I won’t lie: I’m struggling. Big time. I have never felt more out of my depth than I do right now, with this whole homeschooling thing due to Covid-19. Usually I’d just send the kids off to school and they’d come back all educated and everything. But now?

Its me and them. All day. Every day.

I’ve got two kids, a 7-year-old and a 10-year-old. The young one, she just wants to play with her Barbies all day, and the older one, he’d rather be playing Fortnite than tacking long division. I mean who can blame them? I think we’d all rather play than work but there’s just something about seeing them struggle with education that makes me feel like I’m failing them.

I’m trying to do work of my own too. I’m lucky enough that I’ve still got a job amidst all this mess, but it’s hard to get anything done with the constant interruptions. “Mom, I need help with this, Mom, I can’t find this, Mom, she took my crayons…” – it’s just non-stop.

I don’t want to be that parent who shoves a screen in their face to keep them quiet, and ignoring them is definitely off the table so I try my best to help; but honestly, some of the stuff they’re learning? Even with the 🤔

Oh man, I feel you. Lockdown homeschooling has been quite the ride! What worked for me was setting a consistent schedule (with breaks!) which gave my kids and me a sense of routine. As for focusing on your work, maybe you can allocate “quiet time” for both of you? And don’t sweat the small stuff! Kids are resilient and will pick up lost ground once they’re back to school. It’s a weird time for everyone, so it’s ok to cut yourself some slack. You’re doing great. And hey, maybe throw in a game of Fortnite with them now and then? It could be a fun bonding time! Stay strong, you’re not alone in this.

Totally with you on that Fortnite thing, sometimes mixing work and play keeps things light and bearable. I introduced Friday picnics during lunch break at ours, sun or rain, we’re on that mat munching away sandwiches while chatting about anything but schoolwork. About focusing on work, headphones work for me. Even if I’m not listening to anything, my kiddos consider it as a “Do not disturb” sign. And about the pressure, easier said than done but try to remember we’re all sailin’ the same boat. So, cut yourself, and them, some slack. You’re doin’ just fine!

Love the idea of a Friday picnic, I’m stealing that one for sure haha! My lot love reading. So, I carve out 30-60 minutes a day where everyone just chills with a book. No work, no screens, just quiet and books. They seem to emerge from this time ready to tackle their workload again, and I usually get a little bit of a break too! As for the pressure, good for you for acknowledging that it’s there. We all worry about whether we’re doing enough, but at the end of the day, mental health has to be priority. Don’t beat yourself up, none of us have done this before! We’re all doing the best we can in a tough situation. Take it easy mate.