Member-only story
Parenting During a Pandemic: You’re Doing Great
A response to parents who feel like they are falling short as they try to parent, teach, work, and survive
Today I saw a Facebook post from a kick-ass mother I’ll call Angie, who lamented that since she’s still working full time, she can’t pull off the homeschooling success that she sees other moms posting on Facebook.
Angie is working full time in the health care industry. We should all be kissing her feet and feeding her grapes and wine. Her kid is home, and she’s scrambling for childcare and then trying to be a teacher after work.
There are lots of parents like Angie right now, and they are feeling like inadequate failures. I see words like guilt, insane, and incapable, and I hate that parents are feeling that way.
I posted a recent article with homeschooling tips because, as an educator and parent, I have the knowledge to offer. I’ve noticed lots of teachers doing the same and it’s amazing. But, let’s be clear, homeschool at our house also includes tears, sibling squabbles, and plenty of frustration. Actual academic work takes place in about 2–3 hours of the day, and the rest is recess, games, playing outside, and yes, screentime.
