Being a parent is a full-time job. But with schools closed amid this coronavirus pandemic, you suddenly have a second full-time role: teacher. On top of that, of course, is your actually full-time job.
Working from home while home-schooling your kids is a lot to ask. Tackling what is, in effect, three full-time jobs can seem downright impossible. It’s understandable that some parents have decided to give up on home schooling altogether.
But in times like these, you have to step up. Your household needs an income, and your kids need an education. Here’s how to balance both worlds without losing your sanity:
1. Revamp your schedule.
Any time you take on a new role, whether at work or in your personal life, you need to give your schedule a second look. Even if you were home-schooling your kids previously, the pandemic has almost certainly shaken up your life.
Between tutoring your kids, completing work tasks, and taking care of household chores, you almost certainly won’t be working from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Your kids probably won’t be doing school work on their normal 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. schedule, either. Sync your personal and professional calendars to help you make use of the whole day.
If your typical routine isn’t doing it for you, experiment with alternatives. You might:
- Alternate between school days and workdays.
- Designate blocks of time for teaching and work.
- Trade teaching days with your spouse.
- Work fewer hours but more days per week.
- Designate a day for just housework
Readjust your schedule based on what works for you, not what you feel like you should be doing. Be mindful of your prime productivity hours so that you can schedule your toughest tasks for when you have the most energy.
2. Get your kids on board.
Your new schedule could be bulletproof in terms of work, but you won’t be able to balance it with home schooling unless you get your kids on the same page.
Your kids need to understand that this isn’t a vacation from school. However, you also don’t want them interrupting you with homework questions while you’re working either. Be sure to set boundaries of space and time so that you don’t have to worry about them invading your Zoom calls.
Don’t try to make all the rules, though. Involve your kids in the process of planning your schedule. Incorporate some of their ideas: If they want to try a four-day school week, let them.
If they have trouble with motivation, come up with a reward system for accomplishing work. Perhaps you can all get takeout for dinner on Friday if they do their homework every day of the week.
3. Coordinate with your spouse.
If you have a spouse or significant other who’s working from home, consider yourself fortunate. Especially if you have kids in multiple grades, you’ll need a teacher’s aide.
Together, decide who will be home-schooling and working when. If one of you works better in the morning, that person can home-school during the afternoon.
Another good way to divide up the work is by subjects. If one of you loves to write but can’t do algebra, perhaps one person should take English and the other math. Play to your strengths. Teaching, like parenting, is all about teamwork.
4. Stay motivated.
There may be times when you feel like you can’t handle the work. When that happens, it’s easy to lose motivation. But getting down on yourself or letting responsibilities go undone will only make you more stressed.
Instead, take some time to reconnect with your passions. Remember that you’re working toward something that is worth the effort. Your best is always enough: at home, at your job, and with your kids.
Easy, inexpensive ways to rediscover your “why” include:
- Journaling
- Meditating
- Taking walks
- Reciting affirmations
- Practicing gratitude
5. Don’t forget to have fun.
Between housework, home schooling, and regular work, the responsibilities can feel crushing. The solution isn’t to grind yourself into the ground; it’s to enjoy the little things in life.
Involve your kids and spouse, who are likely feeling the strain as well. This could be a great opportunity to establish traditions like movie nights or game nights. Bonding with your kids will also reduce discipline problems and boost their own motivation.
That doesn’t mean, however, that you shouldn’t also enjoy time to yourself. At least once a week, enjoy a good book. Go for a run, tend your garden, or call up your best friend from college.
Staying on top of your many roles right now is about perseverance. Be strong, and keep at it. And remember, there will come a day when you can drop your kids off at school again. Then, you’ll only have two full-time jobs to worry about. Doesn’t that sound nice right now?
