't see their friends. The world is upside down for them

I struggle with mine the eldest is undiagnosed dyslexic and it's so bloody hard also online classes are so intrusive into our home environment

Just hope this is over soon not sure how much more I can cope with