Anyone else worried about lockdown with small children (whilst simultaneously “working from home”)

[Ilikeviognier]

Just that. A bit worried really - obviously there are bigger things at stake like lives so clearly we will do what we have to.

BUT- I have a 3.5 and a 5 year old. Both boys. When together at home they fight, so much fighting, argue; get sooo bored if not completely entertained. When schools close, I’m going to somehow work from home, whilst home schooling and supervising the fighting, also presumably we won’t be allowed out by that point so we’ll all be climbing the walls.... and for how long?

Anyone else worried about this? 😳

Not working but a 20 month old boy who won’t watch films and will go crazy being cooped up 🤯😱😭 I feel you!

Me. Mine are 11 and 8 though. The 11 year old will be Ok to entertain himself, his sister but so much. Our broadband isn’t great, not sure it’ll cope with online homework, working from home, tv and video games.

3 year old twin boys and a baby here I'm 4 days into isolation and I want to cry

Yep, we’ve been instructed to WFH for the foreseeable and if my childcare shuts down I’ll be trying to do it with a 20 month old constantly whinging thing who’ll be forever trying to grab my laptop!

Maybe will help?!

18m and 3. Wfh from monday. Expecting the call from childcare any day to say they are closing. No idea how I am meant to teach university students remotely using unfamiliar technology whilst trying to keep 2 dc safe. I say safe because that is the barest minimum level and I cannot envisage that I will be capable of anything much beyond that.

Yes, I admitted that I wouldn’t be able to do my normal output from home if the schools close (3 dcs) as my small house would be noisy. Have been told that I MUST do my work so will have to go into the office. Don’t really have a choice as can’t afford to lose my job.

Have been doing it since last week with a 6 and 2 year old. It’s a nightmare. I have no tips or tricks.

I e taken time off to prep for some exams. Like fuck is that going to happen. I only need to pass so I’m just going to hope that I can wing it with minimal study

I'm trying to get some stuff sorted in advance. Educational apps on the tablets, extra art supplies, stocking up on second hand books and board games of course . Although I can work from home in theory in practice it's almost impossible so it will be an interesting experiment!

DH is doing up the garage. I’ve threatened DS if school is closed and he says he’s bored that’s where he’s staying til school is back in.

I believe you..... God what are we going to do?!!

(That was aimed at Stikybeak)

My employer has basically said do what you can if you’ve got children at home. If the schools and nurseries close this will be millions of households so employers will have to just suck it up.

I've a 12 and 8 yr old, if I leave them for more than 5 minutes together they will literally kill each other. We are splitting them between myself and my ex whilst all this is going on. I can work with my 12 yr old, but my 8 yr old needs constant supervision, she's got adhd and other behaviour issues. So my ex is having her and I'm having the eldest during the day.

Day 2 here with 3.5 & 5 year old boys. Had to separate a full blown fight in the bath today before one of them ended up drown

Chucked them out in the garden for 1 hour this afternoon so I got a little peace to tidy up after they had ransacked the house.

Tomorrow I'm taking them bike riding for a few hours, we are rural so won't see anyone, I can't stay inside with them all day it's carnage

We have done some school work, Lego , board games too

Making pancakes tomorrow

Yup.
I have my own business and work from home anyway, but DD’s school has closed as of today.
Tomorrow I’m going to have to try home schooling (she’s been given a massive work pack), get my head round the teaching (fronted advertises, anyone?!), and also try to figure out a way to try to run my business.
Work has dropped off a cliff (I work in recruitment), I’m owed £50k for work already invoiced, and DP is also self employed, so no idea what to do.

Throw into the mix that we’re also getting married in the next few months (or were!!!), I feel a bit stressed right now!
Oh, and we were also supposed to be moving house, but resigned to the fact that it’s not going to happen...

We’re both WFH and we have a very demanding 5 year old - I think we’ll probably do 2 hours on, 2 hours off, with the “on” person keeping hold of their work phone or laptop while supervising Lego building and tv watching and homework. Not ideal but we’re luckier than lots so trying not to whinge.

Yes - 6 and 3 year old to content with bjt at least DH and I are both at home so we can tag team them.

I have a 8 year old dd and 6 year old ds. Got sent home from school today due to them taking ds’s temp as he complained of being unwell. His temps been under 37 every time I’ve taken it since but he says he feels unwell and school won’t take him back so feel we should do the responsible thing and stay in for the 14 days. So they’re both essentially well and it’s been hard work today! We’ve agreed to make a timetable in the morning and they want to do some of the things they do at school (like telling me what transport they came to school on (?) and choosing their lunch etc). So I’m going to try and go with quite a structured day, when all I actually want to do is Netflix and slob. I’m wfh too, but am part time so only have to do 5 hours per day. Will try and sit them at the table and set them some writing work when I’m at the computer but that may be very optimistic of me!
I’m also trying to let a lot of the bad behaviour wash over me as it must be quite hard for them to understand and emotionally cope with. Oh and I have lots of gin for when they’re asleep!

Im in France and this is my reality. Its bloody hard however employers are sympthetic as for the most part they are dealing with the same!

The French government has also said you can sign off on full time sick leave if you are unable to work from home - and that includes having DC so young that you can't work and look after them.

I know several colleagues who are cracking though.

Kids will have to learn how to be bored and how to deal with that. We did, pre iPads and video games. Kids will fight, kids will be noisy, at first, but they'll have to choice but to find a way through it eventually. Do you think children during wars or disasters had to be constantly managed by the parents?

I wonder if fathers are having all this panic over childcare? I hope they are

We’re currently both off as we’re self isolating for 14 days so for now one of us does the morning and the other the afternoon in terms of childcare vs working. Even with that my 4 year old appeared in a video call this morning and I assembled a Lego model while talking to the bank.

Have no idea how we’re going to manage when DH goes back to work and I’m doing it all solo. Work will have to take what they get and accept I might be most productive out of normal hours! I did warn them it would be a nightmare and I’m not the only one in the same boat

Yep I am!!!
Ds1 is nearly 7 and Ds2 is nearly 5 and they fight all the time. I'm like a referee. Dh is already working from home but actually needs to work which is impossible with kids.

I'm still going into work until my boss says otherwise