1st grade is a bad as we suspected

[Anonymous]

This thread is so unforgiving of parents and families who were going through sheer hell before vaccines were widely available. DC's kindergarten teacher went to certain students homes several times a week to ensure they had food and learning materials and tutored them outside on the playground. And even with that amount of effort (which is absolutely above and beyond what a teacher needed to do) students still could not keep up. It is not parents' fault that they work several in-person jobs. And the relative who is watching several kids during the day cannot be expected to help with online school. If I were that relative, I would absolutely be relying on tablet-care.

Young kids are very resilient and I hope this shakes out okay for them in the coming years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is so unforgiving of parents and families who were going through sheer hell before vaccines were widely available. DC's kindergarten teacher went to certain students homes several times a week to ensure they had food and learning materials and tutored them outside on the playground. And even with that amount of effort (which is absolutely above and beyond what a teacher needed to do) students still could not keep up. It is not parents' fault that they work several in-person jobs. And the relative who is watching several kids during the day cannot be expected to help with online school. If I were that relative, I would absolutely be relying on tablet-care.

Young kids are very resilient and I hope this shakes out okay for them in the coming years.

It absolutely is the parents responsibility to provide suitable care for their child, either themselves or someone capable of more than “tablet-care.” It’s called being a parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is so unforgiving of parents and families who were going through sheer hell before vaccines were widely available. DC's kindergarten teacher went to certain students homes several times a week to ensure they had food and learning materials and tutored them outside on the playground. And even with that amount of effort (which is absolutely above and beyond what a teacher needed to do) students still could not keep up. It is not parents' fault that they work several in-person jobs. And the relative who is watching several kids during the day cannot be expected to help with online school. If I were that relative, I would absolutely be relying on tablet-care.

Young kids are very resilient and I hope this shakes out okay for them in the coming years.

It absolutely is the parents responsibility to provide suitable care for their child, either themselves or someone capable of more than “tablet-care.” It’s called being a parent.

And what happens when the demand for child-care highly exceeds the supply for child-care due to a global pandemic? Prices of existing child-care go up and people who work jobs have to figure something out. And the way they parent is to find a way to make it work for that temporary situation of unforeseen circumstances. Some of you, really truly, need to step outside of yourselves and imagine that people were forced to make very difficult choices given their handful of crappy options during this time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is so unforgiving of parents and families who were going through sheer hell before vaccines were widely available. DC's kindergarten teacher went to certain students homes several times a week to ensure they had food and learning materials and tutored them outside on the playground. And even with that amount of effort (which is absolutely above and beyond what a teacher needed to do) students still could not keep up. It is not parents' fault that they work several in-person jobs. And the relative who is watching several kids during the day cannot be expected to help with online school. If I were that relative, I would absolutely be relying on tablet-care.

Young kids are very resilient and I hope this shakes out okay for them in the coming years.

It absolutely is the parents responsibility to provide suitable care for their child, either themselves or someone capable of more than “tablet-care.” It’s called being a parent.

And what happens when the demand for child-care highly exceeds the supply for child-care due to a global pandemic? Prices of existing child-care go up and people who work jobs have to figure something out. And the way they parent is to find a way to make it work for that temporary situation of unforeseen circumstances. Some of you, really truly, need to step outside of yourselves and imagine that people were forced to make very difficult choices given their handful of crappy options during this time.

Your argument is circular and makes no sense.

You: We don’t pay childcare workers enough and should pay them a lot more!

Also you: Childcare is way too expensive for people to afford and needs to cost less!

[Anonymous]

There is struggle throughout. 5th grade kids constantly acting out, being annoying towards peers, and being aggressive towards peers. DS has had issues with a couple of kids just being jerks since the beginning of the school year. Teachers aren't doing much. The principal is now involved. Its nuts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is so unforgiving of parents and families who were going through sheer hell before vaccines were widely available. DC's kindergarten teacher went to certain students homes several times a week to ensure they had food and learning materials and tutored them outside on the playground. And even with that amount of effort (which is absolutely above and beyond what a teacher needed to do) students still could not keep up. It is not parents' fault that they work several in-person jobs. And the relative who is watching several kids during the day cannot be expected to help with online school. If I were that relative, I would absolutely be relying on tablet-care.

Young kids are very resilient and I hope this shakes out okay for them in the coming years.

It absolutely is the parents responsibility to provide suitable care for their child, either themselves or someone capable of more than “tablet-care.” It’s called being a parent.

And what happens when the demand for child-care highly exceeds the supply for child-care due to a global pandemic? Prices of existing child-care go up and people who work jobs have to figure something out. And the way they parent is to find a way to make it work for that temporary situation of unforeseen circumstances. Some of you, really truly, need to step outside of yourselves and imagine that people were forced to make very difficult choices given their handful of crappy options during this time.

Your argument is circular and makes no sense.

You: We don’t pay childcare workers enough and should pay them a lot more!

Also you: Childcare is way too expensive for people to afford and needs to cost less!

Who said that childcare workers don't get paid enough? That was nowhere in what I wrote.

When options for childcare suddenly vanish because of a global pandemic, people make do. Maybe the ways they made do aren't acceptable to you because you're an awesome parent. I apologize on behalf of the rest of us trash.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is precisely why we kept my daughter in private rather than shifting to public, which is what we intended. We had a sense that this year would be a crap festival. Not sure yet what we will do next year because she (and her other private classmates) are very much ahead of her public school friends. And I have nothing at all against public school, my other child has gone through public.

+1 this is us too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
No one is saying online learning was super effective for K students. But if parents literally did nothing additional for all of last year, while knowing virtual was ineffective, that’s on them.

Perhaps you can come up with things parents could have done or should be doing, to make this all work out?

I have a friend who is a nurse, with 3 kids, 8th grader, 5th grader, and K. All through the pandemic, she has been working, often long hours. Her husband works overnight, so that someone is home most of the time, but obviously, in between work, they have to do things like chores and sleeping. Since dad sleeps during the day, he is unable to supervise anyone. Oldest kid was in 8th grade. Self sufficient. He was responsible for making sure that the K kid was logged on, but that was about the extent of what he could do, because he can't do his schooling and supervise the K kid. Obviously, the kid learned nothing all last year. No idea how the little one is doing this year, but I'm assuming that he is among the kids that is behind.

They could have worked with the little one every day on the basics. Zero excuse.

Yeah, sure. When one parent works 7 - 7, and the other one leaves home at 9 and isn't back until 7 in the morning, that leaves plenty of time to spend teaching the basics to a 5 year old that has spent the day on zoom classes.

Was she working daily? Most nurses who work 7-7 only work 2/3/4 days a week (24/36/48 hrs/wk). More than that (60 hrs/wk) is not often sustainable longer term.

Not PP but surely you heard about the shortage of healthcare workers? I know nurses who have had to take extra shifts. It's almost like you think more parent healthcare workers should have quit to homeschool their children....until you needed care, of course. Let me guess, you take SUCH good care of yourself at home that you've ben able to forgo all healthcare the last 18 months?

Oh stop, I'm a nurse myself but not in the hospital anymore. I'm simply pointing out a typical nurse who works 7-7 in the hospital only works 2-3 days a week, and often at least one of those days is on the weekend. What is the nurse doing the rest of the time? I'm sure many picked up extra shifts but even then, the amount of OT and bonus $$$ would have been insane enough that they could have hired some help, so there's really no excuse.

Zoom tutoring on top of Zoom school sounds super productive and healthy for a 5yo!

Who said it had to be Zoom? I know people who found college students to lead pods of students while schools were closed.

As a frontline worker, her choice was to NOT create any more exposure to the virus than was absolutely necessary, so no "college students to lead pods of students" in a community of unvaccinated people. Even assuming that she was willing to take that chance, how does a parent of a Kindergartener even find "pods of students" in your average middle class community? For the older two kids, they did find ways to 'zoom supplement', but readily admit that it was less than effective. I only know the 5th grader (who is exceedingly bright) well, and she apparently did not do particularly well in school, despite the tutoring, and the parents spending what available time they have on the older kids. Mom is SO worried about her.

It is really easy to blame people. Much more difficult to be a little gracious, and understand that not everyone has the time, the resources, or the savvy to do all the 101 things that you and your friends knew to do, to help the kids out in a pandemic. Most people are doing the best they can under difficult circumstances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is so unforgiving of parents and families who were going through sheer hell before vaccines were widely available. DC's kindergarten teacher went to certain students homes several times a week to ensure they had food and learning materials and tutored them outside on the playground. And even with that amount of effort (which is absolutely above and beyond what a teacher needed to do) students still could not keep up. It is not parents' fault that they work several in-person jobs. And the relative who is watching several kids during the day cannot be expected to help with online school. If I were that relative, I would absolutely be relying on tablet-care.

Young kids are very resilient and I hope this shakes out okay for them in the coming years.

It absolutely is the parents responsibility to provide suitable care for their child, either themselves or someone capable of more than “tablet-care.” It’s called being a parent.

Well, when childcare in the form of school is suddenly no longer available, what then, genius?

Plenty of parents RELIED on public schools to care for their children, which is completely reasonable. When that was no longer an option here, parents did what they had to do. And for many, it came down to providing the basics of care (shelter, food) over being a full-time paraeducator for Zoom "school." So, yeah, this year is hard for many young kids. That's what happens when you have communities that place children at the bottom of the priority list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is so unforgiving of parents and families who were going through sheer hell before vaccines were widely available. DC's kindergarten teacher went to certain students homes several times a week to ensure they had food and learning materials and tutored them outside on the playground. And even with that amount of effort (which is absolutely above and beyond what a teacher needed to do) students still could not keep up. It is not parents' fault that they work several in-person jobs. And the relative who is watching several kids during the day cannot be expected to help with online school. If I were that relative, I would absolutely be relying on tablet-care.

Young kids are very resilient and I hope this shakes out okay for them in the coming years.

It absolutely is the parents responsibility to provide suitable care for their child, either themselves or someone capable of more than “tablet-care.” It’s called being a parent.

Well, when childcare in the form of school is suddenly no longer available, what then, genius?

Plenty of parents RELIED on public schools to care for their children, which is completely reasonable. When that was no longer an option here, parents did what they had to do. And for many, it came down to providing the basics of care (shelter, food) over being a full-time paraeducator for Zoom "school." So, yeah, this year is hard for many young kids. That's what happens when you have communities that place children at the bottom of the priority list.

It’s not the communities job to care for these children. It’s their parents job. I get that school served at childcare, but if that’s unavailable, parents need to step up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
No one is saying online learning was super effective for K students. But if parents literally did nothing additional for all of last year, while knowing virtual was ineffective, that’s on them.

Perhaps you can come up with things parents could have done or should be doing, to make this all work out?

I have a friend who is a nurse, with 3 kids, 8th grader, 5th grader, and K. All through the pandemic, she has been working, often long hours. Her husband works overnight, so that someone is home most of the time, but obviously, in between work, they have to do things like chores and sleeping. Since dad sleeps during the day, he is unable to supervise anyone. Oldest kid was in 8th grade. Self sufficient. He was responsible for making sure that the K kid was logged on, but that was about the extent of what he could do, because he can't do his schooling and supervise the K kid. Obviously, the kid learned nothing all last year. No idea how the little one is doing this year, but I'm assuming that he is among the kids that is behind.

They could have worked with the little one every day on the basics. Zero excuse.

Yeah, sure. When one parent works 7 - 7, and the other one leaves home at 9 and isn't back until 7 in the morning, that leaves plenty of time to spend teaching the basics to a 5 year old that has spent the day on zoom classes.

Was she working daily? Most nurses who work 7-7 only work 2/3/4 days a week (24/36/48 hrs/wk). More than that (60 hrs/wk) is not often sustainable longer term.

Not PP but surely you heard about the shortage of healthcare workers? I know nurses who have had to take extra shifts. It's almost like you think more parent healthcare workers should have quit to homeschool their children....until you needed care, of course. Let me guess, you take SUCH good care of yourself at home that you've ben able to forgo all healthcare the last 18 months?

Oh stop, I'm a nurse myself but not in the hospital anymore. I'm simply pointing out a typical nurse who works 7-7 in the hospital only works 2-3 days a week, and often at least one of those days is on the weekend. What is the nurse doing the rest of the time? I'm sure many picked up extra shifts but even then, the amount of OT and bonus $$$ would have been insane enough that they could have hired some help, so there's really no excuse.

Zoom tutoring on top of Zoom school sounds super productive and healthy for a 5yo!

Who said it had to be Zoom? I know people who found college students to lead pods of students while schools were closed.

As a frontline worker, her choice was to NOT create any more exposure to the virus than was absolutely necessary, so no "college students to lead pods of students" in a community of unvaccinated people. Even assuming that she was willing to take that chance, how does a parent of a Kindergartener even find "pods of students" in your average middle class community? For the older two kids, they did find ways to 'zoom supplement', but readily admit that it was less than effective. I only know the 5th grader (who is exceedingly bright) well, and she apparently did not do particularly well in school, despite the tutoring, and the parents spending what available time they have on the older kids. Mom is SO worried about her.

It is really easy to blame people. Much more difficult to be a little gracious, and understand that not everyone has the time, the resources, or the savvy to do all the 101 things that you and your friends knew to do, to help the kids out in a pandemic. Most people are doing the best they can under difficult circumstances.

I have a friend who is a nurse who was trying to find a nanny to hire during the pandemic because her daycare had closed and several people she tried to hire backed out when they found out she was a nurse because they were worried they might get covid from her, so yeah, it wasn't as easy as some of these posters are imagining--and that's for a person with money to spend on the solution. Imagine being a family where you don't have that kind of financial flexibility and the available childcare hours don't match your working hours (many childcare centers shortened hours because of staffing issues and covid protocols).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is so unforgiving of parents and families who were going through sheer hell before vaccines were widely available. DC's kindergarten teacher went to certain students homes several times a week to ensure they had food and learning materials and tutored them outside on the playground. And even with that amount of effort (which is absolutely above and beyond what a teacher needed to do) students still could not keep up. It is not parents' fault that they work several in-person jobs. And the relative who is watching several kids during the day cannot be expected to help with online school. If I were that relative, I would absolutely be relying on tablet-care.

Young kids are very resilient and I hope this shakes out okay for them in the coming years.

It absolutely is the parents responsibility to provide suitable care for their child, either themselves or someone capable of more than “tablet-care.” It’s called being a parent.

Well, when childcare in the form of school is suddenly no longer available, what then, genius?

Plenty of parents RELIED on public schools to care for their children, which is completely reasonable. When that was no longer an option here, parents did what they had to do. And for many, it came down to providing the basics of care (shelter, food) over being a full-time paraeducator for Zoom "school." So, yeah, this year is hard for many young kids. That's what happens when you have communities that place children at the bottom of the priority list.

It’s not the communities job to care for these children. It’s their parents job. I get that school served at childcare, but if that’s unavailable, parents need to step up.

Yawn. Plenty of parents stepped up by keeping their jobs so their kids could eat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is so unforgiving of parents and families who were going through sheer hell before vaccines were widely available. DC's kindergarten teacher went to certain students homes several times a week to ensure they had food and learning materials and tutored them outside on the playground. And even with that amount of effort (which is absolutely above and beyond what a teacher needed to do) students still could not keep up. It is not parents' fault that they work several in-person jobs. And the relative who is watching several kids during the day cannot be expected to help with online school. If I were that relative, I would absolutely be relying on tablet-care.

Young kids are very resilient and I hope this shakes out okay for them in the coming years.

It absolutely is the parents responsibility to provide suitable care for their child, either themselves or someone capable of more than “tablet-care.” It’s called being a parent.

Well, when childcare in the form of school is suddenly no longer available, what then, genius?

Plenty of parents RELIED on public schools to care for their children, which is completely reasonable. When that was no longer an option here, parents did what they had to do. And for many, it came down to providing the basics of care (shelter, food) over being a full-time paraeducator for Zoom "school." So, yeah, this year is hard for many young kids. That's what happens when you have communities that place children at the bottom of the priority list.

It’s not the communities job to care for these children. It’s their parents job. I get that school served at childcare, but if that’s unavailable, parents need to step up.

Yawn. Plenty of parents stepped up by keeping their jobs so their kids could eat.

I know it’s hard to comprehend, but after you give birth to them, you have to provide them food AND care. It’s not a either/or thing. Or someone else’s responsibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is so unforgiving of parents and families who were going through sheer hell before vaccines were widely available. DC's kindergarten teacher went to certain students homes several times a week to ensure they had food and learning materials and tutored them outside on the playground. And even with that amount of effort (which is absolutely above and beyond what a teacher needed to do) students still could not keep up. It is not parents' fault that they work several in-person jobs. And the relative who is watching several kids during the day cannot be expected to help with online school. If I were that relative, I would absolutely be relying on tablet-care.

Young kids are very resilient and I hope this shakes out okay for them in the coming years.

It absolutely is the parents responsibility to provide suitable care for their child, either themselves or someone capable of more than “tablet-care.” It’s called being a parent.

Well, when childcare in the form of school is suddenly no longer available, what then, genius?

Plenty of parents RELIED on public schools to care for their children, which is completely reasonable. When that was no longer an option here, parents did what they had to do. And for many, it came down to providing the basics of care (shelter, food) over being a full-time paraeducator for Zoom "school." So, yeah, this year is hard for many young kids. That's what happens when you have communities that place children at the bottom of the priority list.

It’s not the communities job to care for these children. It’s their parents job. I get that school served at childcare, but if that’s unavailable, parents need to step up.

Yawn. Plenty of parents stepped up by keeping their jobs so their kids could eat.

+10000. No one could have predicted this pandemic. No one had a chance to plan - save up funds; save up time off; take a job that was less demanding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is so unforgiving of parents and families who were going through sheer hell before vaccines were widely available. DC's kindergarten teacher went to certain students homes several times a week to ensure they had food and learning materials and tutored them outside on the playground. And even with that amount of effort (which is absolutely above and beyond what a teacher needed to do) students still could not keep up. It is not parents' fault that they work several in-person jobs. And the relative who is watching several kids during the day cannot be expected to help with online school. If I were that relative, I would absolutely be relying on tablet-care.

Young kids are very resilient and I hope this shakes out okay for them in the coming years.

It absolutely is the parents responsibility to provide suitable care for their child, either themselves or someone capable of more than “tablet-care.” It’s called being a parent.

Well, when childcare in the form of school is suddenly no longer available, what then, genius?

Plenty of parents RELIED on public schools to care for their children, which is completely reasonable. When that was no longer an option here, parents did what they had to do. And for many, it came down to providing the basics of care (shelter, food) over being a full-time paraeducator for Zoom "school." So, yeah, this year is hard for many young kids. That's what happens when you have communities that place children at the bottom of the priority list.

It’s not the communities job to care for these children. It’s their parents job. I get that school served at childcare, but if that’s unavailable, parents need to step up.

That's the subject of this thread. School, especially lower elementary school, provides community and socialization that parents cannot provide.

You are refusing to pay attention. Listen more, talk less.