My children are fine with being at home...

[HmmSureJan]

And were happy they didn't have to go back to school yet. Dd doesn't like the on line work but days it's better than being at school so grins and bears it. Anyone else? I only ask because I see so many threads on here speaking of ruined childhoods and devastated children who have been abandoned to their fate. I just wondered if anyone had children like mine 🤷🏼‍♀️

No upset here although they did lag at the end of last closure. They both were very happy to be back when they did go back.

Happy to be at home is one thing.

Learning effectively at home, having a parent free to support them, and it being the "best thing" for them to be at home is quite something else.

Mine are fine. There's four of them though and they all get along so despite having to cope with disparaging remarks on here about having a big family its actually pretty brilliant when you're locked down! Ready made friends
My older sons teacher said he went back to school after lockdown as if he hadn't missed any learning so I'm confident in my ability to home school them and we're just going to crack on!

Online learning is fine for my ds.

But a) he has his full timetable from college and b) he's autistic and doesn't particularly like people being around him anyway!

But..... he's a swimmer and has a physical disability too and that side of it has a drastic effect on him.

Unpopular opinion but I think a good chunk of the ‘my child really misses school they shouldn’t close they MUST attend’ are because the parents just don’t want to home educate for this period, or that they dread the children being home in general.

I’m sure a good amount of children are absolutely thrilled not to be going to school.

You don’t see kids crying over the summer holidays do you?

I do think there are a small amount that do need it though. Those with not the best home lives perhaps? Sad thought though.

Mine are ok too with a little bit of support and suggestion to guide their interests.
They enjoy cooking and enjoy having the time to learn for themselves. One DC can play for hours, over a few days, with something like playmobil or Lego. With the addition of paper and pens, add drawings and maps, make tickets, exciting to see.

My year 11 is disappointed he's going to miss exams, he's missing his friends too and would prefer to be at school, but he's coping.
He was wanting to find a part time job too this year, but that hasn't happened.

Year 10 is happy as a happy thing and would love to never have to leave the house ever again. Which will bring it's own problems when he needs to do that at some point, I would imagine.

@PriceEmUp 100%!

ds, Yr 9, loathes school and is borderline school avoidant. He tells me that he hasn't any friends (though he's always late at pick up because of talking to people or hanging out with people). He seems to be doing okay online learning, though I haven't had any feedback.

He has been putting pressure on about homeschooling, and I'm worried that it will continue. He's crazy academic, in a grammar school, and I can't keep up with his subjects so he's on his own with the lessons. It also doesn't help his social skills.

He's fine now, but I'm worried about the effects that will be showing this time next year.

Yes in fact I don’t know any kids (via friends and kids friends) who wanted to go back! They’re all ecstatic I read these posts about ruining kids childhoods etc and think 🤔. Nowadays they all communicate over social media anyway it’s not as though they’re cut off from social interaction.

When I think back to my awful high school days I often think I would have thrived at home. Away from the sexual harassment, constant bullying and petty fights between friends. There's a lot of terrible distractions for kids in school, I bet some of them are loving the peace and quiet, the focus and the freedom to be who they are. God I wish this had happened during my teen years.

My DS (17) is very happy because going to school was causing him much more stress (I'm ECV and he was terrified of bringing the virus back), so his mental health has improved greatly. He is very sociable with his friends a lot of the time gaming, and just gets on with teams and his work quite happily.

DD 20 is missing uni but is fine and doesn't see this in any way as ruining her life, she just sees it as her being part of helping others and getting this over with.

I know I'm lucky with them and others are suffering, but we do need a place to say some are doing well, I think. We need balance and honesty. Many children are better away from stress and bullying for example. It's not all one sided, but those who make snide remarks about medals do so because it doesn't fit the narrative of all children's life being ruined.

I'm just pleased to hear many children are actually doing ok. It's good to celebrate the small things in times like this. That doesn't take away from my worry about children who are not thriving.

I think a lot of (especially middle class) mums use kids mental health being ruined as an excuse because the parents need school more than the kids do. Obviously not all cases but a high % of the most vocal.

Ds does miss his friends though. He’s very happy at school although SM is a substitute for a period of time it’s not great long term.

Mine are absolutely fine too, like a PP said they are happy to not have to sit in freezing classrooms, get up when it's still dark and walk to school (about a mile) in the cold and rain. We do have a loose timetable for both (with breaks in between tasks and lots of screen time when it's all completed), but aren't stressing too much about every single thing being done and definitely no arguing - our relationship with them is more important! Remember you are allowed to meet outside with one other person so (if old enough) they can still go for a walk/run with a friend, and also they seem to spend a lot of time communicating through the Xbox etc so not worried about the social aspect at all.

My youngest had already missed a whole year of school due to serious illness and was only just about caught up when lockdown 1 happened.
For her, being at home again, separated from her friends was kind of a PTSD type experience. She was terrified of falling behind her peers and her self esteem hit the floor. Luckily we were able to access some NHS psychological support via video appointments.

School are trying remote learning this time so hopefully it will be a lot easier on her mental health.

Mine are both fine too, they have full timetables from school, live all day. They do group work with their classmates and are being taught properly.

Hopefully many more are fine, meaning schools can focus on children who are struggling.

Ds1 did a 45 min aerobics lesson for PE first thing this morning with his class. I hope that schools were all ready for this possibility and that something is done to ensure people who need it are driven internet access and a laptop to use.

@PriceEmUp

Unpopular opinion but I think a good chunk of the ‘my child really misses school they shouldn’t close they MUST attend’ are because the parents just don’t want to home educate for this period, or that they dread the children being home in general.

I’m sure a good amount of children are absolutely thrilled not to be going to school.

You don’t see kids crying over the summer holidays do you?

I do think there are a small amount that do need it though. Those with not the best home lives perhaps? Sad thought though.

Its not the same as summer holidays though really (non covid ones anyway) In the summer DS is usually out catching pokemon in the park with his friends, or chilling in the basket swings. A couple of winters ago they spent hours having snowball fights.

Now they can't see eachother in or out of school.

My Y3 is happy about it. He likes virtual playdates and online work.

@LivinLaVidaLoki

Its like everything in life OP, there will be children who will do really well and throve in this environment and those who dont.

This^^

FWIW, my dd loves being at home instead of school. I also like having her here. She is Y1 at primary.

If I'd had the choice, I would have never gone in person to secondary school where it was like going into battle most days.

I appreciate, the reality is that most parents need their dcs to go to school though. So it's a moot point. But, I do think some children would do better at home. I think I was one of them.

mine really loved home schooling last time and was very upset about going back to school.

Now she is very upset about not going back to school - I think it was the nature of it all that she's struggling with, the 'you're back!' 'now you're not!'. I think she'll settle down and enjoy it again. I hope.

Mine are happy either way. They'd rather see their friends, but they're quite resilient little people. I don't know whether they will get as much educationally though.

They will get to come into work with me some weeks though, as I work at their school.

Primary school son loves being at home and doesn't miss school at all. Didn't want to go back in September. Once at school he is fine and enjoys it but prefers home.

Secondary school son hayes being at home. Finds the online lessons a headache and would do anything to go back to face to face. He misses the social side of school a lot. Speaking to friends on devices is not the same.

We are a two keyworker house so they could go to school. However I realised last March that they wouldn't be having lessons and mostly be sat doing online work like those at home. So no point. Also it helps the schools to keep the keyworker kids numbers down.

Mine (14, first year of Italian high school) is internally motivated so I can trust that work will be done well and on time. Happy to prolong online lessons.

The class only had a month of real school to get to know each other but they use a WhatsApp group for banter and to keep in touch. They use Google Classroom for online lessons and homework. I’m kept up to date with test results, homework etc. via the school’s website and can also request a video interview with any of the teachers. Plus we have thin walls so I hear a lot of what goes on during lessons!

So it’s not ideal but sustainable. DC is happy and this year is not a crucial one. At least they’re all in a similar situation and the teachers will have to deal with a whole year group of kids with the same learning gaps.

Mine are fine -but were a bit disappointed that here in Wales it will be another week of on-line.

Y11 bit worried mocks were supposed to start second week of term - she also has some delayed assesments due to happen for some subjects and GCSE school exam but not in exam conditions are supposed to start after Feb half term. Adds a bit of uncertainity which is all makes motivation harder.

They've massively improved on-line learning since September and they are getting some lessons and tasks just hoping it remain all school day as before christmas it went down to morning only.

It's fine but atcual physical school is better for them.