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.

@itispersonal

What do you want her to say. Tough luck peasants- I have a Norland nanny, chef and a PA.

Yes

But homeschooling is exhausting. Whether you have a job or not, whether you’re a single parent or not. Blah blah. It’s a cold hard fact.

She has to show empathy op. What’s she going to say? I’ve a nanny and tutors and it’s alright for me?

To be fair though I understand she does do a lot of it.

I’m NCing after this.

I had a video call with DoC last year in Lockdown No 1. PW set up the call on the laptop and couldn’t figure out what to do. There was a few minutes of shouting “are you on mute???” At each other. Figured it out and had the call. As we were finishing up G and C ran in and PG showed us some shit he’s been making, DoC trying to usher him out. C then had the mother of all tantrums and went absolutely berserk, threw herself on the floor and all sorts. DoC and I and the other people on the call and wry “homeschooling, shit isn’t it “ type remarks. Eventually Nanny turns up and drags them out.

Honestly, looked like a normal family to me, although most of us haven’t got a nanny tbf.

If she’d said, oh it’s absolutely fine for me, I have all these nannies and housekeepers you know...would that have been better? Just an attempt at empathy, wasn’t it?

Laughing at all the ma’am Kate arselickers desperately trying to paint a she’s just like us picture. Yes. We are all married up and in the monarchy, finger painting to CBeebies and picking butter out our hair whilst doing y2 maths

It’s not a race to the bottom
It’s not a who’s got it worst competition
It’s a let’s not be brayed at by the horsey monied crew pretending that they’re ordinary with ordinary lives

Jesus it’s not a competition is it? She will be vilified no Matter what she says.

I think KM is getting pretty heavy criticism isn’t she @Hotzenplotz ? Not least from me.

I don’t know why you need to resort to demeaning nicknames and dragging someone else into it, though.

No it’s not a competition so Kate shouldn’t falsely enter best in show category

I've never felt strongly for or against the RF however the concept does all seem a little irrelevant & old fashioned now.

But homeschooling is exhausting. Whether you have a job or not, whether you’re a single parent or not. Blah blah. It’s a cold hard fact

Do you seriously think in their expensive school that there aren't live zoom classes and tutors giving additional lessons to their pupils? And of course the trained nanny sitting though the lessons and/or minding the younger child when Kate or William do sit in on the lessons?

She's just like us.

oh wait...

@gottakeeponmovin

I am not a single parent, I have very nice house with lots of land. I have three kids and I am also struggling to home school them. It's not exclusive to people on low incomes and single parents - we are all finding it hard. So yes YABVU

Yes, absolutely, but would you not reflect a bit before broadcasting that to the nation? Would you not consider that perhaps, even though like many people you are (legitimately) finding it hard, you are in a more privileged position than most and therefore perhaps it would be prudent to show awareness of that and keep your own struggles to yourself? With privilege comes responsibility and all of that.

How about:"different ". People could have taken from that what they wanted.

If she's exhausted after hs with help though, she probably needs more vitamins. I suspect my entire house probably fits into her porch. We're cramped and sick of each other. I'm doing 12 hour days. My upper junior age kids are doing school work without my help cos I'm working. I'm tired and have constant screen headaches and backache. But I'm still much, much more fortunate than others. So no, I wouldn't tell people I'm exhausted, because I'm pretty sure I have it better than a lot. So if asked, I'd go with:"different ". Or maybe:"I'm lucky to have the privilege I have. I can only begin to imagine what it's like in other circumstances. "

I think a lot of people on MN have an unrealistic idea of what staff can achieve.

Your children come and find you. They have demands. Even if one child is with the nanny, others aren't.

Nannies do not automatically do all the Teams/Seesaw/home educating especially if there is only one of them and it wasn't their job before.

It may not be as exhausting or as difficult. But you'd have to be hugely disengaged not to exhausted by the current circumstances, even with staff. To an engaged parent as Kate appears to be, nannies are mother's helps - someone to be with one child while the others yell blue murder, someone hold the fort while you get important things done before returning to the fray - but not someone to make the children disappear while you sip a martini. That's not what it's like for most people with help.

@SoddingWeddings

For fucks sake, it's not a competition. All parents are struggling in some way right now.

We might not be in the same boats (some might be in super yachts rather than leaky canoes) but we're all in the same damn storm.

Having more rooms in a house doesn't make children happier, but it does make life a little easier in other ways.

Those children can't see their elderly grandparents and great grandparents, just like all other children.

This.

Add in the fact that going to school will be the only even remotely normal thing those kids do and I imagine being off school is not proving to be a lot of fun.

And don’t forget rich kids can be little shits too. They’re probably a horror to homeschool

What is she supposed to say? She has to do these zoom calls and talk to people. That is literally her job. And she has to deal with nasty people criticising her all the time. I would hate to be in her position. Probably why a lot of people don’t want to marry into the royal family.

Utter nonsense. I know parents with help, point is they’re not disturbed or found

It's quite insulting of her to even say it's exhausting. Never in a million years is it for her.

Plus, what's she meant to do. You're damned if you show empathy because you're not allowed to experience these emotions. Show sympathy 'Gosh that must be hard for people in that situation' and you're Othering them. Say 'Well it's not bad for me' and you need some kind of PR training.

If you're jealous of someone, they won't be able to say anything right.

I think home schooling Charlotte would be very exhausting and a million dollars would not make it less exhausting.

Delightful child.

Perhaps it would have been better for her to focus on how much her kids are also struggling. Because that’s really why we are all finding it so hard. Kids aren’t designed to be shut away and to learn from internet videos. They miss their friends, and they miss school.

Her kids sure as hell aren’t providing the side show entertainment for her colleagues in the same way that mine are for mine. My colleagues are lovely and supportive but I’m feeling like we are a bit of a distraction right now. Had to leave a meeting to sort out a fight between my kids and then rejoined soothing/cuddling a half naked child