Stressful Situations
The last few weeks have been a stressful time for many. Thousands of parents are suddenly finding themselves unexpectedly homeschooling their kids for the first time. Out of those, there are some mums or dads who are trying to not only teach their kids, but also work a fulltime job at the same time! I think the parents in this predicament must be some of those experiencing the most pressure – they’re essentially trying to fit two full-time jobs into one day!
One of my friends is in this situation. She is definitely grateful to still have her job, but she is crazily busy. Her husband is still working too, and being in the media industry ensures that he is busier than ever thanks to Covid-19. Initially, my friend was able to organise her day so that the kids were all doing the same kinds of things at the same time, but now that the school is providing work it’s all over the place! Different tasks at different times of the day.
It’s not all bad though, since some of the work they’re doing sounds pretty fun. For example, comparing the length of cooked to non-cooked pasta, and baking for understanding fractions (she happens to be an amazing cook!) She says that every day is an adventure, and despite feeling more tired than she has ever felt before, she is appreciating the way the kids have learnt to get on and play together better. In addition, they have been doing plenty of exercise such as biking and soccer, which will help the fitness levels!
My friend says that she is surviving by being super-organised and not expecting too much. She aims for perhaps 2-3 hours of school work per day, and is using National Geographic and other educational programs to give herself some time for work.
Needless to say, both she and the kids are looking forward to the day when they can go back to school! It’s a real shame that families in these positions aren’t able to truly enjoy the benefits of real homeschooling, since what they are experiencing is totally different and far more stressful than what homeschooling is really like! I take my hat off to her and others in her position – and I really hope you all get a very long and relaxing holiday in the near future!
