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.

Write to them explaining your key worker status and also exactly what you do. Ask in the letter that they either find a space or liaise with the LA to find you a space in another school. They will probably find you a space then.

[quote dreamingbohemian]@TheOrigRights Ice cube painting! See that's ridiculous. Fine if you want to do it, but next time just don't do this kind of stuff.

I would also tell the school you can't access Android apps and ask them for an alternative, otherwise you will find your own substitute.

If children are not in school, the school can't expect everyone to homeschool to the same level or in the same way. Every family should work out what's best for them.[/quote]
I think if he'd realised how much of a faff it would be, DS would not have been keen to do it. He's struggling with things at the moment, so when he's keen to do something I encourage him. Also art is a really good activity.

He didn't do the DT project to make a support for an egg or some of the scientific experiments.

With the app, we didn't realise it was an android one until after he'd been emailing his teacher back and forth.

I really want to support what the school is doing, so I don't want to be negative.

Similar situation here. After a near nervous breakdown I concluded that it's impossible to do everything and I've made my peace with that.

I told the teacher we will do what we can, and what we do will always be a day late because we can't be hovering over DD (9) with one eye on the school website waiting for the next task to arrive.

So now every evening I look over the set work for that day, pick out the important bits (mainly maths, reading and writing) and organise it for DD to do the next day. If I open the necessary powerpoints/websites for her, print out any worksheets and write her some basic instructions, she can usually give it a good go on her own.

Some things that have really helped:

I. Putting each subject's instructions in a separate envelope marked "Task1" "Task 2" etc. DD got really overwhelmed if confronted with a long list and would give up in despair, but can handle one task at a time before opening the next envelope.

1. Ignoring anything that requires parental input because it simply isn't available.

1. Ignoring all non-essential work like collective worship, competitions, challenges and stuff like daily well-being activities and anything under the heading "PSHE". (Not that I don't think these things have value under usual circumstances - but we have to prioritise).

1. On Friday afternoons I finish work early, so I pick one of two of the tasks that required parental input and we work through those together.

This approach gets about 60-75% of the set work done, just a bit later than everyone else does it.

I spend about 45 mins each evening sending scans of her work into school, and preparing tasks for the next day. It's onerous but manageable with a cup of tea/glass of wine. I'm no longer tearing my hair out, and DD's teacher is pretty pleased with how she's doing now.

Nobody dismissed the OP. People have been giving suggestions. None of which qualify as grotesque.

Oh yes, you did.

Oh shush! They absolutely do have time when they aren’t working! OP had time to post here for starters!

Point me to the helpful suggestion?

Can you sign her up to carol vordamens maths it’s free for 21 days . Get her doing the games on that while your on calls

I do wish schools would figure out some resources that would let kids directly enter their answers into a website or app, because printing and scanning and uploading PDFs is so fucking tedious and time-consuming.

hammeringinmyhead

Exactly. No practical help and just a contemptuous dismissal of what is being said. Nasty.

Yeah it's shit. I cried today after doing English with mine, and I'm an English teacher ffs. Now they watch TV and play games online. I drink in the garden. Just do whatever you can. Single parent , lockdown. , 2 kids,. Shit shit shit

@HearMeSnore

Similar situation here. After a near nervous breakdown I concluded that it's impossible to do everything and I've made my peace with that.

I told the teacher we will do what we can, and what we do will always be a day late because we can't be hovering over DD (9) with one eye on the school website waiting for the next task to arrive.

So now every evening I look over the set work for that day, pick out the important bits (mainly maths, reading and writing) and organise it for DD to do the next day. If I open the necessary powerpoints/websites for her, print out any worksheets and write her some basic instructions, she can usually give it a good go on her own.

Some things that have really helped:

I. Putting each subject's instructions in a separate envelope marked "Task1" "Task 2" etc. DD got really overwhelmed if confronted with a long list and would give up in despair, but can handle one task at a time before opening the next envelope.

1. Ignoring anything that requires parental input because it simply isn't available.

1. Ignoring all non-essential work like collective worship, competitions, challenges and stuff like daily well-being activities and anything under the heading "PSHE". (Not that I don't think these things have value under usual circumstances - but we have to prioritise).

1. On Friday afternoons I finish work early, so I pick one of two of the tasks that required parental input and we work through those together.

This approach gets about 60-75% of the set work done, just a bit later than everyone else does it.

I spend about 45 mins each evening sending scans of her work into school, and preparing tasks for the next day. It's onerous but manageable with a cup of tea/glass of wine. I'm no longer tearing my hair out, and DD's teacher is pretty pleased with how she's doing now.

I do something very similar to this (minus the enveloppes, but sound like a good idea :). I have told the teachers we will be handing some of the work in late - what matters is that she does the work, not exactly when she does it. In all honesty, by the end of the week things have generally slipped - so we do a couple of hours on a saturday morning. (I would say the work from Thur and especially Fri gets spread over 3 days). And I definitely use my common sense in terms of what is the most important - maths and english yes, as it is foundational. Anything else is less important, as can be caught up later (you don't need to understand the vikings to do the egyptians, etc).

Oh yes, you did.

I dismissed the OP? Where? Point to it.

Point me to the helpful suggestion?

Mine? Here you go, it’s on the first page of the thread.

Or could she keep it for a time in the day when either you or DH are home and not working?

@AStudyinPink

hammeringinmyhead

Exactly. No practical help and just a contemptuous dismissal of what is being said. Nasty.

Look if you say you’re done arguing with me then be done, don’t start trying to dig into through the back door by slagging me off to others. Either have the conviction of engaging with me directly on it or drop it.

I think its totally insane and can't believe it's not spoken about more. I say this as someone who is freelance so loosing thousands but at least I'm able to homeschool and doing reasonably well!!!
I'm still getting up at 5am to work and working in the evenings however. I do have three dcs and one a toddler so teaching two other kids full-time while my 3 year old watches too much tv.
We are literally teaching the syllabus. I'm a former teacher so I can see that we are covering all the work that should be covered in class. There's no schools open to anyone whatsoever in Ireland and we have no online classes at all ! Its just amazing that people think its even possible for a parent who is working full time to cover and teach or even do the basics and yanno mind children. Its like someone arriving into a class I teach and giving me some toddlers and another job and going here you go mind these and teach too etc. Its easy to see in that example its impossible obviously .
Yes it's not the schools fault that its a pandemic but I think in all honesty the message should be " we are closed (as I said in Ireland they are closed completely) so we can't provide an education right now" and let parents try and keep a roof over their heads without this added pressure . I'm referring to primary. Its like its been forgotten that our taxes are paying for schools and still are while parents are teaching the syllabus now. My youngest child's pre school is also completely closed so they have now nearly missed 7 months with last lockdown and now this one and the preschool receives ecce funding for my child's place.. where is that money now??
There's so many threads about teacher bashing but I see loads of posts bashing parents , many of whom are barely keeping their heads above water.

OP had time to post here for starters!

Right here.

Guess if she cuts out a five minute typing session on Mumsnet during lunchtime it'll solve her problems. It's like telling under-30s saving for a house deposit not to buy avocados.

And for starters? What other frivolous things are working parents doing in their few moments of free time?

No help but we have had a similar day here with tears all round and a failed daughter..and a neglected job.

willFOURbagsbeenough

Or... if you jump in calling people “silly” for pointing out the obvious, expect them to say what the hell they like.

Right here.

Right here what? What do you think that post is evidence of?

@AStudyinPink

willFOURbagsbeenough

Or... if you jump in calling people “silly” for pointing out the obvious, expect them to say what the hell they like.

More silliness.

I dismissed the OP? Where? Point to it.

So I did! You numpty.

Guess if she cuts out a five minute typing session on Mumsnet during lunchtime it'll solve her problems. It's like telling under-30s saving for a house deposit not to buy avocados.

She could hold her pee.

Cut out meals.

Get a cleaner.

Nicely avoiding the rest of my post by the way. All of OPs posts were between 12.15pm and 1pm. God forbid the whole household has a break and a sarnie at lunchtime.

So I did! You numpty.

Except you didn’t. that wasn’t dismissing the OP. No need for name calling.

The school should offer a place, they are not supposed to be limiting places, your daughter needs it.

@AStudyinPink

@hammeringinmyhead

Nicely avoiding the rest of my post by the way. All of OPs posts were between 12.15pm and 1pm. God forbid the whole household has a break and a sarnie at lunchtime.

Ignoring it? Of course. It was clearly nonsense.

OP I'm in a similar situation here. On the verge of a nervous breakdown, can't sleep etc. I feel I'm failing in all areas. It's just impossible. Have no answer but wanted to let you know you aren't alone