Handling The Emotional Stress of Home Schooling During Coronavirus
There are a lot of new stressors in our lives right now.
We’ve all had to get used to a new normal during this global pandemic. For a lot of our parents, one of the biggest challenges is moving school from the classroom to the kitchen table. Whether your kids are attending classes over Zoom or you have now been put in charge of teaching the material, no doubt this is a major adjustment for everyone. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed!
You can’t expect to be perfect.
This is an unprecedented time in our world and we’re all trying to figure out the best way to cope. The one thing we do know is that there is no “one size fits all” rule when it comes to teaching your kids at home. Try not to set unrealistic expectations about how you should be handling your child’s learning.
For a parent who grapples with perfectionism, it may seem daunting to take on this new role of teacher. You may find yourself struggling with thinking in worst case scenarios, “If I can’t help them with their math homework, they’ll never be ready for the next school year.” Instead of letting your perfectionism take over, acknowledge the thought and then work on accepting where you’re at and being good enough. No one expects you to have it all together, all the time.
Give yourself a break.
We know that overwhelm and anxiety can lead to angry outbursts. During a high stress time, like social distancing and healthcare fears during coronavirus, these outbursts may be more frequent. Then we add on the additional stressor of being in close quarters day in and day out. It’s important to remember to just breathe. When you start to notice yourself or your child becoming agitated or stressed, take a break.
The good news is that you get to make the rules. If having a set schedule isn’t working in your home, take the opportunity to model flexibility. If tensions are higher in the morning, switch things up and do school work in the afternoon. Screen time rules during normal life can be very, very different than screen time during coronavirus. Use this time to explore what works best for you and your family.
Remember that your kids are also going through a big change.
What might have felt like a fun, early summer vacation, may now have turned into the harsh reality of not going back to school and returning to “normal.” Aside from not being able to leave the house or see their friends, they also might be scared about what’s happening around them. Their day to day lives have changed drastically and it’s likely they, too, will be overwhelmed and stressed.
As you navigate this time together, remember that you’re all going through a new experience together. Be patient with one another (and be patient with yourself). Just like you need to take time and space to breathe, allow your kids that time as well.
Focus on the time you're spending as a family.
For most parents, homeschooling is a new experience with a whole new set of challenges for both you and your kids. It’s going to be stressful and overwhelming but you’ll also be spending a lot more time as a family. Focus on the strengths you have and the community you’re building. When your kids look back at this time, they’re going to remember how they felt, not just what they learned.
Lauren Goldberger is a MSW student at University of Missouri St. Louis, and the administrative assistant and intake coordinator at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis.
Curious to hear more, or are you a little reluctant about counseling? Compassionate Counseling St. Louis provides specialized anxiety therapy and anger management therapy for kids, teens, and college students. We work in Clayton, MO and serve kids, teens, and college students throughout St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Ladue, University City, Town and Country, Webster Groves, Creve Coeur, Kirkwood, Richmond Heights, and Brentwood. You can set up your free phone screening to see if we’re a good fit for your needs right on our website: www.compassionatecounselingstl.com/consult
Thumbnail image credit: Julia M Cameron