Working from Home While Homeschooling: A Survival Guide

If you are feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and stressed-out, please know that you are not alone and that it is completely normal in the current times. We have compiled tips from experts and the parents in our team as to how we can best get through times when it can feel challenging to find a balance, as well as a free daily routine download.

Posted on April 22, 2020

Parents, you are rock stars! Juggling homeschooling and working, on top of the everyday responsibilities of making sure everyone is fed, happy, healthy, all while communicating with your co-parent, is not an easy feat.

In a recent conversation with the team at TalkingParents, one mom said: “I don’t know who cried more when the governor announced that school was cancelled… me or my son.”

Resources

There are many resources out there for parents, kids, and teachers. The #BackToSchoolSolutions page from Thrive Global features articles and resources. Additionally, we have a blog full of Educational Resources that you can explore.

Breathe

This global pandemic is affecting every person around the world. Be patient with yourself, with your kids, and with your co-parent.

Start a Weekly Challenge

Make a music video, put together a puzzle, create a comic book—it’s up to you! Working together on a weekly challenge can help motivate your family towards a shared goal and give you a project to work on together. This list from Kids Out and About has over 250 ideas that could all function as a challenge focus.

When you have some time that you need to fill with activity, work on your challenge or give your kids small tasks that work toward the goal. For example, if you are making a short movie together, plan a family movie premiere at the end of the week with popcorn and fancy outfits. Giving rewards for their hard work will help them feel accomplished and will give everyone an evening to look forward to.

Create a Daily Routine

Make a daily schedule that establishes a routine so that you and your children know what to expect. This routine will set expectations so everyone can work together to accomplish their tasks. This may mean some extra screen time for your kid while you are on a call or finishing up emails, followed by a more physical activity to get those wiggles out.

We have created this free download you can use to plan out your day. Download it using the form below.

Follow the School Guidelines as Best You Can

Keep up with the schooling and curriculum guidelines that your kid’s teachers have set. It may be challenging to manage the different classes, apps, and reading schedules, so work a day at a time to meet the goals that the teachers have set for the course.

Teachers and school counselors continue to be the best resources for your child’s education, reach out to them for their expertise and their knowledge of how your child learns best.

Find Opportunities for Daily Learning

Reading books, watching nature documentaries, and baking are all unique ways that kids can learn throughout the day. We have a long list of education resources here that parents can access as well. Not all learning happens in a traditional classroom setting, but you can help your child’s skills in math and reading improve while at home.

Give Yourself a Break

Whether a break is calling your best friend while your child sleeps or waking up a few minutes before the kids to read a book, find five minutes in your day to pause and focus on yourself. Our Self-Care in Quarantine blog has other ideas on how to spend a few moments taking care of your own mental and physical health.

Communicate

In isolation, communication via electronic means is more important than ever. This communication should extend to everyone—from calling your family and friends to check in on them to talking to your co-parent as often as you need.

TalkingParents is always free to use via our website and we offer a 30-day free trial for our Standard plan that gives you access to our mobile apps.