Lockdown (And Beyond) Hatchlings

[Smunder Woman]

Christ, this is soul destroying. Finishing my PhD (before my funding runs out in may), teaching 20ish hours a week (so I can build up a buffer), and homeschooling one autistic teenager and one with dylexia and probably inattentive ADHD is a nightmare. I'm not sure how to make it better for any us, other than "it won't be forever).

I'm running up in between classes to check Joe's work (he's not getting it finished, but I figure submitting an attempt will just need to do), and have confiscated his phone because he seems unable to listen to music on it without also watching YouTube. I gave him the chance to prove he would work with it in the room, but it was a failed experiment. I'm taking a few minutes at the start and end of each of his sessions to check he knows what to do, and that he has submitted something. I'm telling him a lot to tell me if he's struggling, and offered to speak to his year head (he is definitely not keeping up). Jack's school isn't academic, so he's fannying about playing his guitar and watching horrible histories but this is what he'd be doing anyway.

I think I need to speak to Joe's school about potential ADHD (he is me at his age), but now isn't the time.

No point to this other than to rant a bit while my own students are in breakout rooms, Joe is submitting an assignment, and jack is living his best life

[purple_dress]

Sorry, Smum You are doing an amazing job!

[viggy]

You really are doing an amazing job Smun - when BM is here I'm lucky if I can concentrate on the absolute basics/emergency bits of my job, I can't even imagine PhDing at the same time. Have you bubbled with anyone nearby that could help get you a bit of headspace? Hopefully the announcement tomorrow will give us more idea of when the older kids will be returning.

I have completely taken off the pressure re: BM and home schooling. My job as her Mum is to make sure she is fed, and safe, and loved. It's impossible to sit with her 100% of the time to try and chivvy her into getting everything done, there are days when I'm barely out of zoom meetings. I'm incredibly lucky that I have my Dad nearby who can be there in case she needs fed/sets something on fire, but she's refusing to engage with him and schoolwork, and there is no part of me that wants to put pressure on either of them.

[Smunder Woman]

My friend I'm bubbled with has offered to come over and help one day a week, or have zooms with Joe to help him, but I can't even get my head round the logistics of that. Plus I'd do less work if she was here because I'd feel bad I think we do really just need to wait it out and do what we can and, yeah, fingers crossed for the announcement!

I totally agree with taking the pressure off, but then I feel guilty because they're in high school and not getting much done. Although, I have no idea what other kids are really getting done either.

[Glint]

I hope you're feeling a bit better smunder.

At least another 3 weeks of homeschooling.

[viggy]

Yep, good news for the wee ones going back on the 22nd...not so much for the rest of us in Scotland!

[Kleio]

Lockdown is reaching a low here with doors. I'm currently typing out a quiz called "Doors and their uses". Tomorrow I'm going to arrange the children in an exam style situation and present them with their tests. The questions include things like "should doors be slammed?" and various scenarios based on when and how they should be closed.

Afterwards, they're going to recieve a certificate so next time they leave the back door wide open when it's blowing a gale I can shriek that I know they know how to use a door as they passed the assessment and their certificate is on the wall!

I'm a peach me.

Later in the week we're going to play a guessing game of how much things are. How much is gas, electric, internet, car tax, insurance, food etc so perhaps they'll stop asking me for the moon.

[Pippedydeadeye]

Chunk’s school have done a treasure hunt type thing with QR codes all around the catchment area. There’s one at the end of the path that runs parallel to our road, and Chunk has agreed to do the trail this week.

[Kleio]

That's good! It sounds like a fun thing to do at least Pip.

One of our local museums has painted lots of woodland animals (made from wood) and put them up in the woods around the museum so it wasted a little bit of time searching for them.

[smalex]

We're so bored this week. It's difficult.

S had tears from W last night. He said he was lonely . It's broken me. I stupidly starting harbouring some hope earlier this week that they might all go back on the 8th but I know its unlikely. He needs to go back. He's almost always pretty cheerful, he doesn't say stuff for attention, he's never ever claimed to be lonely before.

[Teasel]

Oh smalex, that's so hard. Would he video call a friend? N has been having one with her best friend about once a week and they'll chat and pretend play for ages.

[smalex]

He does do calls sometimes with his best friend, we stick them on the PS playing a game together and on houseparty so they can talk, sometimes they just chat. His best friend is at school FT though so its hard to fit in other than weekends. He also does calls sometimes with another friend. We're doing everything you 'should'.

[Loralei]

Could he meet a friend to exercise? TD was inconsolable last week and I decided he could meet his best friend without risk of them licking each other. They ran/scooted round the park while the friend's mum and I did the same at a distance, but close enough to keep an eye.

[Smunder Woman]

Thanks Glint, I'm fine really, just resigned

Poor W. I think meeting a friend for exercise would be a good idea too. I let Joe out to play with one friend in the snow last week, mostly for mental health reasons. I also paid them both to clear the snow, which was a win-win, as they got company and I didn't have to do it.

Honestly, this is awful. Even Jack is asking to go back to school, and we all know his bloody attitude to it.

[Loralei]

I should say, I neither ran nor scooted

[Smunder Woman]

Disappointing

[wendy james]

W always sounds like such an amiable and sociable chap; I'm not surprised it's getting to him.

[smalex]

W always sounds like such an amiable and sociable chap; I'm not surprised it's getting to him.

He really is. He's pretty good at being on his own by virtue of being an only child, but hes such a social little thing really. Spending most of the last 11 months without friendship company is pretty hard.

I guess I didn't think we were allowed to meet in the park so I didn't really think of it as an option. I'm sad enough for him to maybe suggest it anyway though, I might ask his best friend's mum. I think she'd probably go for it, and if she didn't she wouldn't be offended by the mere suggestion.

[Loralei]

Well, we're allowed to meet for exercise but not socialising so it's a fine line, I agree. There was that story about the kids being told off as they were building a snowman, and I do always make sure we are using the time to exercise. I let J meet his friend for a kickabout, too, on the understanding they are passing etc and not tackling.

I was also a bit nervous at suggesting it to the other mum but she bit my hand off She hasn't seen anyone other than family herself (just too busy to get out alone) so was keen for a chatty walk.

I don't subscribe to working out what we can get away with as long as it's within the letter, if not the spirit, of the rules, but I think mental health is being hugely overlooked and that outside transmission (with distancing) is unlikely.

[viggy]

Meeting at the park for some socially distanced exercise is a great idea, I hope it helps his mood.

BM enjoys going to the park to see her friends about once a week, but we usually have some kind of emotional fallout afterwards - I've just come to accept it, let her get the feelings expressed and processed, and don't plan any big work meetings or anything for when we get back. It's still worth it in terms of her mood overall.

My friend's wee girl is going back to school next week and has been crying that she just wants to stay at home with her family She was a bit unsettled by masks etc when she went back in August, but hopefully she'll settle again once she's back.