The homeschooling new normal
In the months following the Covid-19 stay at home orders, we all hoped the changes would be temporary but as we move toward the beginning of the next school year, the end remains unclear. Working from home with homeschooling for now is now the new normal.
For some this may be welcomed and even preferred but for many, especially parents with children, this may be their worst-case scenario, especially if they have little to no help. With children not leaving the house; parents have to oversee home-schooling, as they shoulder full-time jobs, making it extra difficult to focus on work and children at the same time.
With this post I built on this previous post and focus on the challenges working parents face during these times and provide six simple tips for parents homeschooling kids and help overcome the challenges of doing so.
Let’s start with the challenges.
Not the great equalizer
- In the U.S. individuals with children are experiencing a lot more stress than individuals without children.
- Women in general have been impacted more than men. Women need to work more now than in the past due to their line of work (women make up about 85% of all nurses, 75% of primary caregiver) and/or as around 62% of women hold minimum wage jobs (mainly in the service industry).
- Women are experiencing more job losses than men according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR).
Embrace the uncertainty
Start by acknowledging it’s not easy to set a schedule and routine and follow through exactly. However, it is essential to hold yourself up to a certain routine and/or schedule.
For example, set a time to wake up to give you alone time in the morning, for your cup of coffee or to check your emails before everyone else wakes up. When the kids wake up, you and the kids all change out of our PJs, and can get into the comfy outfits, making sure you are out of your sleepwear to shift to the day routine.
Setting routine or schedule does not have to be perfect, it is there to serve a purpose of freeing you of stress and to give a sense of normalcy both for you and the kids. If the children are older, having that schedule for them on the fridge or somewhere visible allows them to also follow routine and instruction a lot better. For the little ones, try to implement it for yourself and your sanity.
Add your meetings and calls to the schedule and come up with creative ways to manage children and yourself. For example, for smaller children, discuss with your partner and see if you can play handoff (during your calls, meetings the partner takes them and during his/hers you take them). If a partner is not available, schedule an activity during that time for the kids. If kids are in school, schedule those meetings during the time they are “attending class” without your help. Remember, making sure things are on the schedule, allows kids to get a sense of organization, and gives you, control.
It’s completely understandable that children may not understand very well the extent of importance of certain calls and meetings. Making it fun for them and yourself, allows them to be a part of it and yet respect the boundary setting. Finding creative fun ways to display that you are busy is important.
During those times when you cannot be disturbed you can create signals – Wear a tiara or hold a sword when you need to establish some boundary around you being busy and encouraging kids to be with themselves. That shows them you cannot be disturbed. This will make it less foreign for them and friendlier and more fun. Holding a sword shows that you are in a “work battle” and need them to soldier up and protect you by staying quiet.
Children may not understand very well the extent of importance of certain calls and meetings and that is completely understandable. Making it fun for them and yourself, allows them to be a part of it and yet respect the boundary setting. Finding creative fun ways to display that you are busy is important.
For those times that you cannot be disturbed you can create signals – Wear a tiara or hold a sword when you need to establish some boundary around you being busy and encouraging kids to be with themselves. That shows them you cannot be disturbed. This will make it less foreign for them and friendlier and more fun. Holding a sword shows that you are in a “work battle” and need them to soldier up and protect you by staying quiet.
