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Samantha, the founder of the 'Walking Outside in Slippers blog, told Bored Panda that her family has gotten more used to the new routine. "As we close in on a year since the pandemic got underway worldwide, I feel like the distance learning, working from home and limited social interaction have begun to feel more like 'regular' life. My kids have become used to the routine of turning on their school tablets at their desks at home, rather than jumping in the car to go to in-person school. We can almost forget how much we miss our old lives until we step into a restaurant to pick up some food or pass by fair grounds where we've attended festivals in the past. When we get those reminders, they're like cold water in the face."
The mom and parenting blogger also opened up about her take on how best to prioritize tasks when having to juggle things that all seem incredibly valuable and in need of attention.
"I've had to let go of being the perfect parent or anything close during this pandemic. My daughter is in remote kindergarten, and her list of daily homework assignments is daunting on top of her daily Zoom schedule. Early on, I pushed her to finish all of the assignments even as she was exhausted and clearly over it. Now, I work to tackle the most important tasks first and not stress so much about the rest. This means we finish required school assignments that must be turned in, my husband and I do our work jobs to the best of our abilities in this time, and we make sure everyone is fed, rested, clean, and as happy as possible," she said.
According to Samantha, as the Covid-19 vaccines are already being rolled out, she's looking forward to the lockdowns in California easing up. "I think getting back to the old way of life will be a challenge for all of us as we've gotten used to more relaxed schedules with fewer commitments, but I'm up for the challenge," she pondered about the future. "I think many of us will be entering into the next phase with a newfound appreciation for our lives and the people in them, and will continue to try to make time for the quieter moments."
I previously spoke to Anita Cleare, parenting expert and author of ‘The Work/Parent Switch,’ about how the last year will stick in kids’ minds as having been “unique and different.” She told Bored Panda that parents should help their children focus on happy memories instead of the hardships. That lesson is still true in 2021.
Cleare also pointed out that parents must avoid the trap of aiming to be ‘perfect’ because it sets everyone up to fail, as there’s no room for any mistakes. Instead, aim for being ‘good enough’ and learning from your mistakes. It’s a far more realistic approach that takes a lot of stress off our shoulders.
Meanwhile, working from home has provided a lot of parents with both challenges and advantages. It’s a mixed bag. “Working parents can find ourselves constantly flitting between parenting and working and never feeling like we have actually finished anything. Or trying to do both at once (a toddler in one hand, a phone in the other) and feeling like we are failing at it all. So cut yourself some slack,” Cleare explained that we have to lower our expectations.
What’s more, being upfront with your colleagues and clients about working alongside your kids will make everyone feel better because they’ll be very likely to understand your situation and share a laugh or two if any funny parenting moments come up.
