Is virtual learning really just hard for our family?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

First of all, the 3 older kids don't need help. Maybe even your 6th grader doesn't need much help either. Get a babysitter to help the youngest kid. You make it sound like you have babies and toddlers as well as ES aged kids. The oldest 2 or 3 can do this alone. I used to nanny for 4 kids and the ages of these kids sound like a cakewalk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Does your work not have any flexible scheduling options. The government workers I know that do not have telework options, but are required to report (so DoD) all have offices open 24/7 and are allowed to come in evenings and weekends for work. It’s obviously hard, but if one does early morning until 3 and another does 12-8, you should be able to make it work better than both going in 8-5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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?

I think the younger two may need more structure outside of the house and better data speeds. Based on some of these posts in these forums, I don’t exactly trust nannies anymore anyway. Four school aged kids really isn’t hard to handle during the day, but four school aged kids trying to sort through broken links and frozen zoom sessions becomes a non stop job.

I think we have a plan. We are going to have to two youngest in care and the older kids will need to keep a checklist when they can’t get into a class. I don’t think this is a wonderful year for education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

First of all, the 3 older kids don't need help. Maybe even your 6th grader doesn't need much help either. Get a babysitter to help the youngest kid. You make it sound like you have babies and toddlers as well as ES aged kids. The oldest 2 or 3 can do this alone. I used to nanny for 4 kids and the ages of these kids sound like a cakewalk.

One of my older kids is autistic and I think needs someone there more often. He’s pretty independent but he needs some guidance.
We plan on sending the younger two to a virtual learning center and checking in with my oldest more often. Friday was very frustrating because of the data speed anyway.

[Anonymous]

Definitely up your WiFi for one. Yes it's an extra cost. Look into some childcare that either comes to your house for several hours or you send the youngest somewhere. 4 kids is always hard and harder when they are all home and you're home needing to work and supervise.
Those that are doing well either have flexible schedules, care in home and fewer kids. Or very self organized and older kids.

[Anonymous]

Virtual learning is HARD! We have 3 kids and it is extremely stressful for everyone.
You got some good advice. Another thing you and your husband could consider is talking to your boss and telling them that you don't want to quit but need more flexibility (more telework, flexible hours, part time). If you are a good employee, they do not want you to leave. Advertising a position and finding a good fit is really hard in the federal government.
If you are a BU employee, look at your contract. I know in my Agency you can take up to a year of LWOP with your managers permission.
Hang in there!

[Anonymous]

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.

Ignore this poster. She probably has fertility problems and is jealous.

[Anonymous]

You had me until you said what grade they were all in. I teach 3rd grade and most of my students function on their own except for one child that is autistic and needs someone next to him. The thing is, he had accommodations already in place when school was open. If your child didn’t need any guidance or accommodations when school was open then I don’t see why he would need it now. It such for everyone right now but they need to suck it up. My 3rd traders email me if their internet went out and ask for their assignments. Your children are capable, they are just playing you

[Anonymous]

Your older kids need to be more disciplined or suffer consequences. The fact that they aren’t means there was a problem before the pandemic that is now manifesting itself. I’m not trying to come down on you - I’m saying your kids are old enough to be more self sufficient than they are, which would take the best of if you and give you breathing room. They are old enough.

Don’t make the same mistake with the youngest - the fact that he’s “refusing” to log on is an indication that he thinks that in your household he CAN refuse. That in and of itself is unusual your child should have a healthy amount of respect for your authority and an accompanying level of obedience that he should not be able to tell you, the parent, what he is not going to do at all of nine years old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your older kids need to be more disciplined or suffer consequences. The fact that they aren’t means there was a problem before the pandemic that is now manifesting itself. I’m not trying to come down on you - I’m saying your kids are old enough to be more self sufficient than they are, which would take the best of if you and give you breathing room. They are old enough.

Don’t make the same mistake with the youngest - the fact that he’s “refusing” to log on is an indication that he thinks that in your household he CAN refuse. That in and of itself is unusual your child should have a healthy amount of respect for your authority and an accompanying level of obedience that he should not be able to tell you, the parent, what he is not going to do at all of nine years old.

heat off of

[Anonymous]

It’s time to open the schools.

[Anonymous]

OP- Yes, it is only a problem for you and other parents who are failures to their kids. Teachers and schools have no responsibility to help you or your kids during a pandemic. Any reasonable parent would have a 5 year cash reserve fund, and hire a pod teacher to help the nanny and housekeeper they should already have. Teachers should only have to worry about their own health. You should be enormously greatful for any time they're willing to give to your kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP- Yes, it is only a problem for you and other parents who are failures to their kids. Teachers and schools have no responsibility to help you or your kids during a pandemic. Any reasonable parent would have a 5 year cash reserve fund, and hire a pod teacher to help the nanny and housekeeper they should already have. Teachers should only have to worry about their own health. You should be enormously greatful for any time they're willing to give to your kids.

Ohhhh sarcasm on the internet! How fun!

In reality, the op has no control over her own children. She's never had to face it until now.
My dc is autistic and has adhd. He is 100% responsible for his own online learning. Op, there is no excuse for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

First of all, the 3 older kids don't need help. Maybe even your 6th grader doesn't need much help either. Get a babysitter to help the youngest kid. You make it sound like you have babies and toddlers as well as ES aged kids. The oldest 2 or 3 can do this alone. I used to nanny for 4 kids and the ages of these kids sound like a cakewalk.

One of my older kids is autistic and I think needs someone there more often. He’s pretty independent but he needs some guidance.
We plan on sending the younger two to a virtual learning center and checking in with my oldest more often. Friday was very frustrating because of the data speed anyway.

Clearly your kids would benefit from an adult whose job it is to focus on them to help the through virtual learning since both you and your DH are away from home (particularly since you have a younger child and a special needs child.) it’s not like your kids are working independent of adult supervision when they’re at school-there are people there to guide them. there are lots of great caregivers out there but if you rather send your younger two to a virtual learning center (whatever that is), it sounds like a more difficult decision logistics wise

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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?

I think the younger two may need more structure outside of the house and better data speeds. Based on some of these posts in these forums, I don’t exactly trust nannies anymore anyway. Four school aged kids really isn’t hard to handle during the day, but four school aged kids trying to sort through broken links and frozen zoom sessions becomes a non stop job.

I think we have a plan. We are going to have to two youngest in care and the older kids will need to keep a checklist when they can’t get into a class. I don’t think this is a wonderful year for education.

You don't say what district you are in, but at least in MCPS if kids miss a class, it is available to watch for 72 hours. Once they watch and finish the assignments, parents complete a form and kids get marked present for the class. So, there is no school that is actually missed. That would work for your older kids.

If my kids were struggling, I'd definitely find a child care center that addresses the online learning. I interviewed two because I was considering it. But, the one of mine that fits into that age group is doing fine with online school so I decided not to spend the money. It's pretty expensive.