Lockdown and homeschooling. 

So, here we are again!

How is lockdown, working from home, and homeschooling going this time? 

The intention was there. The timetable I designed was never used!

This lockdown feels different, the novelty of baking my own body weight in banana bread, making a homeschooling timetable that took longer to make than how long I could get my son to stick to (picture for sympathy), going out for long sunny walks seems like a distant memory, and don’t get me started on Joe Wicks, sorry Joe!

Even my son now knows not to pop up behind me in our morning video editorial conference at work.

And trying to get my children out for a walk when it’s freezing is almost impossible.

Add to that, not seeing family, friends, and colleagues for almost a year.

It is tough, but we will get through it. 

Thrown back into lockdown and homeschooling, I thought I would put together a list of free online educational and fun websites to help parents.

And with the great news that the BBC will be broadcasting lessons on the CBBC TV channel from Monday 11th Jan, help is at hand for parents.

BBC Bitesize Daily helped us a lot in the first lockdown and I am really pleased to see it on TV for those children who don’t have access to online learning.

I know schools up and down the country vary in how they are helping parents set school work.  Our school has been brilliant and they definitely have set more work for us this time.

But learning doesn’t always have to be sitting for hours doing maths, please don’t let it be maths, as I am currently studying for a maths exam and actually my 10-year-old son should be teaching me! Wait for your dad to get home to help with that one! 

Mum Adele and ten-year-old son, Jacob when they were allowed out!

I am working full-time while homeschooling our 10-year-old son.

My husband is an SEN teaching assistant so he is also working full time looking after vulnerable and key workers’ children.

Our daughter is seventeen, she, like so many teens, missed out on her end of year assembly, her school prom (which we bought a lovely dress for and she wore it to go for a glamorous walk in the first lockdown, see picture), and of course, her GCSE’s.

She tells me that 2020 should have been ‘her year’, instead, like all of us, it’s the year we would like to forget.

Amber all dressed up and no prom to go to. That dress cost more than any dress I have ever bought! Most expensive outfit to walk around the garden in!

Amber is currently attending online classes with her College, so I don’t have to worry so much about her. Although, very clever of the tutors to make them stay online all day, probably just to make sure they are not sleeping or playing the Xbox! 

But, I do have to try and get my son to do some home learning, which is not so easy!

Getting him out of his pyjamas and off his iPad is a task in itself. 

This time around though, I am not adding any pressure to try and do everything, it’s just not possible.

I’m glad that Jacob is learning life skills along the way and he can make yummy American pancakes that he couldn’t before.

We will do what we can when we can and most importantly we all need to look after each other and our mental health.

We are safe which is the main thing.

I have loved spending more time with my children. Even though it has been tough for all of us at times.

I hope these resources help. Even if you manage to grab a cuppa while they are watching Dr. Chris and Dr. Xand from BBC’s Operation Ouch on their live broadcast at 2.30 pm daily, which is fun. 

Do let me know in the comments if you have any good educational and fun websites.