By Cindi Avila
I think I’ve learned more than my kids in their first week with mom and dad as the teacher. I have two daughters, ages 6 and 9. My takeaways: Educators are the most under-appreciated and underpaid professionals anywhere.
We parents around the country are having to make big life adjustments this week. In addition to social distancing, many of us are also having to play the role of teacher. Virtual learning? This is hard! At least I’m not alone. With 70% of the nation’s schools closed, more than 40 million students are out of class and at home. Some districts have already made the decision to keep schools closed until the end of the school year; others will re-assess in the coming weeks.
USA Today writes: “The new landscape of remote work coupled with remote schooling is bizarre and chaotic. And it stands to get worse before it gets better: Districts and states vary wildly in their ability to deliver educational services at a time of social isolation.”
Most parents are having to scramble to figure out how to balance their own work and that of their children. This tweet from the creator of Grey’s Anatomy went viral earlier this week and for good reason. Most of us already valued teachers, but this week we are gaining even more respect for them.
Some parents are struggling with still having to work at jobs outside of the home while figuring out who can care for their kids during this stressful period. It’s one of the most difficult positions to be in. But even for those of us who are able to work from home during this crisis, it’s not easy.
Yours truly is only a couple of days into virtual learning and it’s a precarious balancing act.
I’ve often said I admire teachers because I lack their patience. Case in point – I’m getting questions all day long from my kids, all while trying to do my own work. I’m trying to look at the bright side and cherish all this extra time, but I recognize this will have a strain on all of us. Perhaps soon!
Parents with middle and high school-aged kids may be able to weather this a little easier because teenagers should be more self-sufficient. But, a lot of teenagers may lack the discipline to work on a structured schedule from home.
For those of us with elementary-aged children, it’s much harder to let them navigate their own schoolwork and schedule. Dr. Felicia Gould, a psychologist with the University of Miami Health system, says:
Parents of school-aged children have expressed greater levels of anxiety over the requirement that they must now directly oversee the education of their children. This is especially challenging for parents trying to work from home while simultaneously teaching multiple children daily lessons and then ensuring the completion of homework.
Add in their lack of social and physical activity and we find ourselves operating as a parent, teacher, PE coach and friend all wrapped up into one. As Gould notes, “The stress can be overwhelming.”
New York City Behaviorist Dr. Marcie Beigel shared this advice with News & Guts:
Taking care of your physical health will help combat the effect of this new level of stress. Seemingly simple things, that may be hard to do right now, are the solution. This means making sure you are getting a full night’s sleep, eating meals, and exercising... You may be amazed by how maintaining daily practices shifts your experience.
And Gould adds:
In the meantime, I advise patience and forgiveness. You can’t expect to become a teacher overnight and it will take time to adjust to a different schedule and this new normal. If lessons and homework take a bit longer to complete it is ok. Be sure to take a breaks and deep breaths and use encouraging statements toward both your children as well as yourself as we move forward.
When all else fails, try to find something to laugh at…
If humor doesn’t work, it’s also okay to cry. Today, actor Josh Gad, best known for his role as Olaf in Frozen, wrote this:
Was just watching my baby girl on a video call w/ her teacher & 2 classmates & I started to get truly emotional. I can’t begin to imagine how hard it must be 4 all of our kids right now to comprehend why they can’t see their friends in person & why they can’t go to school.
