Child care in the age of Covid (1 Viewer)

[CajunInVA]

Anyone got a grasp on this? I started the summer with three great babysitters and I’m down to none. We thought we had remote learning whipped, but our last and most reliable babysitter just gave three weeks notice because she’s going to spend the semester visiting an aunt in Seattle. Another one said “eff it” and she and her husband are selling their house, buying an RV and hitting the road, and the last one is in her mid 20s but cares for her at risk parents and has been put on house arrest by them.

Our kids are in kindergarten, 3rd grade and 5th grade. The youngest needs remote learning help. We are looking at remote learning camp at the Y at a cost of $1800 a month. That wasn’t in the budget.

My wife is about to lose her mind. She was curled up in the fetal position last night, stressing out.

Between this and quarantine stress and politics and the world as a whole, I’m just trying to hang onto my family and marriage. A couple we know just separated and they seemed so strong. But quarantine and division of duties and all that stuff got them.

Hope we can all look back someday and say this made us all stronger or better somehow, because if not this really just sucks.

 

[Goatman Saint]

Anyone got a grasp on this? I started the summer with three great babysitters and I’m down to none. We thought we had remote learning whipped, but our last and most reliable babysitter just gave three weeks notice because she’s going to spend the semester visiting an aunt in Seattle. Another one said “eff it” and she and her husband are selling their house, buying an RV and hitting the road, and the last one is in her mid 20s but cares for her at risk parents and has been put on house arrest by them.

Our kids are in kindergarten, 3rd grade and 5th grade. The youngest needs remote learning help. We are looking at remote learning camp at the Y at a cost of $1800 a month. That wasn’t in the budget.

My wife is about to lose her mind. She was curled up in the fetal position last night, stressing out.

Between this and quarantine stress and politics and the world as a whole, I’m just trying to hang onto my family and marriage. A couple we know just separated and they seemed so strong. But quarantine and division of duties and all that stuff got them.

Hope we can all look back someday and say this made us all stronger or better somehow, because if not this really just sucks.

Remember. It’s just a pause. I mean at this point it’s taking care of your mental Health and family. Your kids won’t lose all that much, because distance learning is a band aid to make everyone feel better that their kids are learning. I teach it. I expect nothing really. Better technology usage and not lose ground, but really I mean.
Little one. Just encourage reading. Encourage number sense and learning add and subtract to ten. Have them learn to write what they can and keep encouraging
Please don’t stress out. Kids are much brighter and resilient than adults give them credit for, and I can honestly say an educational setting wastes a buttload if time
On sheet that’s not important.

 

[CajunInVA]

Remember. It’s just a pause. I mean at this point it’s taking care of your mental Health and family. Your kids won’t lose all that much, because distance learning is a band aid to make everyone feel better that their kids are learning. I teach it. I expect nothing really. Better technology usage and not lose ground, but really I mean.
Little one. Just encourage reading. Encourage number sense and learning add and subtract to ten. Have them learn to write what they can and keep encouraging
Please don’t stress out. Kids are much brighter and resilient than adults give them credit for, and I can honestly say an educational setting wastes a buttload if time
On sheet that’s not important.

I get and agree with what you're saying. Probably part of the stress between the wife and I. I'm not saying you can't break a kid, but my wife is freaking out because they've had five or six different babysitters over the last year. I think she's confusing her stress with the matter for theirs. They don't really care that much, and on some level I'm not concerned either. It's an adventure for them during a very boring time. For her, the uncertainty is really, really tough.

 

[kizzy821]

I think COVID and the subsequent shutdown has forced people to REALLY face the lives they've created for themselves. So much stress revolves around the children and what to do with them.

Before this, I never realized how many people relied on OTHER PEOPLE to tend and teach (and feed) their children. I can't imagine what that life must be like.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

Remember. It’s just a pause. I mean at this point it’s taking care of your mental Health and family. Your kids won’t lose all that much, because distance learning is a band aid to make everyone feel better that their kids are learning. I teach it. I expect nothing really. Better technology usage and not lose ground, but really I mean.
Little one. Just encourage reading. Encourage number sense and learning add and subtract to ten. Have them learn to write what they can and keep encouraging
Please don’t stress out. Kids are much brighter and resilient than adults give them credit for, and I can honestly say an educational setting wastes a buttload if time
On sheet that’s not important.

Co-sign

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

I get and agree with what you're saying. Probably part of the stress between the wife and I. I'm not saying you can't break a kid, but my wife is freaking out because they've had five or six different babysitters over the last year. I think she's confusing her stress with the matter for theirs. They don't really care that much, and on some level I'm not concerned either. It's an adventure for them during a very boring time. For her, the uncertainty is really, really tough.

I hear this fully
My wife and I have got through 2 significant rough patches in the last few months, and both were about the different ways we express our stress
If your wife thinks it’s important to have a babysitter, then it is, even if it’s not logical (bc nothing about this time is logical)

 

[Goatman Saint]

I get and agree with what you're saying. Probably part of the stress between the wife and I. I'm not saying you can't break a kid, but my wife is freaking out because they've had five or six different babysitters over the last year. I think she's confusing her stress with the matter for theirs. They don't really care that much, and on some level I'm not concerned either. It's an adventure for them during a very boring time. For her, the uncertainty is really, really tough.

I’ve seen a lot of stress in people. A lot of abuse, and behavior which normally wouldn’t be there. I’ve also taught 24 years. Everyone is paused and killing time. In the end what is important. You, your wife and your kids. School will come back in and your kids will be fine in the long run. I honestly think kids will come out ahead as they will become better problem solvers, critical thinkers and more creative with the challenges they are facing. In my professional opinion, and in the opinion of my two millennial college graduate kids of my own, I really think this has the potential to completely upend public school as we know it.
But, that’s beside the point. Remember what’s important and all good feelings your way and to anyone else struggling now.