‘Learning loss’ has been a buzz term in education recently. Despite the rising covid-19 cases, the Jamaican government is pushing ahead with the resumption of face-to-face classes. Many are relieved that the children are finally returning to the classroom. But addressing learning loss is not the only reason for this. Truly, this has been the longest ‘summer’ ever for parents.
We talk about surviving covid-19, but this pandemic is no match for the children at home…every day. Two years later, parents are barely staying out of the madhouse, juggling remote work and school simultaneously. Just when you think you have settled the child for online class, you find them playing games, sleeping, etc. Many of us have developed a new level of respect for Teachers. How do teachers do it?
Imagine having at least 20 to 40 more like your child in one room for 6 hours Monday to Friday. Teachers receive formal training for this, yet they still struggle to maintain order, whilst trying to ensure that every child learns. There is no school for parenting and certainly none which teaches parents how to ‘school’ children at home. Psychologically, the classroom provides an environment that the home does not. Although some schools require that children get dressed up in uniforms at home and some parents provide a space which mimics a classroom, it is not the same. Furthermore, truth be told, the children do not recognise parents as Teachers and may not afford them the same level of cooperation and respect as it relates to learning.
The juggling act is bound to have a negative impact on parents trying to be everything. Often, they are in office trying to run the classroom at home on the telephone. While we talk about ‘learning loss’, the parents are losing their minds. Many have had to handle the distress of losing relatives, reduced wages and in some cases, job loss. In addition to parenting and teaching, they also had to take on the role of friend, as children out of school were deprived of their socialisation and play spaces with peers. The World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations and others have pointed to the impact of parental distress on families, particularly in lockdown periods.
According to Frontiers, research conducted by Spinelli et al. (2020) in Italy showed that it was the parenting stress related to the health emergency, the pandemic, and the lockdown that increased children’s psychological, emotional, and behavioural problems. In line with these findings, Wang et al. (2020) suggested the need to deeply understand the family functioning and processes that can promote children’s psychological well-being during the pandemic.
Parents need care too
They say, “You cannot pour from an empty cup” and some parents are empty right now. The effects of parental burnout will have an impact on the entire family. Parents should also turn the attention to themselves, ensuring their well-being through staying connected, physical activity, healthy eating, quality sleep, mindfulness, hobbies, trying new things and limiting the intake of covid-19 information on social media, etc.
What feels like a long summer began in March 2020. Collectively, we breathe a sigh of relief as we see our children off, back to where they belong during the days, in the classroom. Never again will we envy Teachers for their holidays, and we will support their demands for increased compensation. They deserve it.
I Am Suzette Campbell
Note: Originally published on January 8, 2022
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