To want to hear about those kids/teens who are stoically getting on with lockdown

[DuchessFerrara]

Not taking a pop at young people with SEN or MH issues. It must be heartbreaking to watch them endure the isolation and frustration of lockdown.

I would like to hear about the DC who, like my Yr11, don't feel as though their lives have been decimated. Aren't aggrieved to be making sacrifices for the "oldies". Don't feel their education has been wasted because their exams have been cancelled.

I'd love to hear about those DC who are knuckling down to their studies without too much complaint, are optimistic for the future and are - for the most part - pleasant to be around.

My year 13 has carried on working as hard as she can with school while navigating a medicine application. She says she tries not to think about what she can't control and is doing work as she would do in school. She likes working from home as her style of learning and revising fits well with that.

She has the odd "wish I knew what was happening with exams" but she knows no one can tell her that at the moment so all she can do is work hard and hope it works out.

Meanwhile it's me having daily stress about it.

My 10 year old will have the odd wobble about missing his mates, but he got a phone for his 10th birthday and is able to chat to them as often as he wants, he's fine for the most part. Education-wise, he's making excellent progress with his maths and english, particularly his maths - who knew having one-on-one help with tricky subjects would be beneficial? He's just getting on with it.

My 7 year old is doing well too, though again misses her friends. We've started writing letters to them and she's enjoyed that a lot. She's also made really good progress with her maths and english.

4yo is still attending nursery because they're open, nothing has changed for her.

I, however, need a fucking break...

My DC (teens) are fairly stoic and relaxed, including my autistic DS.

In fairness, their schools have been great. DD has a full-on live teaching timetable on Teams, which has kept her engaged, but she is quite a self-starter and needs minimal supervision to crack on. They've given the kids a later start and longer lunch break, too, so she has down time. She is missing seeing her friends and REALLY missing her sports, but she is fairly cheerful all in all. I think rolling out of bed and putting on her onesie, then leisurely making herself breakfast before logging on, is still a novelty .

DS is going in (special school) 3 days a week and home schooling the rest, but its very relaxed and tailored towards his SEN. His social life is mostly related to gaming online, anyway, so he isn't missing what he didnt have, and his mood is pretty good as he has few demands on him and his anxiety is reduced. I am a bit concerned about the prpogress we were making with his independence pre-covid. He was travelling around London independently and had started attending some extra curricular classes, but thats all stopped now.

I think the main stress has been on us parents. I fucking HATE working from home. DH works from home anyway, but hates having us all here . Some days are really stressful, especially when the internet is dodgy and nobody can get anything done.

Both my children are coping well. Both have full days of online school which keeps them busy. The elder is in his A level years and has a girlfriend who lives in walking distance and they meet up in the park to walk the dog. He also is on line every day with his friends. He is missing his sport, but ok so far with just a rowing machine. The younger is less social and more arty so in enjoying the free time to focus on this. He is loving not having to do sports and I have more of a problem getting him out to get fresh air.

[quote FlyingPandas]@swg1 that must be incredibly hard [/quote]
It's.. rough but survivable. The house usually looks like a bomb's hit it and we could definitely use more outside time (but that's more a weather issue than anything - in the NE here). Being strict with myself and making meals on a Sunday helps - last Sunday it was two pasta dishes, a rice pudding and a shepherds pie from Sunday dinner leftovers which covered three lots of dinners and lunches so I had less to think about in terms of food in the week.

(Also if I'm being very blunt, life insurance money helps in that I could cut my hours and pay for private Zoom lessons. Things are easier with money; go figure).

well, I have 3 teens, and I tutor 6 kids per week (via zoom)

All 9 of them are OK.
Not amazing, they have good days and bad days, but they are all fundametally ok.

Some key things though
they all have access to good tech
they all have good school/online provision (my year 8 dd is only coping becuase she has live school every lesson)
they all have very suportive families.
They all have space, houses with enough bedrooms, a study, and garden etc, so they have space to work and play,and not get on top of each other.
They are all pretty successful at school anyway, so it isn;t hard.

My own teens are all meeting friends online a LOT. dd2 is glued to her phone.
dd1 goes out dog wlking with a local friend.
ds (18) has his girlfriend livign with us, so he is fine.

I have one at uni who is doing an allied health course so, after the first lockdown messed up everything (placement cancelled, students moving back home etc), it's now settled down and she moved back to her uni city and she's back on placement and loving it.

My Yr 12 DS isn't too bad most of the time - he finds online lectures harder work than face-to-face and exhausting but he balances it with lots of contact with friends (mainly online gaming with them) in the evenings and we drag him out for long walks and bike rides to prevent him from never leaving the house.

My son has autism. He is happy being off and getting all his work done. He will also be happy to go back to school as he misses some things about it.

My 6yo has really struggled and us angry and confused why she can't see her friends or we can't go swimming. I have lots of friends with children of different ages who are struggling. Tbh that's the reaction I would expect. I would think it strange if a child was ok with not going out and seeing friends. I think we won't know the longer term impact on children for some time. I'm sure there are some kids that do prefer it but surely the minority

As an adult I'm starting to stop missing going out and seeing people. It feels like I'm sliding into a depression rather than coping well tho.

Mine are fine, very happy.

My teen and his friends arrange social stuff online, they watch films on Netflix together, they even make an effort to dress smart casual and all put their cams on.

My primary school child enjoys her live lessons and is taking it in her stride.

I'm worried about my toddler, there's nothing for him but us. Nearly half his life like this. I'm hoping we can make it up for him.

Both my eldest DS (13 & 14) are like this. They really struggled last time, but this time they’re much more stoic and pragmatic. My DD on the other hand is a struggling one, whereas she was fine last time. There’s no rhyme nor reason I don’t think.

I'm with @HUCKMUCK mostly OK, just a few grumbles (RS notwithstanding), just can't get them out of the house to get some fresh air and exercise. It's me who's struggling with it!

It's not school that bothers my yr11 dd. She's just getting on with that although would rather be there in person. It's everything else.

She is really missing meeting her friends for lunch and them all going shopping in primark. Missing going upto London to go to theatre. The holidays we've misssd out on in the last year and just having family days out. All the good things in life!

My two are grudgingly accepting it but are also pissed off about all the things they are missing out on - the trips, the clubs, proper social interaction. It worries me that so many young people seem content to live in a virtual world sitting in their bedrooms and not having experiences. It’s not healthy and is not setting them up properly for independent life. This should be a time when they are spreading their wings and learning about the world - not sat playing the Xbox.

Both of mine are doing very well indeed. Year 7 & 12.
But to be fair OP, this year for Year 11, GCSE year, has got to be one of the shittiest ever!

Mine is a teen and had stopped going out randomly to socialize anyway.

I worry about the disappearance of physical activity, sport and ftf social interaction. School pals do talk and game online so that's the silver lining.

I worry. They are just getting on without complaint.

I'd love to hear about those DC who are knuckling down to their studies without too much complaint, are optimistic for the future and are - for the most part - pleasant to be around.

As appose to the ungrateful unpleasent kids that complain too much about a reduced access to studies, social isolation and a rushed and forced review of the examination method they have spent years being preped for...

Sure lets gloss over all that and only discuss the kids who gove us all licence to congratulate ourselves for schools being closed.

@loopyapp

I'd love to hear about those DC who are knuckling down to their studies without too much complaint, are optimistic for the future and are - for the most part - pleasant to be around.

As appose to the ungrateful unpleasent kids that complain too much about a reduced access to studies, social isolation and a rushed and forced review of the examination method they have spent years being preped for...

Sure lets gloss over all that and only discuss the kids who gove us all licence to congratulate ourselves for schools being closed.

Oh don't be pathetic. Have you read any posts on here. Dfod.

I have a young teenage sister - to be fair she’s been brilliant!

She does her school work as needed - just cracks on. As the work doesn’t quite cover the usual school hours, she’s usually done by lunch and has been expanding her cooking skills and prepping dinner for the family. She of course, misses her friends, but they are still happy to Zoom each other etc -and seem to be doing a lot tiktok videos where they sort of take a role each and edit it into one, its quite creative!

She’s had days where she’s a bit moody but as 13 year old I guess thats normal, but she’s looking forward to going back to school. She’s taken mask wearing social distancing in her stride and I’m really proud of her.

congratulate ourselves for schools being closed

HA. As if. I want them to open so badly. I love them with everything I have but I've just about had enough, we live in a too-small house and I'm never alone. I find myself going for a wee when I don't even need one, just so I can lock a fucking door. My mental health is at an all-time low.

But my kids are fine, but they'd do better in school with a qualified teacher. It's not 'glossing' over to say that they're fine though. I'm not ok. Many, many kids are not ok. It's just the way it is.

@loopyapp

I'd love to hear about those DC who are knuckling down to their studies without too much complaint, are optimistic for the future and are - for the most part - pleasant to be around.

As appose to the ungrateful unpleasent kids that complain too much about a reduced access to studies, social isolation and a rushed and forced review of the examination method they have spent years being preped for...

Sure lets gloss over all that and only discuss the kids who gove us all licence to congratulate ourselves for schools being closed.

I don't think anyone has had that attitude? We were asked a question, and haven't criticised anyone struggling. Just happen to be very lucky with our personal situation, and most are fully aware it's not the same for many. There's enough negativity in the world, it's unfair to criticise anyone's positive experience or their children.

This is one of the times when my DSs autism is a blessing in disguise.

His particular “flavour” of autism includes extreme social anxiety. He dislikes being around anyone. He tolerates very close family in small doses.

He hasn’t left the house since his college went online in December. He hasn’t missed friends because he doesn’t have any. He literally has NO ONE to miss. He will be eighteen this year but even with no covid there would have been no party. He is very happy right now.

Me typing this and realising just how alone he is (through choice) .... well ..... 😭

DD is 7 and has coped really well. She’s a resilient and adaptive child and is very laid back (like her father)
She also sees potential in situations that feel a bit hopeless (rain can lead to rainbows and puddles to jump in) and she’s very mindful and “in the moment”, she notices little things that pass me by
She’s getting on with her schoolwork, enough, but she’s doing other stuff to help her mental well-being

Mine, 15, is getting on with it. He dislikes school and the friend scene there hasn't worked out. Tbh I'd be happier if he was more frustrated with it all - it's not right for someone his age to be confined at home, months without any social contact :(