Skip to content

Parents' views with new home school situation

Since recent COVID-19 health and safety measures brought class-room learning to a halt, and closed daycares, parents are taking on expanded roles along with work from home (WFH) pressures.
1
Melissa Caines with her children Tyrell and Bentley work on staying safe and home-schooling during COVID-19 crisis.

Since recent COVID-19 health and safety measures brought class-room learning to a halt, and closed daycares, parents are taking on expanded roles along with work from home (WFH) pressures.

Far beyond the 45 minutes or even two hours of homework they may be accustomed to overseeing, parents of young children will now have to make sure their children have their assignments, do the work and get them back to the teachers.

Parents working from home still have to keep their kids entertained and educated.

So far, some families are taking homeschooling in their stride.

“This situation has changed our lives for the foreseeable future.” M. Caines

One Virden mother of says her sons (middle and early years) are, at this point, enjoying doing school work at home. “The boys have been doing OK so far. They are enjoying the extra time at home and they are doing homework everyday. They miss their friends and teachers….”

From Kenton, a stay-at-home mum says, “We could have assumed this would happen, with other provinces doing the same thing. We are lucky to know we will have contact with the children’s teachers, and we will all figure this rare event out together.”

But she adds that there is a sadness, “thinking about the graduates, and other fun events missed.” And, her kids miss their friends.

Melissa Caines, an Empire-Advance employee says positivity is key.

“Each day my kids and I get up, get dressed, eat a healthy breakfast and get to work on their education.” Her daughter, 6, and son, 4, are students of Mary Montgomery School in Virden.

“When schools were closed Mrs. P (Gr. 1 teacher) sent home an education package for my daughter.

“I transitioned from working part-time as a sales representative (from an office) to a homeschool educator for my son and my daughter, as well as being a single mother. 

“I'm nervous about the homeschooling situation but, I believe in myself as a parent and educator - I'll make it work.”

She says her kids are taking it hard and that “trying to work and be a mom is going to be twice as hard now. This situation has changed our lives for the foreseeable future.”

On the positive side, she says, “Lots of back yard play, lots of quality time with my kids (that I haven't gotten in a while),” is important. 

 

 

 

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks