The art of how new-gen COVID-19 parents balance work & family
Now more than ever, work-from-home parents miss air-conditioned, quiet working spaces with nothing to interrupt them like calculus problems, tantrums or a missing toy. As much as it is fun and diverting to spend time with children, parenting to most has become next to impossible to tackle during the COVID-19 pandemic. Having been suddenly thrown into the work-from-home system, paralleling by managing children and their education along with career and health has easily become the most taxing challenge, according to work-from-home parents.
Stress has set in and normalcy has stepped out
We cannot argue with the fact that globally, people are having to make unexpected changes to their lifestyles and are subject to long exhausting days, with almost none to zero social life. Now, being safe and avoiding contact has taken the backseat as we have become used to a strenuously clean lifestyle. However, it has become the highest priority for Indian parents to live a balanced, stress-free life during the global pandemic.
What are some of the stress-inducing factors for parents, these days?
- How other parents are handling similar situations
- Children not understanding the gravity of the situation we all face
- Constantly trying to do all the work by yourself
- No communication with family or spouse, leading to a confusing lifestyle
Communication is key
As take away from some of the most commonly faced problems, it is evident that communication is key! Be it a house full of kids or just one child, it is important for parents to get realistic with children and communicate a family plan. This not only allows them to gather a sense of urgency, the situation requires, but also allows them to understand boundaries. Telling them that you can’t be disturbed during work hours — a message that will have to be delivered with transparency, will establish new ground rules for the New Normal.
Communication and setting boundaries will work wonders!
Take turns to parent
Much to our amusement, parents have longer to-do lists now that schools and offices have shut down. While some of the parents are still adapting to work from home, some are adapting to helping children with homeschooling, efficiently. To not fall into the abyss of multi-tasking parents are maneuvering the situation by swapping or dividing their work.
Because it is important to give individual ‘me-time’ to growing children, talking to them and asking them about their day, it is also applaudable if parents manage to take turns and parent right. A method that surely is rewarding.
Soak up your kids and don’t forget to cherish them
While it cannot be easy to express our love for our children during extremely stressful times, since we have to deal with finances and a lot of other commitments while the job market is continuing to dwindle, good parents always make time for their children because they can look beyond a problem. So, it doesn’t mean you aren’t fit to be a parent if handling children during these testing times doesn’t come naturally to you.
Plan out a workable way to multitask and take care of your family without losing out on your peace of mind.
A note from long-time work-from-home parents
“IT NEVER IS EASY.”
Parents who have been homeschooling children long before the pandemic confess that it never really is easy. From setting rules that help set boundaries, like break times and study time, pre-pandemic work-from-home parents have seen it all. If there was a simple way to sum it all up, here’s what they’d say.
It is not an overnight transition to make. It will take time and will eventually become the norm for everyone under the roof. It is all about making the transition fun and comprehensible. Keep at it and chart out unique plans that will help keep the house from falling apart.
