the thought that six months of education and life experience is just... gone. That's terrifying. Most, or at least many, adults are able to find a way to understand and live with this. But so many children don't.
@Thurlow I don’t really get this argument. Are your children not having life experiences right now? School is not the only place kids learn. Lockdown has certainly not been idyllic for us, in fact we have struggled in many ways, but to say my children haven’t learned or lived during this time is absurd.
Like a lot of people out normal schedule is crazy, with work, school, commuting, travel, homework, sports, and family commitments. Nowadays, even with juggling work and other responsibilities we spend an enormous amount of time together as a family. We’ve had amazing deep conversations, supported each other through fear and stress, learned how to pitch in on household tasks still working on that one and manage conflict when we are all stuck in the same too-small house. My kids have realized that they actually can live without seeing friends constantly and learned to rely on each other for friendship and fun. My DS and DH have been working together on an enormous DIY project, we’ve all been planting seeds in pots and outdoors, we’ve caught up with family all over the world, I am halfway through reading the Lord of the Rings series aloud to the kids. The kids have helped me sort and box up lots of old toys, sparking so many memories along the way. We’ve kept up with maths and English work from school and we do the other subjects as we can, but we’ve also chosen to devote their time to solidifying their times tables, learning to touch-type, and practicing their musical instruments with heavy bribing . They have been reading constantly. Maybe most importantly they are literally living through a massive historical moment rohhh now and for once we have time to share it with them. If that’s not life experience I don’t know what is.
I am well aware of my enormous privilege in having a safe home, a healthy family, and food in the table, and we discuss these things a lot at home. I know there are many many children who don’t have these things and desperately need what school provides. For the sake of those children I fully support schools opening ASAP. But for typical average children it is ridiculous to say they are “losing out on their childhood” or “not experiencing life.” LIFE is what happens everyday. Unless you are locking your children away and not letting them talk to anyone or do anything, they ARE learning, and probably a lot more than they would in the classroom.
I know I sound like some kind of mummy-blog, #soblessed Pinterest type but that is so far from true. We have legitimate work, financial and family health worries. The kids are on screens way too much, the house is a tip and sometimes they all fight so much I want to walk out and never come back. But this is LIFE, the kids are experiencing it with us every day. I would never have chosen for this to happen but educationally it has been a fantastic opportunity and WELL worth missing a half year of formal school. If anyone is concerned about their child’s formal education there are SO many resources available online. You don’t need the school to set worksheets or keep the kids staring at screens doing online lessons.
I am worried about so, so many things right now, but my kids losing out on learning or “missing out on life” don’t even figure in my mind.