How to Manage Your Job and Kids' Remote Learning During COVID-19

• Author: Monica Jackson
• Posted: 2024-10-13

A new school year is about to begin, and working parents find themselves with an impossible choice. That choice is to send the kids to in-person school, which puts the youngsters, their teachers and themselves at risk of getting sick. On the other hand, having the kids home all day doing "remote learning" interferes with your own ability to get anything done if you're working from home. You might not even have this choice if your school district has selected a 100% virtual learning environment for the 2020-21 school year. If your boss has recalled you to the office or you have a job that simply can't be done on a remote basis, you face the additional challenge of leaving your kids at home without supervision or trying to find someone to watch them or somewhere to send them. If you're at your wits' end, read on. These tips may help you manage your job and your kids while also maintaining your sanity.

Ask About Alternate Work Hours

In a recent interview of working parents, one mom reported that she works from 6:00 am until 9:00 am, then she works again from 4:00 pm until 9:00 pm. This allows her to meet with her colleagues over Zoom, check in with her boss and be productive. It also gives her a chance to monitor her kids' remote learning activities. While it's a grueling schedule, it means she doesn't have to pay for childcare or put her family at risk of COVID-19 or other illnesses.

Try a Remote Learning Co-op

You're not the only parent walking the tough path of managing your ability to earn a paycheck and your kids' needs to learn. Chances are high that other parents, probably some in your child's class or grade, are also struggling. Consider contacting them and seeing if you can arrange a sort of remote learning co-op with one or two other families. You wouldn't be exposing your household to too many germs. Each family would have all the kids in their home one or two days per week. This would work best if you can do your job in four long days.

Find Out the Distance Learning Requirements

Some school districts are more flexible with their remote learning academies than others. It's a good idea to ask administrators about the hours your kids need to be logged into the platform. While there may be Zoom or Google Meet events that must take place at a certain time, you might discover that the district doesn't care when your kids do their work, as long as they do it. Although you might not want to rely on streaming shows to entertain your kids while you work, it could be an option. When you're done with your work day at 5:00 pm, you could begin the remote learning activities with your kids. This type of schedule would be good for kids ages 12 and older who thrive on being up later at night and sleeping in late in the morning. A sample schedule might be you working from 8:00 am until 4:30 pm, making a quick early dinner, then doing remote learning with the kids from 5:00 until 9:00 pm. During the day, the kids could log into the video calls as needed.

Consider Childcare Options

When school and work schedules are rigid, you'll need to look into childcare options. Since daycare centers and latchkey programs are mostly closed, many of their employees may be out of work. You may be able to hire one of them to come to your home and be with your kids during the school hours. You could even share the childcare provider with another family. This could lower your costs by one-third to one-half. Your kids would get their school activities done and be able to socialize. You'd get your work done, and you'd be providing income to an otherwise furloughed person who might be having trouble making ends meet. Some other options for childcare might include a college student who' taking classes online or an au pair who lives in your home. Elderly people are at a higher risk of COVID-19 illness and complications. However, moving your senior citizen parent or in-law into your home on a temporary basis might be an option. You wouldn't have to pay for this care, and you'd trust the family member.