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 🤷🏼‍♀️

15 year old was fine until realised it didn't mean sitting on Ipad/Xbox all day

5 year old complaining of missing friends already

Mine love it too. DH and I are both WFH'ing so sometimes managing things is difficult but the DC's love it (so do we). I enjoy having them around.

It works because they are quite independent and get on with their work mostly.

There will be some who of course will be happy- not just the examples above, but those who have been bullied or are being picked upon at school come to mind. I am sure they are in a minority though.

Unsurprisingly lockdown seems to suit introverts, adults as well as children.
Not sure it's good for them though as will make it harder to to resume normal life.

My eldest loved the first lockdown. She is an outdoorsy introvert who is very thoughtful by nature. However she cried this time. I think it's the feeling of there being no balance in life, nothing really exists outside of the home now.

I do think it’s important not to catastrophise, especially around your children. Lots of kids are home Ed and do home learning or online school all the time and it works. Others have to have time out for health reasons etc and they catch up. Educationally our kids - the ones with supportive parents - will be ok.

Socially, some will find it harder than others and parents might need to be creative to find different ways for their children to socialise. But again, there have always been kids growing up in the Australian outback or other remote places, who managed to survive.

None of this is to say we have to find it easy or pretend it’s ideal. But as parents we need to be positive, look on the bright side and hopefully we’ll all get through.

It took my DD in Year 11 about 5 minutes to work out that, as her school had run all the mock exams in November and national exams were now cancelled, she didn't need to do any work for the rest of the year

I admire her logic but gently pointed out the government might, you know, change it's mind (a few times) between now and the Summer - so just in case...

Mine are delighted to be at home but getting them to do the work without me standing over them is a different matter yes old enough to get on with it alone but don't 😒

My 15yo ds is quite happy about it. He was delighted during the first lockdown and worked away online no problem. He’s less enthusiastic about this one as the novelty has worn off, but again is just diligently getting on with things without any complaint. I’m sad he’s missing out so much on the social aspect, but am relieved he’s taken it so well.

@herethereandeverywhere

For all the parents of 'fine' kids:- don't they miss real life contact with friends/peers?

Is there any advice for how to achieve this? Mine are distraught (despite having each other). They are happy to game a bit or chat a bit but screens send them on such a downer.

Honestly, mine don't miss their peers at all. They don't often do playdates or play online games with friends either though, and tend to play together at playgrounds etc. They all like to spend time together and are each others best friends. The eldest is only 8 though so I expect this will change as time goes on.

Crazycrofter
I think almost all will 'manage to survive' but that's an astonishingly low bar to set. Kids used to living in isolation, like the Outback will, I'm sure fare well. Those that have had all in person contact with friends taken away, all team sports, off the back of having all extended family in-person removed are likely to not fare so well.

I've been breezy about all changes from the beginning, no promises made about anything. Yet they cry, the sob, they scream in frustration. They are developing an attitude of 'no point, it will be taken away/won't happen'.

I'm unsure how creative I can be regarding seeing friends, over and above playing computer games over a screen whilst chatting, or just chatting. We tried building a gingerbread house whilst video connected to family - didn't really work as they just ignored the screen and did their own thing.

Unfortunately at primary age they can't meet a friend unaccompanied.

They are well fed, exercise on a trampoline or run/walk with me/DH. Have access to tech. I know, they know, they are not badly off. But they are sad and angry. And it's getting worse.

I've got GS, year 11, living with me. He loves it. Saves doing a 2 hr journey every day. Doing his revision in travel time instead of in the evening, doing lots of zoom calls and xbox with friends. Other GS is having this year out of school as he did so well with the first lockdown, went into lockdown behind for his age, came out doing as expected for his age. I don't think his mum is loving it but thinks it is worth it.

None of this is to say we have to find it easy or pretend it’s ideal. But as parents we need to be positive, look on the bright side and hopefully we’ll all get through Very true.

Mine don't mind doing the work at home and would happily do so if they could still see their friends. However, with certain subjects missing out on face to face teaching is detrimental and as I'm working I haven't got time to remember how to do equations and Pythagoras let alone tell them how to do it!

I have two teen DC, one introverted and the other extremely social. Schools have been shut since March where we live, but their school moved online immediately and they have live classes daily as per their usual timetables. Both have adjusted well. The introverted one is loving all the time at home and the social one is doing far better academically, with no desk partner to chat with during class! Both keep in touch with friends through WhatsApp and Zoom. The thing they miss most is sports, but apart from that they're quite contented.

For all the parents of 'fine' kids:- don't they miss real life contact with friends/peers? Is there any advice for how to achieve this? Mine are distraught (despite having each other). They are happy to game a bit or chat a bit but screens send them on such a downer.

Mine just don't seem fussed. Ds (12) interacts with his friends a bit online on the games console. Dd (15) keeps in touch with hers a lot more, on WhatsApp groups etc. Neither seem particularly fussed about not seeing friends irl tbh. We're very fortunate that they get on unusually well with each other for a 12yo boy and a 15yo girl. They like lots of things in common, which makes a massive difference, I think.

I still don't think it's good for them to be without contact outside the family though. I find myself wondering if it's normal for them to be so unbothered by it. Still - at least they had September to December in school.

My kids love being home. I'm not a very good teacher sadly. But between me and the work school sets we muddle through. My eldest is such a home body and suffers with anxiety at school, so she is loving it. She won't love it when she has to go back though, it'll be mega tears.

My reception age child is loosing his speech and language therapy, plus he's potentially g&t at maths. I have no idea how to support either!

So my kids are happy and if i can keep my mh together reasonably well and we can get a good routine going this could work for us. Just need to get the toddler involved.

My eldest is happy because there’s a lot less schoolwork when homeschooling, I pointed out this means they’re missing out on their education.

Youngest has been more tearful today than normal. Hoping we don’t go back to the situation last time of them telling us they’d rather die than carry on. It’s extremely hard to hear that from a 6 year old. Dreading getting to that point. Youngest is extremely intelligent and completes his daily home school work in under an hour so it is hard for us to keep them challenged and engaged despite being fortunate enough to have numerous other resources to turn to.

Yes mine really enjoy it. I would have loved it too as a teenager!

@herethereandeverywhere

For all the parents of 'fine' kids:- don't they miss real life contact with friends/peers?

Is there any advice for how to achieve this? Mine are distraught (despite having each other). They are happy to game a bit or chat a bit but screens send them on such a downer.

Mine miss it but they aren't distraught, that's the point. What you want to achieve isn't for them not to miss their friends, but for them to be less upset about the whole thing.

Honestly though at this point I think it's just too late. My kids are handling it well because they're resilient and don't get easily upset, they have a good sense of perspective, etc. I don't think those are things you can change overnight or over just a few weeks.

Yup, happy boys here. It's been quite harmonious - they worked hard this morning and we had a nice lunch all together, which we wouldn't have done, and they finished early so have their free time now. We've had a call from Y8 tutor and she's happy too. No complaints here.

For all the parents of 'fine' kids:- don't they miss real life contact with friends/peers? Is there any advice for how to achieve this? Mine are distraught (despite having each other). They are happy to game a bit or chat a bit but screens send them on such a downer.
My two do miss their friends but as a trade off they still prefer this as less school! They play with their friends online. Unfortunately just now my DS is not happy that his friend has stolen his horse on Roblox, but otherwise it's good!

W*henpidgeonscry
"Honestly though at this point I think it's just too late. My kids are handling it well because they're resilient and don't get easily upset, they have a good sense of perspective, etc. I don't think those are things you can change overnight or over just a few weeks."
*
I'm sorry, are you implying all kids that are struggling are doing so because there has been a failing in how they were parented?!?! That they simply have a poor sense of perspective age 6 (per a pp experience)?!

Or was it a little halo polish for yourself?
Others may view it as you raising insular weirdos rather than sociable team players. I'd personally state that all kids are different and all of their responses are valid and should be respected. As should their parents trying their best for them.

Mine loves it but it's not best for him.
He got on really well in the first lockdown but now he has a 3 month old baby sister and I can't give him 1 to 1 like he had.