This is not homeschooling — this is transient continuous parenting
The year was 2020 and the world was rocked by an extraordinary pandemic called COVID-19, caused by an aggressive Coronavirus, for which there was no cure other than recovery. Unfortunately, many did not recover due to either underlying health conditions, immune deficiency or succumbing to abnormal, extreme manifestations of the disease. The only recourse was for societies all over the world to stop and stay at home. This triggered another viral outbreak of magnanimous proportions. An outbreak so contagious that wearing face-masks and subjecting to isolation offered no escape— the trend of online homeschooling.
We had no choice. For once in our lives we were faced with the reality of having to withdraw from each other into our own primary residences for a prolonged period of time. The early estimations were 12 weeks, which would encompass the ending of the Spring term, Easter holidays, the Summer term and the start of the Summer holidays. Hashtag #homeschooling became the new currency of coolness, trending on social media and a prevalent discussion point in the media. Prior to this wave, homeschooling was a more obscure occupation associated with radicals and education-reform activists, who bemoaned the inadequacy of institutionalised schooling, disagreed with the prevailing values or beliefs in the public school system and curriculum, or families with extreme circumstances such as healthcare, special needs, remoteness or frequent relocation.
This new trend created some new opportunities in the middle of a crisis. Suddenly, celebrities, who either paid for private tutoring or for a live-in childminder to handle all their school and after-school logistics, were full of helpful tips with cute imagery and videos of creative ways to keep your kids in an educational mindset during the days of isolation.Other online resources were suddenly made available for free by content providers, some as benevolent gestures, others as means of keeping their brand prominent and advertising revenue healthy during the weeks of shutdown.
Whatever the motive, parents were now inundated with advice, checklists, resources and choices about what school for their kids would look like over the coming weeks. This influx of information overwhelmed the voices of veteran homeschoolers and even full-time, professional teachers, many who painstakingly provided emergency home education packs, in order to maintain some continuity in the curriculum. However, for many, what started out as a journey and adventure soon reverted to a reality I call transient, continuous parenting. The chart below is a fun, non-judgemental timeline of how the experience of homeschooling proceeded in many households.
We quickly went from aggravation at the thought of juggling work and school to a romantic fascination with the prospect of being cool teachers, finally having greater influence and intimacy with our kids and their education. However, the novelty soon wore off, as the reality hit home that this was for the long term and we could not take advantage of the weather, parks and cafes. The socialisation aspect of schooling could not be supplemented by online video meetings, nor could any amount of guided, youtube indoor P.E. replace the joy of random, outdoor play and kicking about. Finally, we were back at the point of despair, recognising that having a capacity to teach required time, preparation and focus, without the need to attend to meetings, keep projects moving or, for many of us, dealing with job losses, financial cuts and uncertainty about how to keep mortgage and rent payments. On top of that, supermarket visits were restricted and it took more planning to restock supplies. The following quote from the charity Education Otherwise is sobering.
Home education is a lifestyle choice that requires a significant commitment in terms of time and resources, it is not something that parents should decide to do without a great deal of research and thought. The current situation is causing stress to families who are understandably worried about their child’s education and stressful times are not times when such far-reaching decisions should be made.
— Education Otherwise educationotherwise.org/
I am not a professional educator, so I won’t attempt to offer pedagogical advice, but I can only share what we have found useful in our household as transient continuous parents.
- Prepare for when this stops being cute. Face the reality upfront that this is for the long term and our job is to keep our kids safe, confident and stimulated in the middle of a global crisis.
- Take advice and support from professionals who sincerely want the best for children or are duty-bound. Social media can be useful but can also be a source of disingenuous, misleading advice, shared by those seeking attention and promotion.
- Guard your emotions. Remain calm while parenting and moving between dealing with your children and dealing with adults, whatever the scenario. Set realistic expectations — we cannot multitask, our best hope is for smooth, unhurried transitions.
- Establish routines that are sustainable and not disruptive. Don’t suddenly create an imaginative theme park and schedule for your house that requires a full-time administrator — you — and massive investment in order to be effective. Rather look for plans, structures and systems that match your resources, time, budget, capacity and rhythm. Know what your expectations are beyond childcare.
- Instead of viewing isolation as homeschooling, consider this as bringing your children to work for the long term. Engage them in what you do. Set the expectations of your colleagues that kids are around and may need your attention. Be gracious, forgiving and patient with your kids and with yourselves.
I hope this is useful, lighthearted and not at all discouraging — that wasn’t the intention. The global pandemic of COVID-19 taught us more about the resilience of ourselves, our children and our communities. It taught as that reliance on systems, structures and institutions has to be constantly evaluated and not taken for granted. It reminded us to appreciate the time, energy and emotion that full-time teachers and educators invest in our children. So, it is ok not to be homeschooling but finding your way through this season of transient continuous parenting and maintaining your sanity. It takes a community to raise children, even in isolation.
