Lockdown homeschooling with an 18m old

[Speminalium]

I'm struggling. Three kids need varying levels of input with homeschooling, from every hour or so down to every few minutes for the yr1. Toddler wants to be involved in everything and no activity keeps her occupied for much time. I'm spending so much time day being screamed at for trying to pay attention to the other kids. I've got toys, colouring, play doh and she can't do stickers. Any other ideas for keeping her busy while I help the others with homeschooling? Thank you, it's only Monday and already I can't take any more!!

[Pootles34]

Oh I feel your pain. I have no words of wisdom - except that I found giving DS a second mouse for my laptop worked quite well - then they can think they're doing the same as whoever they're desperate to copy.

Stickers - sometimes removing the backing sticker helps little hands - you know the bit that goes around the stickers? So they can grab the stickers more easily.

[Mischance]

It is very hard - but I think the key is to reframe lots of everyday things as education - children learn in lots of ways and not always by doing the stuff that the schools send through.

My GD is supposed to be doing the Romans with one of the children and SIL just gave her a load of lego and said "Build a Roman town."

[BendingSpoons]

DS is nearly 2. He enjoys:

• Screens! I limit this but sometimes a bit of TV saves my sanity.
• A bath. Not the easiest to supervise and home school but if you can set it up he will spend a good hour with plastic cups and bowls.
• Messy play. I give him something to stir. It's a pain for cleaning up but things like frozen peas or rice aren't too bad to sweep/vacuum up.
• We don't have them but DD liked ink stampers (the ones with ink as part of them). They make more interesting pictures than they can draw.

[Speminalium]

Thank you all! I have some ink stampers, I'll try those later. She's happy to spend hours in the bath, I suppose my Yr 1 could sit on the loo?! I'd love to go freestyle and ditch the school work but school are expecting a full day's work from each of the older kids. Gah.

[Mischance]

All my GC are at schools where work is set, but they also recognise how hard it is for parents to get through this whilst home educating other children at different stages, dealing with tinies and working from home - so they are happy to accept off-the-wall activities that could come under the umbrella of education - at the school where I am governor parents send in photos of what their children have been doing and it is all off piste.

[BendingSpoons]

I honestly would sit your yr1 on the loo if it gives you peace I can manage to set up a small table and chairs on the landing and supervise the bath and home learning. It's a bit odd but worth it to not have DS whining or trying to press the screen!

[Speminalium]

Turning laptops off is toddler's favourite trick, glad I'm not the only one! I think she enjoys the shrieks of outrage...I'm trying the bath tomorrow, today has broken me. I think the toddler is teething too, poor baby.

[BendingSpoons]

Good luck tomorrow!

[CheddarGorgeous]

Sod the school. Honestly, do a little bit of reading, writing and maths every day and then just concentrate on keeping everyone - including yourself - sane and happy.

[Mischance]

Indeed so CheddarGorgeous - fronted adverbials can wait!

[Speminalium]

Thank you all! School have got the message and have cancelled Fridays so we can recover/catch up and are saying just do what you can. I've tried lots of different activities with 18m old, dry pasta with saucepans and spoons etc all over the kitchen has occupied her for maybe 20m at a time, she is loving the phonics my yr1 is doing, I've found parking her in her high chair with some crayons and an infinite supply of toast will allow some attention to be paid to the others. Good luck anyone else in this situation...

[Tavannach]

She's happy to spend hours in the bath, I suppose my Yr 1 could sit on the loo?!

I wouldn't make a 5 or 6 year old responsible for an 18 month old. No way.

[Himawarigirl]

Does your 18 month old nap? We’re in the same situation as you and only do our learning during the little one’s nap. I live in fear of him dropping it as I have no idea how we’d get anything done if he was always awake. The result is we’re ‘behind’ in terms of what the school is sending my kids each day. But they say we are to do what we can, so we keep going through it, give it some proper focus during the baby’s nap and I try not worry about all the assignments I see piling up. It’s ok with my yr1 son but feels like it’s getting harder with my yr3 dd. A lot of her tasks are quite chunky and it’s hard to say ok struggle though the maths you find challenging, then map out a story you’ll later have to write and then just knock out a fact sheet on the river Nile. They are each quite chunky tasks and can’t be rushed through in the time we have available. Not sure what the answer is, or my point is really - just good luck!

[Uptoongirl]

I've got a 3, 7 and 9 year old and I actually wept with relief when the nursery re-opened for the youngest!

Before it re-opened I brought our pop up tent (just a cheapie from Amazon) into the living room and would set the youngest up in there with some snacks and a tablet with cartoons. Wasn't a full fix but it did allow me to grab 20mins with the older two once or twice a day.

It is difficult and it depends on what your children are like as well as the work that is being set. If it's worksheets can you have them printed an ready to grab whenever the toddler is distracted (or the dream, napping). Maybe put some Youtube phonics, spelling, maths etc type of videos on for your Y1 and hopefully the toddler will just watch alongside.

[BendingSpoons]

@Tavannach I was suggesting (and assumed the OP meant the same) that the 5yo could sit in/near the bathroom, with an adult also in the bathroom. That way you can supervise one child in the bath and one doing home learning. I don't think the OP was suggesting the 5yo sit on the loo and supervise the toddler whilst she was elsewhere. I agree that is not a good plan!

[Speminalium]

Thanks all. Thank you @Tavannach for so helpfully pointing out that leaving a baby in a bath supervised by a 6 year old is unwise....
@Uptoongirl naptime is a life saver, I'm praying she doesn't grow out of it until lockdown is over! Thank you for all your ideas.

[Energylift]

My friend had the brilliant idea of adding calming essential oils to a batch of play dough. Her little ones get the benefit of calm, relaxed, play. Mum gets the benefit of peace time to get on with her day.
PM me if you want help.