Background: I am the current PTA President for my daughter’s school. Prior to this, I was the coordinator for our science lab program. We do a lab for 5th graders (we have a total of around 350 5th graders) every year in May that requires a ton of planning and volunteers.
My complaint: I have been working with my old partner who now oversees the entirety of the science lab program and neither of us see how it will be feasible to make it happen. First, we have to get and train volunteers in advance of the actual program and at this point we aren’t returning to school until 4/27. Neither of us anticipate we will actually go back to school then either. Plus we work with a local company to make this happen and while they do it for free, it is an inconvenience for them and there’s no way to know if they will be operating at full strength in May. But can I get our principal to even respond to me and discuss this with me in any sort of realistic way? I got one response a week ago and it was super naive to how this all works and how many moving parts there are. And before anyone gives me shit about the principal dealing with a lot, our district is doing no e-learning and only decided to do packets yesterday which are being done at the district level not by individual schools. Every other principal at the schools we are districted first (my son’s school, my kids’ previous primary school and the high school) have been communicating and visible. It’s just so frustrating because I also get complaints and of course have no real power.
I had parent-teacher conferences for both my kids today. They are normally 20 minutes, which is already too short. But since they moved to phone calls they shortened them to 15 minutes.
Both calls were more about the logistics of distance learning changes that will start next week. Very little specific to my kids. And we barely had enough time to cover all of that.
My younger one has an iep so her conference was with both her regular and special ed teacher. I almost started crying because I still dont even understand the breakdown of which assignments she should be doing from each teacher, and that was supposed to be the main focus of the call. But the bottom line is, it will be a lot more work starting next week, and I've been barely keeping it together with what we're currently doing.
I know it's no ones fault, and all the teachers are working really hard to deliver meaningful structure. But I'm just so angry about the whole situation and how everything is so fucked for the foreseeable future.
Post by StrawberryBlondie on Mar 31, 2020 15:57:10 GMT -5
I have a really silly gripe - I'm so far behind on my TV watching. Because my kid is always around. If I try to watch a show while eating lunch, for example, she'll see that as an opportunity to schmooze or a sign that I'm free to play. I had a window of potential opportunity today while DH took her on a hike, but I was busy with work the whole time.
Is it too much to ask to watch a simple episode of Sex Education??
I am going to have to unfollow our school fb page. It is just post after post of people one upping each other on all of their creative, amazing things they are doing with their kids. It has over taken my feed. I don’t have time to get on social media during the day. When I am finally on all I see is that nonsense.
Also I pray our school district does not go to distance learning. Right now we just have resources. I can’t handle more than that. H and my job are bananas right now. We tell the kids to set 3 goals for themselves a day and it works really great. But they get control of the goals. If we have to start enforcing things PLUS do our jobs, well I don’t even want to think about it.
Mine threw a drum of instruments at my head yesterday
I honestly think that a three-year-old is the worst age kid to be going through this with.
+ 1 - and she’s way harder than ds was at 3. Between the spite pee, ripping out her own hair, and threatening to gleefully ‘Ruin’ things in house with markers, I can’t imagine a worse quarantine occupant
Post by Velar Fricative on Mar 31, 2020 20:03:33 GMT -5
DD1 and DH might have a shortened spring break. I’m so annoyed. I needed a fucking break (even if it means WFH while DH takes care of the kids). I also figured it would be the perfect time to potty train DD2. Ugggghhhh.
My H and I each had six or more conference calls today. I am pretty sure DS1 was on his iPad for six hours. Both kids ate lunch at 10:45 a.m. because it was my only window to make them something. I hate this. I feel like I am failing at everything and neglecting my kids.
My H and I each had six or more conference calls today. I am pretty sure DS1 was on his iPad for six hours. Both kids ate lunch at 10:45 a.m. because it was my only window to make them something. I hate this. I feel like I am failing at everything and neglecting my kids.
I know this feeling so well but you aren't failing them. You are keeping them safe, fed and loved. I get it, because H and I have the same number of calls a day and DS9 told me last night he doesn't spend any more time with me than before COVID because I am "always working." I don't know how its possible to balance this. It's wonderful that DH and I have white collar work that is easily done at home but what it means is that if anything we are working MORE right now, not less.
I don't know how old your kids are but DS is making his own breakfast, lunch and snacks. Part of his assigned work each day involves self care, as in, making his own lunch and cleaning are built into the schedule our teacher sends each day. His school is Montessori and that's part of the schtick but I am grateful for it because it gives me validation that while I'm working, he CAN care for himself. I tell myself that both DH and I are in the house. He gets hugs and help with things as he needs them. I remind myself that I was a latchkey kid at 10 and babysitting my baby brother at DS's age and I turned out FINE, LOL, and no one in the late 80s thought that was neglect much less if two parents had been home at the time!
It's my tendency to want to Pinterest and be extra but in this situation, I need to give myself permission to step back because at the end of the day, all the kids are losing this semester more or less. They are all getting a stupid amount of screen time. I cannot with Instagram moms right now because no one I know is feeling any differently than you.
eclaires, I'm the PTA President at my daughter's school. You can absolutely make this decision without the principal, especially given that he/she is non-responsive. Just cancel it. People often have NO idea how much prep work goes into an event. The PTA Local Leaders FB group is really helpful if you are on FB.
eclaires, I'm the PTA President at my daughter's school. You can absolutely make this decision without the principal, especially given that he/she is non-responsive. Just cancel it. People often have NO idea how much prep work goes into an event. The PTA Local Leaders FB group is really helpful if you are on FB.
That’s my plan...it is just so frustrating to me that we do all this work and can’t even get a real response. It’s a common theme lol.
My H and I each had six or more conference calls today. I am pretty sure DS1 was on his iPad for six hours. Both kids ate lunch at 10:45 a.m. because it was my only window to make them something. I hate this. I feel like I am failing at everything and neglecting my kids.
You are not failing him! Look, I am a former teacher and SAH. DD did maybe an hours worth of work today (MAYBE) and spent the rest on the iPad and just generally doing whatever she felt like doing. Some days we are on top of things and other days, I'm just over it and sad and anxious. It's not like everything else is completely normal right now and you just happen to have your kids home. NOTHING is normal right now. Cut yourself some slack! This is a marathon, not a sprint.
eclaires , I'm the PTA President at my daughter's school. You can absolutely make this decision without the principal, especially given that he/she is non-responsive. Just cancel it. People often have NO idea how much prep work goes into an event. The PTA Local Leaders FB group is really helpful if you are on FB.
That’s my plan...it is just so frustrating to me that we do all this work and can’t even get a real response. It’s a common theme lol.
I'm sorry. I'd be irritated, too.
The principal at DD's school doesn't like to rock the boat or stick her neck out for ANYTHING. It can be really frustrating.
My H and I each had six or more conference calls today. I am pretty sure DS1 was on his iPad for six hours. Both kids ate lunch at 10:45 a.m. because it was my only window to make them something. I hate this. I feel like I am failing at everything and neglecting my kids.
I know this feeling so well but you aren't failing them. You are keeping them safe, fed and loved. I get it, because H and I have the same number of calls a day and DS9 told me last night he doesn't spend any more time with me than before COVID because I am "always working." I don't know how its possible to balance this. It's wonderful that DH and I have white collar work that is easily done at home but what it means is that if anything we are working MORE right now, not less.
I don't know how old your kids are but DS is making his own breakfast, lunch and snacks. Part of his assigned work each day involves self care, as in, making his own lunch and cleaning are built into the schedule our teacher sends each day. His school is Montessori and that's part of the schtick but I am grateful for it because it gives me validation that while I'm working, he CAN care for himself. I tell myself that both DH and I are in the house. He gets hugs and help with things as he needs them. I remind myself that I was a latchkey kid at 10 and babysitting my baby brother at DS's age and I turned out FINE, LOL, and no one in the late 80s thought that was neglect much less if two parents had been home at the time!
It's my tendency to want to Pinterest and be extra but in this situation, I need to give myself permission to step back because at the end of the day, all the kids are losing this semester more or less. They are all getting a stupid amount of screen time. I cannot with Instagram moms right now because no one I know is feeling any differently than you.
Thank you. I needed this. 12yo and 9yo that I feel like I’ve abandoned even more WFH, work has become more insane. As long as they are still living and haven’t infected anyone or been infected have we done our job?
circa1978 my kids are 5 and 2, so old enough to grab snacks, but not make meals (though I should start teaching the older one more independence). The poor toddler is going to be feral when all this is over with the lack of attention he’s had.
circa1978 my kids are 5 and 2, so old enough to grab snacks, but not make meals (though I should start teaching the older one more independence). The poor toddler is going to be feral when all this is over with the lack of attention he’s had.
Oh, man. I think people with toddlers have this the absolute hardest. I think any other parent on earth would agree that you get to do whatever it is that gets you all through the day at this point. The kids are too young to remember this and screen time is not going to hurt them. I feel like the pediatricians of the world need to come out with some sort of advisory on this point, seriously. It's a global pandemic. We get a pass on perfect parenting for a while.