We can't afford a nanny to sit with 1st grader all day while he does remote school so there are at least parts of the day where we are working and he is doing it/ at home in general and the constant inability to finish a thought or a conversation or a project without having to multi task as a parent/ or vice versa - with unrelenting lack of allowance for that situation - is making me INSANE. anyone else? this situation is nuts.
This sounds like the worst possible situation (short of job loss, illness - you get my drift). It IS so hard.
My kids are much older (12 and 16) and I'm still struggling. DH's employer is requiring him to go into the office, so I'm trying to WFH. Everyone seems to think I'm a house slave and my job (which actually pays the bills) is just a fun side-hobby that I should do in my spare time.
There is no way a 1st grader can or should be expected to do remote school independently. It's really an impossible situation. I know you said you can't afford a nanny, but this might be worth borrowing or calling in favors to get someone to stay with him for even just 2-3 hours a day. Your sanity is on the line.
we pulled the trigger and got a nanny who is going to do it. so will just burn through our savings - and both of us have jobs that are not especially secure. this situation is bananas.
I have a 9yo in 4th grade. The first few weeks were so great compared to the complete shitshow that was spring that I think I lulled myself into a false sense of 'hey, it's gonna be fine!' Yeah, not so much. He just is having so much trouble focusing. He now wants me in there 'for company' to keep him focused. That doesn't work. I'm trying to get my job done so I don't get fired. This blows. I wish I could move to an area with low numbers where the kids can actually go to school.
It's not really doable. Most kids that age need someone to sit with them, which is impossible when you're working. If I were in your situation (need the help, but not in the budget), I would team up with 4 other families where each person could take one day to be the minder, and I would arrange with my job to be available via email during that window and not by phone until school is out the day you're the minder. Good luck -- it's tough.
Everyone with kids at this age does struggle. I've heard again and again. The worse part is that's also a complete waste of time/effort/money, you name it. If we go full remote, I'll ask to opt out of all Zoom meets. I'll log attendance and complete the assignments.