Homeschooling is impossible- end of my tether

[Edenspirits]

Both DH and I have keyworker status - I teach full time at a university so the department of education have given lecturers keyworker status and DH works shifts in a blue light call centre.

But the school have said they have no spaces as they are full.

I broke down today in tears as I am trying to teach live and plan my lessons and DD who is 8 is on her own most of the day and I have no time to school her. She needs my support and isn’t old enough to do it on her own despite trying to set her work. My lectures can be up to 2 hours.

I feel like I am neglecting her as she is mostly watching TV.

aibu to feel like I am going to have a breakdown if this continues for much longer.

Don’t do it. Slow down. You are working. You can’t be her teacher as well.

There are so many people in a similar situation, it’s impossible Unfortunately all we can do is muddle through and know better times are coming. It is shit though!

Tell school you can’t do it. If that’s problematic they need to find you a place.

Does her school work have to be done during a set time? Is her school teaching live? Or could she keep it for a time in the day when either you or DH are home and not working?

Don’t be hard on yourself. An hour or so of quality support from you a day is worth so much, but hours of frustrating half work is no good for anyone. Let her watch tv during your lectures and help her around it. You can only do your best.

Contact your local authority over the school place.

Can you pick one thing to do each day - could you do one task and her dad do one other?
And record something from bbc Bitesize that looks appropriate and put that on.
We have a fairly strict timetable if who is meant to be working with the dc that is planned round our live lessons. It is not fun is it, but some days are definitely harder than others!

So many people are the same
I’ve heard of online lessons and 3 kids turn up
It’s this dirty secret that we are all dying and failing !!!!
I hear you and we all need to be kinder to ourselves
And ignore the smug ones

I am horrified that you don’t have a school place under those circumstances since you clearly qualify.

I’m not surprised you are at breaking point. Please be kind to yourself.

Don't view it as all or nothing.

We both teach from home but in Scotland you don't get a kw place if wfh. And this is safer so I wouldn't want to use one anyway.

I did ask the school as was so worried about DD not doing anything much but they just said because I am ‘at home’ it’s unfair to other people. I get it- I am not trying to take the piss but my job is busy and full on and full- meetings, office hours for students, planning & the live stuff- I have no time. I feel like I am going mad to be honest.

You can't do both and maintain any kind of sanity. My DC's primary school have been really good and said to please try with the online schooling but remember that any kind of learning is good right now. How about getting her to choose some books on amazon that spark her interest? Also, disney+ have loads of documentaries that she could watch and learn something from. It sounds really difficult for you, something has to give.

I would contact them again, and the LA, and explain that no, you’re not ‘at home’, you are live teaching through the day. It is the same as if you weren’t there, bar a safety concern. Your child is missing out on her education. Make more noise.

If there are no places at your DC's school, then the LA should offer to find you a place at a school thay isn't over-subscribed. Give them a call and see what they say?

Can you get the uni to write a letter supporting the need for a school place?

To be honest, I had a really dismissive email from the school that made me feel awful & like I was taking the piss because I am at home so it’s left me feeling really like i have no options

@Mumof1andacat I have a letter - both of us have keyworker letters

@AStudyinPink

I would contact them again, and the LA, and explain that no, you’re not ‘at home’, you are live teaching through the day. It is the same as if you weren’t there, bar a safety concern. Your child is missing out on her education. Make more noise.

Agree with this. You're a key worker in the same way their own teachers are.

Does she get any live lessons from school she can join? Could she also watch any of the BBC programmes they are doing at the moment.

Then maybe at the weekend you can pick some of her schoolwork to go through.

Are they doing any topic work that she can do by herself for a bit?

To be honest, I had a really dismissive email from the school that made me feel awful & like I was taking the piss because I am at home so it’s left me feeling really like i have no options

Take it straight to your LA. That’s unacceptable.

Really interesting stuff in the media today about screen time and esp x box and video games to help dc hook up to friends?

Mine is on x box most of the day chatting to friends and I think this is essential for her well being.

Then in between work breaks I do what needs to be done, but only the core subjects.
Is she a reader? My older dd was avid reader age 8 and was tearing through books so if so perhaps you could supply books, unfortunatelt my 8 year old doesn't like reading.

They have no right to talk to you like that. Complain and insist. Your child is entitled to a place.

The school aren’t doing any live lessons- it’s all pdfs with some links to bitesize etc which is fine IF I could sit with her but i can’t - I feel so bloody useless and like I am failing her

@Edenspirits

Does her school work have to be done during a set time? Is her school teaching live? Or could she keep it for a time in the day when either you or DH are home and not working?