Surviving a Pandemic: How to Parent, Work, and Teach at the Same Time

The recent coronavirus outbreak has meant that millions of parents across the globe are now facing the impossible task of being a parent, worker, and teacher. 

Getting through your day is difficult enough when you’re trying to work from home with the kids. However, when you also have to homeschool them at the same time, it can prove to be a real nightmare.

Personally, it has been a real struggle trying to manage my 3-year-old and working on my blog and other business ventures. There are many times I am on a Zoom call and I am interrupted because she wants something from me. 

She also is having a hard time adjusting to not going to daycare and seeing her friends. She asks me every day if she can see her teacher and friends. I explain to her that right now she can’t go, but I have been able to ease her mind by allowing her to speak to her teacher and one of her friends via FaceTime. 

If you’re trying to find the right balance in this unprecedented situation, there are some tips you can follow. Here, we’ll look at some of the steps you can take to accomplish your new role without losing your mind.

Create and Work From a Schedule

One way to deal with having to take on 3 roles at once is to create and keep a schedule. It will take some pressure off of you to create and maintain a schedule. The kids need a schedule and you need one to help you keep up with your increased duties. 

Start with making a schedule for the kids. You can include educational activities, playtime, and mealtimes. When they know what they are working on and have a schedule to follow, it makes it so much easier for both them and you. Kids need a routine and they’ll be a lot happier when they’re following one.

One thing I like to do is put my schedule in my Google Calendar. I put my wake up time, work time (start to finish), meetings, and activities with Nyla all on my calendar. I also set reminders to ping on my laptop and phone to help me stay accountable to my schedule. 

One thing I want you to remember is that you may not get everything done that you normally would have on your schedule. Modify it if you have to. Not being able to work at your normal capacity is okay. 

While I try to get things done during the day, sometimes my daughter interferes so much that it is an unproductive day. How I’ve been able to combat this is her dad works during normal business hours while my primary responsibility is taking care of Nyla. I do attempt to get one task on my to-do list done. Once he is done working, we switch and I utilize the afternoon/evening to get what I couldn’t accomplish done. 

This modification to our schedules gives both of us peace of mind that we can both get our work done.

Tip: 

• Always prepare for the day ahead
  • Knowing what is on your schedule the next day will help you keep to your schedule and increase your productivity. 

Plan Breaks With Your Kids 

When planning your schedule, make sure you plan breaks and downtime with your kids. By giving your kids your full attention during this time, you make it easier for them to get through your working blocks. 

Nyla loves to play games on the Disney App. She specifically loves to put together puzzles and will interrupt me to ask if we can do them together. I found that when I didn’t plan specific breaks to play these puzzles with her, she would bother me until I gave in and played with her. Once I decided to put my computer away for 30 minutes to play with her, she would allow me to get (some) work done. 

Of course, she is a 3-year-old and an only child, so she wants my attention all the time, but I’ve been able to handle her wanting my attention by actually giving it to her at specific times. 

I found that when I didn’t take breaks where I specifically paid attention to Nyla, my schedule would be thrown off because she would interrupt me during my working blocks. 

Give your kids your full attention during breaks so that when it is easier for them to get through your working blocks. Nyla likes to play games from the Disney App that includes puzzles. When I didn’t give her my attention she would bother me all the time but when I started giving her attention, she allowed me to get work when I needed to. 

Tip: Take breaks outside

• It sucks being cooped up in the house all day. It can be detrimental to your productivity and can cause issues with low mood and leave you feeling unmotivated to do anything. Get some fresh air by sitting in your backyard (if you have one) or on your balcony. Take the kids with you and let them get some fresh air as well. 

Make Time For Physical Activity

As a teacher, I utilized recess to help my scholars burn off their energy. Being inside, we don’t have that luxury, and It can be tough trying to work when the kids have bundles of energy. So, why not help them burn off that energy so you can work in peace?

Getting them to partake in physical activity helps to wear them out as well as keep them healthy. So, encourage time running around in the backyard. You could create a mini obstacle course or look online for physical games you could play. 

If you don’t have a backyard, you can encourage physical activity by utilizing indoor recess games such as four corners or charades. You can also utilize YouTube channels, such as Cosmic Kids Yoga, a yoga series that promotes mindfulness and relaxation for kids. 

Don’t forget physical activity for yourself too! 

Tip: If you are struggling with the motivation to work out, just going outside and walking for 30 minutes will suffice. Don’t beat yourself up about it. 

Don’t Try and Make Your Kids Do a Full Day of Schoolwork

Illinois Board of Education recently came out with its remote learning recommendations during COVID-19. 

Remote learning is challenging for everyone- children and parents included. As an educator I beg you, don’t stress yourself out trying to give your children a full day of schoolwork (both remote learning and whatever materials you give them). It will only cause overwhelm for both yourself and your children.  

Instead, focus on educational enrichment activities they can do such as independent reading or counting money. You can set up things such as sensory buckets and let them use educational apps such as ABC Mouse. 

Illinois Board of Education also provided suggested additional activities. 

Talk Through Any Issues With Your Employer

Having a work-life balance during this time has become difficult because the lines are blurred between work life and home life. If you are having issues juggling everything, don’t be afraid to talk to your employer. 

I know this is easier said than done, but remember that your mental health is very important. They may give you additional days off so you can get used to the new arrangement.

Make Time for Self-Care

Just as it’s important to plan breaks with your children, it is just as important to practice self-care by having downtime without them. You can do this by making time to read a book you’ve had waiting on the shelf for a while or watch a binge-worthy show on Netflix or Hulu.

You can work on a passion project or pick up a new hobby. It doesn’t matter what self-care looks like to you, just make sure you try to practice it. 

If you have multiple adults in the house, you can discuss when you want to have downtime so someone is responsible for the children while it happens. If you are the only adult in the house, you can practice it on weekends or when you have alone time in the early morning or late evenings. 

Celebrate the Small Victories

This time has been difficult for all of us, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t celebrate the small victories. 

• Have you been able to communicate better with your family? 
• Are you learning new things about yourself and your kids that you didn’t pay attention to before? 
• Are you goal setting and figuring out you want life to look like post-quarantine? 

It’s important to pay attention to the positive things happening during this time. 

I’ve been working on potty training Nyla before quarantine happened. It was a slow, frustrating process. As the shutdown started to happen, Nyla started asking to use the potty consistently and I am happy to say she is using it full-time. 

She also “lost” (we actually found it)  her pacifier. We had been trying to wean her off of it for months so when we couldn’t find it, it gave us a reason to finally get rid of it (no buying a new one). Even after we found it, we decided not to give it back to her. 

She still asks for it and has pacifier withdrawals (random crying fits) but it’s another small victory. Now if we could only get her to sleep in her room the whole night, my back (my child sleeps wild) would call that a great victory!

Action Item: 

Normally I would include a way to take action at the end of my article, but I honestly don’t have one for you. I just want you to stay home, be safe, practice self-care, and love on your family. So many people are losing loved ones and it is important that no matter how hard things are right now, we still love on each other. 

I want you to remember that we are all going through the same situation right now. It’s not easy but remind yourself that it is only temporary.  The above tips will help you to better juggle your new responsibilities in the time being. 

Let me know in the comments how you are coping with having to parent, work, and teach during Covid-19.

Okay love, see in my next post

Peace,