Working and home schooling...

[Dickorydockwhatthe]

I'm feeling really shit now as I've just gone back to work in the last few weeks. Dh is working from home and often in meetings so kids who are year 7 and 10 are basically on their own but seem to be doing the bare minimum with regards to school work. My year 7 likes alot of adult Input and seems to be struggling working on his own and is feeling overwhelmed by the amount. My year 10 who has SEN doesn't even roll out of bed until 11. He then spends his time dog walking and earning money which is good for his self esteem and mental health but hardly putting any effort into his work. I just feel so fed up now as I thought my year 10 would be doing 1 full day per week at school not 2 hours. I'm also applying for a Ehcp which is now being assessed over the phone due to no face to face meetings. He's meant to be sitting an exam on November. Im almost on the verge of quitting my job of there is no plan for September my kids are really struggling.

Most kids are doing very little homeschool, regardless of the Tiger Parent stories you hear. It's hard for adults to be that self-disciplined, never mind kids. The many kids who I know who were home-educated struggled at same age to engage, too. Teens do their best with lots of structure!

What changes are your dh planning to make? Is his job one he can do bits of in the evening, and block out a couple of hours a day for the children? They don't need as much time to work as if they were in school, things will be done faster at home. Or he could get up earlier and do some of his work in the early morning - or spend lunch working with them. I think a small amount of consistent help is what to aim for rather than thinking you need to do full days of home schooling. I look through what they've been sent and pick out a few things to be done the next day, stick they up and they are to be done, whatever time of day, before the next day. It isn't easy but it seems to work.