To be annoyed by the Duchess of Cambridge's claim that home schooling is 'exhausting'

[Livingtothefull]

www.edp24.co.uk/news/kate-middleton-video-call-parents-homeschooling-challenges-pandemic-7080128

I accept that lockdown has had an impact on everyone to some extent, however privileged. But I can't help being irritated by this. Even if we accept that she is doing the home schooling herself without any help, I don't think there is any comparison between her situation and that of many other people. I am not saying lockdown isn't difficult for her.....but it is a million times harder if you are say a single parent, struggling with home schooling and a minimum wage job which you may lose any time, worried sick about your and DC future if this happens. And doing it in a poky flat instead of a vast country estate.

And I know she may be trying to show empathy with the rest of us. But TBH I would have much more respect for the royals if they would just acknowledge their privilege rather than claim common ground which just isn't there.

@Fridget

I’ve read the link and cannot see that she said she had it as hard as other people?

Exactly because she didn't. She said she was finding it exhausting (and none of us actually know their set up at present). Her feelings are valid.

@nursejekyll

Minniemango- only vulnerable children can have face to face tuition during the current lockdown. If her children are being tutored it will be remotely - which wouldn’t really help with online school lessons.

Can you link to that?

No different to those on here saying how hard lockdown is in their houses, trying to work, homeschool and entertain their children, compared to those in poverty in bedsits or container homes, I'm sure they would say the same to you all.
I am no royal fan, but I am sure in comparison to their normal lives it is difficult.

@StoneofDestiny

Marie Antoinette anyone?

Exactly

It's definitely revolutionary talk isn't it

Oh for Christ sakes. She's a mother of 3 young children, it probably is exhausting having them around 24/7 even with nannies etc

My 3 children are pretty much ages with hers. I am quite pro royal, but I don’t think she’s experiencing my struggle. 😂

Yes, she probably couldn’t have said right for saying wrong, but tbh, I’ve found all the “royals empathise with the people” stuff during covid 19 just quite off key. I doubt she’s on her own with three kids, working, trying to HE the older two while Louis runs feral. They don’t know the fear of their kids falling behind. They don’t worry for their income, and all that that means for their kids. They can’t possibly worry as much as I do about all the opportunities to their children that are being lost, now and in the years to come.

@IcedPurple

It's not like Kate was going on complaining about how 'exhausting' it all was. She was on a Zoom call with a number of others and they were all asked to hold up a card describing, in one word, their experiences of parenting in the pandemic. She chose 'exhausting'. Others chose 'challenging' 'hectic' or something similar. What would you have preferred she wrote? "Doss", "easy", "relaxing"?

I think this is one situation where she couldn't really win.

I voted yanbu but there is a big difference between complaining about being exhausted and giving a one word answer to an on the spot question.

To be fair all kids can be exhausting, maybe they are less perfect at home and fight all the time, although they have just got a puppy so obviously have some energy to spare.

Well she has to at least attempt to be like us.

Do they do all their own cooking, cleaning, housekeeping etc now?

@BarbarAnna
I truly believe majority of the words you listed (tough, hard, challenging) would have gotten the exact same reaction as exhausted has

I was annoyed by her comments as well. And I agree that she should kept her mouth shut or acknowledged her privilege. Her comments were very insensitive.

I don't know if they have tutors or not, but I do remember William saying he can't do year 2 maths and he has difficulty in getting the kids to focus with him so he leaves it to Kate.

Everything about W&K seems false and contrived

Completely agree.

@DoraTan

What else could she of said?? She was asked a direct question about what parenting is like in a lockdown, she could hardly say it's easy and she's having a great time.

She wasn't asking for sympathy FFS.

She could have said even for us it is challenging and we appreciate we have a lot of privileges that most people dont?

@Forf0cksake

where she claimed she’d had to learn how to become a hairdresser

She said she "had became a hairdresser, much to her children's horror" and was laughing during it. You're literally clutching at straws for reasons to get offended here!

Not offended at all. I just happened to catch it whilst cooking dinner and the kids and I had a chuckle at how she clearly felt this made her sound relatable when it was frankly ludicrous and blatantly untrue. As PP upthread have said - it conjures up mental images of her shaking out a bath towel over the kitchen lino whilst Wills sits on a dining chair clutching a shaving mirror nervously!

I feel for them because they are trying to fit in and find a place but I find myself cringing at their serious nodding faces on the zoom chats....earlier on when I was really scared by this pandemic William was laughing and joking with paramedics over panicked people thinking they had IT and he said " do you say, no love its JUST a cough...."

I felt that was so out of touch, he wouldn't be scared in an NHS hospital wondering if his child would get oxygen! Since then maybe his stance is more humble after his dad and he himself caught it.

Intensely annoying and yes I am sure in spite of their wealth they do get the usual problems all hands on parents get!

Sorry that meant to say year 3 maths..

Oh for Christ sakes. She's a mother of 3 young children, it probably is exhausting having them around 24/7 even with nannies etc

I have 3 I honestly think I would cope better if I had tutors, free dh, no job, housekeeper, cleaner, chef, acres. Still tiring but not quite so.

@Forf0cksake maybe. For my money, her hyperbole in saying ‘exhausting’ is what set my teeth on edge. But I think you are right, some people would have been offended whatever.

She could have said even for us it is challenging and we appreciate we have a lot of privileges that most people dont?

It was a one word answer

In practical terms she definitely has it much easier than most of us. On the other hand she has other stresses. I wouldn't swap places with her. There's nothing she can really say. If she says 'it's easy for me as I have a fleet of tutors, private schools and nannies' she'll sound smug and annoying. If she says 'well all in it together it's tough for me too'. We all know it's completely different for her and she doesn't have the same stress as we do.

I would have liked more realness eg it's shitty or boring, or I crack open the alcohol at noon. That would have caused a stir!

@wewillmeetagain

She cant do right for doing wrong in some people's eyes. Was she supposed to say " no its a piece of piss, the nanny does it all"? You have no idea what goes on behind closed doors and how her children behave or learn. Her feelings are just as valid as anyone else and she is just as entitled to them as anyone else.

Well, yes? We all know that's the case. It's her blatantly lying about it that is getting everyones backs up.

You really think that the entire royal staff have suddenly vanished? That they don't get tested daily, weren't first in line when the vaccines were approved, that little Charlotte, George and whatshisname aren't given the best of the best in home education, protection and nutrition?

The above is the absolute basic standard they get at any given time, never mind during a global pandemic. If you don't see that then god knows what planet you live on.

My heart bleeds for her.

If she finding 'home schooling' exhausting can you imagine what would happen if she had to do all the other things in house, feeding, cleaning, laundry and work a full time job!
Helping children do school work is the easiest part.
Her children are very young don't think George would be assigned hours of school work.
Generally like Kate but this one she got wrong. No doubt she is exhausted but majority have it lot harder so she could have followed it with at least I don't have to prepare meals ..

That’s a LOT of hyperbole from Kate Middleton.
She should get a grip.