Is virtual learning really just hard for our family?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The issue is you are not used to caring four your 4 kids all at once every day. Suck it up. We are great with it.

We includes you and a partner who both work full time? Because, I'd be fine with it if I didn't have a job but I do and I take it seriously (as I should). I don't think anyone would be able to handle virtual learning for 4 children and working and feel it was going well.

Yes, my husband and I are federal workers whose buildings are now open again. We have no telework options. My kids are older (4th, 6th, 7th and 10th) but we can’t trust them to log in daily without someone home managing it all day. We were home in the spring. We aren’t now since work has reopened.

I was trying to avoid childcare but it appears the rest of the county has been doing great with eLearning and I’m not overly sure my kids have been able to make all their classes. They aren’t getting marked absent so I guess that’s something.

This little one HATES it and is refusing to turn her camera on. At some point, I think we are going to call it and send the youngest to a virtual
Learning daycare because this isn’t getting easier.

[Anonymous]

What's hard to is to build a lifestyle that relies on other adults to make it successful, and be forced to live through a period where no other adults can help you.

In that sense, you are not alone. Many families have kids they don't care for in the ordinary way, houses and gardens that others maintain, etc..

We happen to be largely self-sufficient. We never outsourced much, and supplemented school every year. So now, it's going smoothly, and truthfully feels more homey and cozy than before. We don't have more than we can handle.

You'll have your life back in a year. In the meantime, do what you can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Very few DCPS families have four kids, OP. Of course it’s harder!

What are their grades?

They are in 4th, 6th, 7th and 10th.
It’s a cluster right now between the WiFi being slow, the youngest refusing to turn her camera on and my oldest oversleeping.
I do think I may need to send the youngest two to childcare soon. They aren’t learning anything and absolutely hate school right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:4 kids? I’m sorry, but I think you need to hire support.

Screw you. No way. Don’t spend money to make an impossible situation an impossible expensive situation. No.

Homeschool. There’s a reason why large homebound families typically homeschool. It’s much easier!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:4 kids? I’m sorry, but I think you need to hire support.

Or learn to be parents.

so your suggestion is what? Give up work and lose the income?

With four kids, yes, or hire a nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
What's hard to is to build a lifestyle that relies on other adults to make it successful, and be forced to live through a period where no other adults can help you.

In that sense, you are not alone. Many families have kids they don't care for in the ordinary way, houses and gardens that others maintain, etc..

We happen to be largely self-sufficient. We never outsourced much, and supplemented school every year. So now, it's going smoothly, and truthfully feels more homey and cozy than before. We don't have more than we can handle.

You'll have your life back in a year. In the meantime, do what you can.

At the moment, it’s not the childcare aspect that is the problem. Our problem is trying to figure out the logistics, WiFi load, technical issues and overall management of eLearning while my husband and I are senior leads in government positions where the buildings are reopened and we are expected to be back.
It feels like overkill to hire a sitter since our kids are independent but eLearning tech issues are becoming a logistical and technical nightmare already.
And, yeah, it’s kinda a compulsory requirement to send children to school during work hours so obviously, since the state set the schedule and requirement, stupid us would somehow work our lives around the fact that they are required to be there getting an education. Now that the state has changed their requirements, I realize we are supposed to suddenly switch our lives around and take whatever they throw at us for the new attendance requirements, but it may take some families longer than others to come up with a plan which works.
It’s the only community resource which is shocked when parents have issues with sudden changed to the state mandated requirements of parents when the schools no longer fit into the schedule or structure of the community they are serving. Go figure.

I cannot be the only family out there who is struggling with the logistics of this all. My kids are not excited about their eLearning classes and the tech issues are making it miserable.

Other than a virtual learning daycare, has anyone come up with a plan to do asynchronous learning only or to homeschool with an online curriculum?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:4 kids? I’m sorry, but I think you need to hire support.

Screw you. No way. Don’t spend money to make an impossible situation an impossible expensive situation. No.

Homeschool. There’s a reason why large homebound families typically homeschool. It’s much easier!!

If they cannot DL with 4 kids, who would homeschool? That takes an involved parent. Very involved with 4 kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What's hard to is to build a lifestyle that relies on other adults to make it successful, and be forced to live through a period where no other adults can help you.

In that sense, you are not alone. Many families have kids they don't care for in the ordinary way, houses and gardens that others maintain, etc..

We happen to be largely self-sufficient. We never outsourced much, and supplemented school every year. So now, it's going smoothly, and truthfully feels more homey and cozy than before. We don't have more than we can handle.

You'll have your life back in a year. In the meantime, do what you can.

At the moment, it’s not the childcare aspect that is the problem. Our problem is trying to figure out the logistics, WiFi load, technical issues and overall management of eLearning while my husband and I are senior leads in government positions where the buildings are reopened and we are expected to be back.
It feels like overkill to hire a sitter since our kids are independent but eLearning tech issues are becoming a logistical and technical nightmare already.
And, yeah, it’s kinda a compulsory requirement to send children to school during work hours so obviously, since the state set the schedule and requirement, stupid us would somehow work our lives around the fact that they are required to be there getting an education. Now that the state has changed their requirements, I realize we are supposed to suddenly switch our lives around and take whatever they throw at us for the new attendance requirements, but it may take some families longer than others to come up with a plan which works.
It’s the only community resource which is shocked when parents have issues with sudden changed to the state mandated requirements of parents when the schools no longer fit into the schedule or structure of the community they are serving. Go figure.

I cannot be the only family out there who is struggling with the logistics of this all. My kids are not excited about their eLearning classes and the tech issues are making it miserable.

Other than a virtual learning daycare, has anyone come up with a plan to do asynchronous learning only or to homeschool with an online curriculum?

That is a child care issue. No, we aren't struggling at all. Your kids will need support and if you do a homeschool with an online curriculum it is the same exact thing. You had four kids. You expected the government to care for them during the day. Now you need to hire help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very few DCPS families have four kids, OP. Of course it’s harder!

What are their grades?

They are in 4th, 6th, 7th and 10th.
It’s a cluster right now between the WiFi being slow, the youngest refusing to turn her camera on and my oldest oversleeping.
I do think I may need to send the youngest two to childcare soon. They aren’t learning anything and absolutely hate school right now.

You need to wake up the oldest and give consequence to the younger one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The issue is you are not used to caring four your 4 kids all at once every day. Suck it up. We are great with it.

You’re kidding right? I can watch my children just fine on my own, but thanks. The problem is adding school schedules and work into the mix. I don’t let anyone watch my kids buy myself since I don’t trust childcare providers to be anything other than someone as ignorant as you.

You cannot based on this post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:4 kids? I’m sorry, but I think you need to hire support.

Or learn to be parents.

so your suggestion is what? Give up work and lose the income?

With four kids, yes, or hire a nanny.

I am not willing to give up my career or income for a temporary closure. I’m pretty sure paying our bills and my retirement is worth more than trying to make eLearning work. I mean, they will miss classes and deal with it before I miss my mortgage payment. Lol.

I am looking for a virtual learning childcare for the youngest two and maybe their WiFi will be faster there than our home. Someone needs to be there all day to help them manage the schedule. I thought the childcare days were long behind us, but, oh well. Guess not.

If other families are doing eLearning without stressing, I need to get to that place too. We definitely are not there right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:4 kids? I’m sorry, but I think you need to hire support.

Or learn to be parents.

so your suggestion is what? Give up work and lose the income?

With four kids, yes, or hire a nanny.

I don’t trust a nanny with my kids. Never have. I’m not sure why a nanny would be better qualified to juggle the 4 of them with eLearning than I would. I may send the youngest two to a childcare eLearning program when I am at work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:4 kids? I’m sorry, but I think you need to hire support.

Screw you. No way. Don’t spend money to make an impossible situation an impossible expensive situation. No.

Homeschool. There’s a reason why large homebound families typically homeschool. It’s much easier!!

We are looking into sending the youngest two to an eLearning childcare program. My friend is homeschooling this year and we are going to talk tomorrow. If it would be easier, we will homeschool.

The current scenario is not working.

[Anonymous]

I’m sympathetic, OP, but am confused as to why you are so against hiring someone to help out. Why is sending the two youngest to a center better than having someone at your house to make sure all 4 are online and doing school?

[Anonymous]

3 of your kids are old enough to solve their own issues with minimal support, i am sure it will be much better after the first week