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Original poster

Will the children ever catch up?

46 replies

Nostrings457 · 02/04/2020 17:42

I am a keyworker - senior management working from home, very stressful, decisions to make, lots of skypes etc...with 3 DC, year 2, reception and pre-school. DH also a keyworker who is at work.

I am just about surviving the day to day juggling of working and not neglecting the DC. Far too much screen time for my liking but I'm at a loss of how else to make this situation work.

The school app and FB page is full of home schooling photos which is making me feel so much guilt. Working from home goes against everything I usually do in terms of me not having screen time when DC are here.

I'm worried that DC will be behind when they go back to school. How much difference will it make to their education at 7 and 5? How much home schooling are people really doing?

OP posts:

ednatheevilwitch · 02/04/2020 18:43

Teacher here too.
Everyone just has to do their best right now. For some children extra time at home is meeting needs that school can't. For others it's the other way round.
I think that having down time is really important and this can be used for real life skills. Working out shopping budgets, lists, recipes, etc are all much more use than algebraic equations. Children are amazingly resilient and this could help a lot of them to thrive.

Justajot · 02/04/2020 18:45

Sorry - fat fingers. The gaps that will widen will probably include some children who fall into particularly vulnerable groups. A lot of effort will go into filling that gaps and as a result other children will also benefit from that gap filling. Yours may fall into that group OP, or may already be doing ok anyway.

FlabberMcBlasted · 02/04/2020 19:05

A 5 and 7 year old in a loving home will be fine. It’s the incredibly vulnerable children who have been abandoned in terrible homes with no love, care or food that will suffer terribly. I’m so worried about them. Poor little things have no control of their situation.

As an aside, I’d like to think that when all this is over, the government realise that they can trust parents to make the decision to go on 1 weeks holiday in term time because, you know, 3 months plus at home...

Stellaris22 · 02/04/2020 19:14

I wouldn't worry too much.

I have a 7 year old and we won't be sent any work till after Easter. I've just spent the time going over things like maths (practising and catching up) and reading.

There's a reason we parents send our kids to school, teaching is hard work (appreciate teachers even more now) and they have degrees in education. Any parent who thinks they are capable of learning this overnight is kidding themselves and needs to stop bragging on FB.

WinniePig · 02/04/2020 19:15

Eh? Your eldest is 7 years old. They do not even start school on the continent until they are 7. My neighbours are German and have children your age. They are seriously chilled about the school closures. Just keep reading to them and listen to your eldest one read. Make sure they get some fresh air and exercise. Stop stressing, you’ve enough on your plate.

Littleshortcake · 02/04/2020 19:19

I think you are amazing to be working from home and raising three very young children. Mine are a similar age but I only work one hour a day. I think you should get a pat on the back and not stress.

ForeverBubblegum · 02/04/2020 19:21

Stop worrying, what you see on social media is not representative. Everyone is muddling through, but no one is posting photos of the days the kids sit their pj's watching pepper pig.

Lookingforwardtomyeastereggs · 02/04/2020 19:22

Thank you pentium85

MummyNeedsWineNow · 02/04/2020 19:31

My DC attend a school where the class WhatsApp is full of parents discussing long division, baking, learning Chinese, going for educational walks, improving (already excellent as far as I can see) handwriting, reading Shakespeare etc.... I kid you not.

I'm simply trying to survive. My DC will fall behind these children of super parents. (I wish they wouldn't flaunt their brilliance for the rest of us to feel shit about!)

But ... I'm trying my best. I love my DC and they know that. I'm keeping them safe. I'm stopping them getting anxious. I'm trying to create the best normal I can. That's all I can do. I'm accepting it.

It'll all be ok. We haven't got a choice right now.

(Can't help but think the stay at home mum's win again though. Rich = privilege. and sadly this is all the more evident now)

babasaclover · 02/04/2020 19:41

Please do not worry. Everyone will be in the same boat, also children in other European countries eg Czech Republic don't even start school till aged 6

hopeishere · 02/04/2020 19:59

I am stressed about it. I'm working from home but it's really full on. I'm doing a bit with ds1 but it's not enough. He's Y8 and his school are still setting end of term exams that I'm really unhappy about. I've enough stress without making him revise.

Original poster

Nostrings457 · 02/04/2020 21:15

Thank you all! Its out of all our control, i know a lot od whats on FB is not representative of RL but it still makes me feel shitty when I see it. Will keep plodding on [trying to survive] each day, daily reading, 15 mins of writing & maths. Abything else is a bonus.

OP posts:

zelbazinnamon · 02/04/2020 21:16

Oh Op, I’ve only read your original post but they will be FINE!! Don’t worry.

Hippywannabe · 02/04/2020 21:23

I work in a Primary, if you can read with your child every day I would be ecstatic! If they can, do some independent tasks based on that reading, a picture, a character description, a book report, a letter to the character, the next chapter.
For anything else, if the school haven't sent you home passwords fornthe websites they subscribe to, check out bbc schools. They have games and video clips for all the curriculum for ks1 and ks2.
Ruth Miskin of Read Write Inc phonics is doing daily 10 minute phonics lessons on youtube.
Do not beat yourself up, we will pick them all back up when we go back.

Piixxiiee · 02/04/2020 22:06

Both of us are working from home although I'm a key worker and also been in to work a few days. Our dc6 & 4 are being entertained more than taught. I decided I was doing 2 fulltime jobs badly so took the day "off" work and we did teddy bear party day instead. Wrote a list and invites. Counted the teddies.... danced and laughed. Took the pressure off a bit and brought me back to earth. I realise they're little.... I'm changing priorities and work is last. I can do some of it at night. I'll read everyday to or with both. Do a bit of counting and make some memories...
Do stress at that age they'll catch up to where they should be. Dont forget you have all of summer too- I know you're working- but to do bits of reading etc.

Milicentbystander72 · 02/04/2020 22:18

I get you OP. I'm feeling the pressure too and mine are teenagers!

I'm calling it "competitive home schooling". I've seen plenty of passive aggressive Sm posts from parents saying things like - "oh I'm not sure how much they're learning. Only 5 hours done today, and they went off in a tangent because they found a new interest in Volcanos and the Cold War. Oh dear" etc etc.

My dcs tutor have rung us at home to check we're ok. Even though there's been lots of work set, have online platforms to log into and a shadow timetable to work with, They've said we're doing well to be doing anything and not to worry!

I'm feeling pressure from work too. I'm in a creative field and I normally work from home. I'm actually really busy with normal work but all I hear about is my peers who are posting daily online videos or their performance or 'art' and I had 3 different emails from clients suggesting that we promote online ...."with all the time we have on our hands". Er.........?

ceeveebee · 02/04/2020 22:29

They will be fine
If it makes you feel better I have pretty much left my kids to it this week. I work in finance and have been working 15 hour days to try and keep the company I work for from going bust.
I left them plates of food and put the TV with subtitles on, at least they were reading!

rc22 · 02/04/2020 22:32

It'll be fine honestly. Even if all you do is a bit of reading each day.

SorrelForbes · 02/04/2020 22:40

Our 7 & 5 year old foster children are ma auing about 20 mins school per day each. The youngest is adamant that she can't read, write or add up. The eldest just wants to do Hama beads. We are both key workers on work calls from 8am until 6pm so have no time to help them. They have no it access. I have resorted to YouTube videos of sesame street.

UpToonGirl · 02/04/2020 23:32

Another one here saying don't worry, especially at their ages. If I were you I would steer what they are watching to some educational programmes, youtube have loads of great maths and English videos or stick blue planet on! Also there are some good exercise/dance/kids yoga videos.

Give them access to pens, paper, lego etc. Get them involved with cooking, washing, tidying if you can.

If it's really worrying you, you could maybe do some work with them at the weekends if you have more time then?

Pleasedontdrawonyoursister · 02/04/2020 23:48

I am stressing so much about this! I have a yr2 and a reception which would be fine but I also have a whirlwind 1yr old and have to work from home! Partner is still working so most days I am on my own with them. I love them and they are really good kids but I just can’t sit with them and do all the work that is set by the teachers, it’s impossible! I’ve decided to try not to stress and just do what I can. Weekends we tend to fit more in as my partner is home, but I just try to make sure they read once a day and we do a bit of writing. Check out Five Minute Mum for some ‘fun’ learning games. And stick alphablocks/numberblocks on the tv!

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