The Day I Did Math

Ok, so what exactly are the consequences for NOT doing distance learning? Apart from all of social media either shaming me for my poor parenting choices and/or hailing me as their new hero?

I am distance learning -with worksheets- with a 6 and 7 year old. Just old enough to have to do homework but young enough to not really be able to do it independently. And apparently their teachers do not read my blog, because if they did they would have seen that I specifically requested NOT to distance learn with worksheets because it is torture and I do not want to be an alcoholic. My kids loathe worksheets. We were very content bumping along with our learning apps and reading out loud. We like Zoom and Google Classroom. Worksheets are just soul crushing. For example...

My 7 yr old is a math whiz. Has been since he was tiny. Fought phonics and reading every single step of the way and couldn't blend a word to save his life, but asked me to quiz him on math facts for fun at 4. I should take him to a bar and make some money off his mental math game. He just has this number brain. So he can do a 'math minute' app that I bought and get all 15 right in under a minute for anything adding or subtracting to 20. ONE MINUTE. His first grade math worksheet? Twenty simple addition facts? It took him FIFTEEN MINUTES. Because he hates it and whines and complains. Or because his brain doesn't work on paper...in our house...for me. Which is also possible.

But alas...we must press on...for now.

I keep trying to adjust it so it goes more smoothly. I did part in the morning, part in the afternoon. Then I took them out star gazing and ruined their sleep schedules and started late today. Tomorrow we are going to try doing one big block of time. We have moved locations - from the very structured table to the reading nook on pillows to their desks in their room. Eventually....something is going to click. I am sure. We just aren't there yet. Today I bribed them with snacks, which seemed to work well. My kids are highly food motivated.

It just feels like so much right now. So many hats to wear, all of them half falling off...not one of them too much on its own... but all of them -all at once -during such a stressful time- it feels HEAVY.

Soooooo...I give it next week still and then things may just have to drop off. Or get turned into summer school. I will be calling and negotiating with teachers. How about I turn in half of those worksheets....but bump up reading by 50%? That sounds like perfect distance learning math to me.