Life during lockdown

Closed

9736 Londoners have responded | 27/03/2020 - 09/06/2020

Coronavirus

Discussions

Parenting and education during lockdown

User Image for
Added by Talk London

Up vote 0
Care 0

In March the Government ordered schools and nurseries to close due to the coronavirus outbreak. Only the most vulnerable children, and those of key workers, are continuing to attend. According to the Department for Education school attendance across the country has been around 2%.   

City Hall has been working to understand the impact of school and nursery closures on parents, children and young people, and teachers. We are particularly concerned about:  

  • The potential closure of early years providers due to financial difficulties leaving key workers and vulnerable children without childcare.  

  • The risk of a ‘digital divide’ as children and parents with sufficient IT equipment (tablets, laptops etc) and broadband connection are likely to be at an advantage as they access digital learning resources at home in the coming weeks.  

  • The impact on students in Year 6, 11 and 13 due to the cancellation of public exams, and the use of teacher predictions to award grades.   

  • The long term sustainability of London’s early years sector and whether nurseries who are closing will be able to re-open in due course.  

Are any of your children still attending nursery or school?   

Are you currently (working from) home, with children?  How are you managing it and how are your children finding it?   

What kind of support would be helpful? What more do you think the Government should do?   

What support or changes would you like to see or keep after the coronavirus crisis is over?   

Tell us in the discussion below. 

The discussion ran from 20 April 2020 - 07 August 2020

Closed


Want to join our next discussion?

New here? Join Talk London, City Hall's online community where you can have your say on London's biggest issues.

Join Talk London

Already have an account?

Log into your account
Comments (81)

Avatar for - Gorilla
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

I have a 2 year old and a 4.5 year old (usually at school) and my husband and I am both attempting to WFH. My employer is being supportive and understanding if I can't do a full day but my husband's job is very long hours and to enable me...

Show full comment

I have a 2 year old and a 4.5 year old (usually at school) and my husband and I am both attempting to WFH. My employer is being supportive and understanding if I can't do a full day but my husband's job is very long hours and to enable me to do any work at all he is working very late into the night and is exhausted, while I am constantly stressed that I can't do my job to any standard. The children cannot be left unattended for more than a few minutes and certainly couldn't get on with school work, the primary school have sent very little work and it requires a great deal of parental input, I can see if we had just one child it might be manageable but with a toddler as well my daughter will be at a great disadvantage compared to others who either have a full time SAHP or no/older siblings.

This situation can't go on. Please allow childminders to open ASAP, ours is small and local and it feels very low risk if she could reopen but would vastly improve my mental health plus the support I can give my older child. I know she is little but missing her Reception year is not a good start to schooling.

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Leatherback sea turtle
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

My partner and I are full time WFH with a 2 year old. I say full time but realistically we only get about 4.5 hours of work in a day because we are alternating looking after our toddler. We are very lucky that our employers have been...

Show full comment

My partner and I are full time WFH with a 2 year old. I say full time but realistically we only get about 4.5 hours of work in a day because we are alternating looking after our toddler. We are very lucky that our employers have been understanding but it doesn't make the mental challenges easier.

As the mum I bear a lot of guilt around not providing more enriching childcare and falling behind on house work as well as my job. I'm also the main cook in the house. It is impossible to balance. There is zero time to myself and I feel anxiety in the mornings and lunch time at everything I'm having to manage.

I don't think there is enough discussion going on in the public sphere about it, I feel alone in the struggle even though my partner's being wonderful and I'm sure other mums are going through similar challenges. I think there's a worry for mums that if we complain we are going to sound like we don't love being a mum or something but I love my son 100%, it's just really hard to do it all without a support network. I would like to see childcare support be one of the priorities as we ease lockdown, for toddler age children also, not just school aged children. 

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Saola
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

I am a teacher and single mother of a 5 year old and I am really struggling to prepare lessons for my students, be online for my colleagues, homeschool my 5 year old and do all the usual housework (cocking, minimum cleaning) at the same...

Show full comment

I am a teacher and single mother of a 5 year old and I am really struggling to prepare lessons for my students, be online for my colleagues, homeschool my 5 year old and do all the usual housework (cocking, minimum cleaning) at the same time. All my work colleagues have no children, are always ahead with their work and constantly come up with new ideas of what to do. I feel like they think I am not putting enough effort in. They haven't said it but the fact that I am so far behind with the work and I am being laid of by the end of April says it all. There is only so much work you can do next to a 5 year old one who needs constant supervision. Also her school keeps sending work that the parent is meant to do with them. There is hardly any task sent by the school that my daughter could do by herself. I am just thankful that Twinkle is currently free and lets me print of resources for my daughter that she can do by herself like coloring templates. 
One of my biggest concern is that when school reopens that my daughter, who is also SEN, will not want to go back. She enjoys herself at home, generally never liked school or nursery in the first place. She likes to stay at home and does not like to go out. I am already struggling to get her out of the house to do a bit of physical exercise. Will schools take that into consideration or do they think all their students will just be happy to go back to school? 
 

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Sea turtle
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

As a teacher I am opposed to any rushing in to reopening schools as the students do not observe social distancing even though there are only about 15 students in a school which normally houses 1400+.  It would be a hive of germ spreading!

Show full comment

As a teacher I am opposed to any rushing in to reopening schools as the students do not observe social distancing even though there are only about 15 students in a school which normally houses 1400+.  It would be a hive of germ spreading!

Show less of comment

Avatar for -
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

Again - pure speculation. If you have any proof that COVID-19 specifically spreads between school children at an accelerated rate, then please do share. Until then, stop presenting opinion as fact. 

Show full comment

Again - pure speculation. If you have any proof that COVID-19 specifically spreads between school children at an accelerated rate, then please do share. Until then, stop presenting opinion as fact. 

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Monarch butterfly
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

Our eldest child is 6 years.  The expectation from our primary school that we can switch to completely supervising his learning online is unrealistic.    We are also juggling care of his siblings with working from home ourselves.  We do not...

Show full comment

Our eldest child is 6 years.  The expectation from our primary school that we can switch to completely supervising his learning online is unrealistic.    We are also juggling care of his siblings with working from home ourselves.  We do not have a spare computer or printing facilities.  If schools reopen  with children attending alternate days then serious thought needs to be applied as to how this affects parents with jobs. Employers will lose patience eventually I fear.

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Atlantic cod
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

As a grandparent (under 70) who normally helps with childcare it is not easy to be living near our daughter and son-in-law and not be able to support them. They are fortunate to have jobs that mean they can both work from home and are both...

Show full comment

As a grandparent (under 70) who normally helps with childcare it is not easy to be living near our daughter and son-in-law and not be able to support them. They are fortunate to have jobs that mean they can both work from home and are both still in employment. 

All the family have been self isolating and social distancing and we hope that before too long we will be able to help again with their two toddlers and give them a break - and see our lovely grandchildren!

In the great scheme of things however we feel hugely lucky to have a garden, be well and to have family, albeit 'virtual' for now. 

Show less of comment

Avatar for -
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

I am assisting at a support group for parents who are now educating at home. The amount of support and the amount of pressure that schools are putting on parents is so varied. Some schools are being really supportive and saying the parents...

Show full comment

I am assisting at a support group for parents who are now educating at home. The amount of support and the amount of pressure that schools are putting on parents is so varied. Some schools are being really supportive and saying the parents job is to help the children feel safe and providing educational materials and a helpline for parents who want to access them. Others are saying that children need to be in front of a computer from 9-3 every week day - despite parents working from home and sharing the same computer! Some schools have threatened to mark children as absent and report to social services if the children are not submitting online assessments. Some of these threats are directed at parents of disabled children who are struggling to support their needs anyway.

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Monarch butterfly
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

I am solo parenting with a 4-year old as my partner has had to travel for corona-virus related work.
 

i am self-employed so saw the amount of work I was booked to deliver drop due to cancellations or postponement.  Now the level of work...

Show full comment

I am solo parenting with a 4-year old as my partner has had to travel for corona-virus related work.
 

i am self-employed so saw the amount of work I was booked to deliver drop due to cancellations or postponement.  Now the level of work is increasing again, which is great financially and great for long term business viability. But trying to deliver this work professionally and also home school / entertain the 4yo is getting harder each week. 
 

he seems happy enough, but like all parents, I worry about his long term mental health with no friends or other role models in his life. 

Show less of comment

Avatar for -
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

Single parent working fulltime from home and attempting to keep the child on track with work the school has thankfully now started sending is stressful and nothing is getting done particularly well.  I am struggling and cannot identify at...

Show full comment

Single parent working fulltime from home and attempting to keep the child on track with work the school has thankfully now started sending is stressful and nothing is getting done particularly well.  I am struggling and cannot identify at all with anyone who is bored right now.  Trying to be kind because we are all different but I have lost my patience a bit.  Realising how much my daily commute gave me time to myself to read and think (and walk! 10,000 steps a day is a distant memory now).  I don't know how anyone who works and has more than one child without another adult to help out is coping - my hat is firmly off to you and I hope we can all return to a more 'normal' scenario soon.  Be kind to yourselves, we are all doing the best we can.

Show less of comment

Avatar for -
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

I am wfh full time with three children at home, aged 19,11 and 6. It is just not possible to do my job as well as I could in the office, teach two children, and make three meals a day for five people, when getting shopping is so difficult...

Show full comment

I am wfh full time with three children at home, aged 19,11 and 6. It is just not possible to do my job as well as I could in the office, teach two children, and make three meals a day for five people, when getting shopping is so difficult since we haven't got a car. The children are bored and playing computer games more than I'd like. My partner was already 80% wfh before the crisis, and has made no concessions to the children being at home. I feel as though the burden has disproportionately fallen on me - I'm really struggling. My son's primary school has been helpful ,and sent a timetable for my 6 year old. Hardly anything for my Year 7 from his secondary school. I think children with at least one non working parent at home will have an advantage over than those where both parents work as they will get more schoolwork done. 

I think the proposal to use teacher predictions for exam. grades is going to work out very unfair, there will always be students who do better than predicted and they will be disadvantaged by that.

In terms of support, some kind of televised virtual school day would be great - the children could then get on with their work without me and we wouldn't need to buy another computer.

 

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Pangolin
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report
Avatar for - Adelie penguin
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

I am at home with a 19 and 17 year old - they make their own breakfasts and lunches and we take turns cooking dinner. There is a rota for cleaning up after dinner. However, the rest of the house is a mess;) I suggest that anyone with...

Show full comment

I am at home with a 19 and 17 year old - they make their own breakfasts and lunches and we take turns cooking dinner. There is a rota for cleaning up after dinner. However, the rest of the house is a mess;) I suggest that anyone with teenagers at home makes them contribute by cooking and cleaning. Life skills.

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Vaquita
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

I think we should be protected from being fired becsuse I am unable to work efficiently AND look after 2 kids - let alone adequately homeschool them. What am I supposed to do - my kids are screaming while I am on my phone to my boss who is...

Show full comment

I think we should be protected from being fired becsuse I am unable to work efficiently AND look after 2 kids - let alone adequately homeschool them. What am I supposed to do - my kids are screaming while I am on my phone to my boss who is asking for more and more work to be competed. Everyone's mental health is suffering. Can we be allowed to do less hours? 

Show less of comment

Avatar for -
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report
Avatar for - American pika
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

THIS. The furlough scheme should work this way.

Show full comment

THIS. The furlough scheme should work this way.

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Monarch butterfly
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

We normally look after our grand daughter for 24 hours every week.  This is not possible during lockdown.  We miss her and vice versa, she will be 4 years old on April 27.  But my wife who is a retired Deputy Head has at least 45 minutes...

Show full comment

We normally look after our grand daughter for 24 hours every week.  This is not possible during lockdown.  We miss her and vice versa, she will be 4 years old on April 27.  But my wife who is a retired Deputy Head has at least 45 minutes every day on Face Time with her.  We keep in touch with the family, 2 children over 30 years old, one Son-in-Law and one grand daughter using Zoom.

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Vaquita
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

This is a note for the discussion admin - I was redirected to this discussion on completing the 5-min 'life under lockdown' survey - in which I confirmed that I do not have children! So I've been sent to probably the only discussion to...

Show full comment

This is a note for the discussion admin - I was redirected to this discussion on completing the 5-min 'life under lockdown' survey - in which I confirmed that I do not have children! So I've been sent to probably the only discussion to which I can make no contribution at all. Your algorithm needs fixing.

Good luck and best wishes to all the parents, guardians and new home-schoolers out there, and to all of the children.

Show less of comment

Avatar for -
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

I'm trying to work from home with two school aged children. I feel my employer doesn't understand that i cannot be "online" and available for the whole working day as i am now also providing care/cooking meals through-out the day too. I do...

Show full comment

I'm trying to work from home with two school aged children. I feel my employer doesn't understand that i cannot be "online" and available for the whole working day as i am now also providing care/cooking meals through-out the day too. I do feel pressure and stress that i did not feel before.

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Rhino
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

I'm the mother of a toddler, trying to work full time from my home as is my husband.

Its impossible and exhausting to manage both!

i worry this will negatively effect my employment as colleagues without children are able to focus on their...

Show full comment

I'm the mother of a toddler, trying to work full time from my home as is my husband.

Its impossible and exhausting to manage both!

i worry this will negatively effect my employment as colleagues without children are able to focus on their work where as I barely do 4 hours a day.

Show less of comment

Avatar for -
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

I feel in a similar position - only one other colleague has children at home

Show full comment

I feel in a similar position - only one other colleague has children at home

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Monarch butterfly
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

Us too.  I worry that childcare will become even more oversubscribed, with some nurseries forced to close, do even when restrictions are eased, parents will not be able to resume work as quickly or effectively as other members of the...

Show full comment

Us too.  I worry that childcare will become even more oversubscribed, with some nurseries forced to close, do even when restrictions are eased, parents will not be able to resume work as quickly or effectively as other members of the workforce.  There is now talk of children going to school part time to enable social distancing which makes sense but is impractical for working parents.

Show less of comment

Load more
Avatar for -
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

I've a 20 yr old at home since she came back from Uni in the USA - she's in a constant state of worry about not being able to get back when Uni reopens. Working from home isn't her forte - school homework was always done at school or in a...

Show full comment

I've a 20 yr old at home since she came back from Uni in the USA - she's in a constant state of worry about not being able to get back when Uni reopens. Working from home isn't her forte - school homework was always done at school or in a coffee shop - & she struggles to get her work done in the home environment now. This causes her anxiety & she needs a lot of support to get through her day.

I've colleagues who've children at home & who struggle to balance it all. Our employer's been quite flexible, making our working day from 7am rather than 8.30am with core hours 11-3 rather than 10-4.30 & we've been encouraged to take our holidays now rather than later in the year. I don't know how they cope but they seem to be doing okay. We could volunteer for furlough which I know was very useful for those parents who could afford it.

If I'd small children at home I'd seek to work in chunks; do some simple stuff while they're quietly engaged colouring etc., do the hard work when they're watching TV or asleep etc. - I'd probably not get my 8 hours done but what can an employer expect? I'd hope to do the same thru' the weekends to catch up on those missed hours. As a single parent I think not having a break would send me over the edge. I liked some words that were quoted on BBC Breakfast the other day - we need our children to stay well, no-one will fall behind, teachers will help them catch up but they won't be able to do that if the children are wracked with fear or feel excluded etc. Just make them feel loved & secure.

I've a friend in a high-rise flat with 2 children on the banks of the Thames who went down for a walk only to find the area was so full of joggers & cyclists that they couldn't move around safely, so they turned back & went indoors.

I think more could've been done by councils to instate some kind of order to parks etc. A one way system, designated times for cyclists, delineated pathways etc.

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Monarch butterfly
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

I was thinking the same. We haven't dared venture to the park as heard too many stories of them being packed with people exercising, which is government backed, but should have put some practical measures in place, just like the...

Show full comment

I was thinking the same. We haven't dared venture to the park as heard too many stories of them being packed with people exercising, which is government backed, but should have put some practical measures in place, just like the supermarkets did so swiftly.

A one way system or markers on the ground to help remind people to keep their distance. (Not sure if similar measure are now in place). 

Lots of people in London do not have gardens, so preparing the few open spaces that do exist to help people safely enjoy their outing of fresh air should of been planned or councils helped to put something in place.

We are lucky to have a garden, but would love to take a brief walk for some fresh air. But the kids are scared and I don't want to risk it.

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Sea turtle
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

We are a family of four with both parents working in full-time jobs. Our two children are aged 5 and 7. We are really, really, really struggling. The school puts links to documents onto the school website each week which we are to download...

Show full comment

We are a family of four with both parents working in full-time jobs. Our two children are aged 5 and 7. We are really, really, really struggling. The school puts links to documents onto the school website each week which we are to download and then work through with the kids. We are trying our best but our work is suffering, we are falling increasingly behind with school work and we are getting less and less sleep. This is not sustainable. We need help!

There is lots of concern about the 'digital divide' and the issue of poor families falling behind as no access to IT equipment. I think there is a divide with a much bigger impact that gets overlooked: that between state schools and private schools. The latter currently deliver full school days via live webcam sessions. The former don't deliver any lessons at all anymore. The only teaching left is by us parents.  

What help do we need?

- For the schools to reopen as quickly as possible, for all ages (!), at least for a few hours each week or alternating weeks, delivering the core subjects: Maths & English

- As quickly as possible offering full-time childcare again - obviously to be balanced with overall risk to society

- In the interim, live web cam based classes from all state schools, for all ages for core subjects at least 1 hour per day for each class (ideally with classes split into sub-groups for younger ages so more interactive vs longer hours in full classes for older children)

 

And what we do NOT need: More links to online education sources. There are countless already, marketeted everywhere, and they don't replace teaching

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Vaquita
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

Cannot agree more 

Show full comment

Cannot agree more 

Show less of comment

Avatar for -
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

I hit 'peak link' about a week in and I am officially overwhelmed.

Show full comment

I hit 'peak link' about a week in and I am officially overwhelmed.

Show less of comment

Load more
Avatar for - Tiger
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

As a working mum I would like to see some support for parents working from home.

i am lucky enough to still have a job but I have no time and resources to help my child with home schooling. He is only 5 and needs help with activities and...

Show full comment

As a working mum I would like to see some support for parents working from home.

i am lucky enough to still have a job but I have no time and resources to help my child with home schooling. He is only 5 and needs help with activities and homework's .

we do need some sorts of childcare, maybe smaller groups or some funding to hire a nanny few hours a day.

or maybe reopen schools for few hours in the morning and have smaller classes. now they can spend more time outdoor and school should get regular daily deep cleaning sessions 

Show less of comment


Timeline

STAGE: Evidence gathering

Community spirit stories

Happened
-

Londoners have posted 45 comments

Have a look

Life in lockdown

Happened
-

Londoners have responded 7020 times

Find out more

London's recovery

Happened

Londoners have posted 378 comments

Have a look
STAGE: What you told us

Supporting workers during a pandemic – what you told us & what we are doing

Happened
Read more

London’s recovery from COVID-19 – what you told us so far

Happened
Read more