My Life as a Working Mom Was Hard Enough Before Virtual Learning

 

I’m writing this article as I’m  feeling anxious about a pandemic that will shape my life for the next nine months. While many international and national schools decided to continue with full school days, others have decided to continue online schooling.

 

Working moms were already struggling trying to manage their jobs and kids’ responsibilities even before the pandemic. With most jobs ending at 5 pm and school day ending at around 3 pm, moms used to search for alternatives to cover this 2-hour-long gap. Those who can’t rely on grandmothers resort to hiring a nanny; having a stranger at home with your child is not an easy decision. Others choose to join a nursery for the after-school service. This means extra bus fees so your child can be picked up and dropped off at two different locations, which is a rule at most schools.

 

Needless to mention that a working mom bears all this hassle and extra finances only to feel guilty at the end of the day for not spending enough time with her child. Many moms shift their careers to find a more mommy-friendly job.

 

Coronavirus made my motherhood experience more challenging

All of a sudden, working moms found themselves cornered. Many were not given a chance to work from home by their employers, hence they had to quit their jobs. Working-from-home moms started a crazy one-man-show. They had to work, take care of the kids, teach them, come up with extraordinary activities to limit screen time, and disinfect every single item that entered the house including their husbands.

 

Virtual learning is not for working moms

Another critical school year is upon us with an expected second wave of coronavirus. Some schools will apply an e-learning system until further notice. This means that kids will stay at home. Staying with a babysitter or a grandparent is no more a practical solution. Young kids need someone who is technology-oriented to help them with their Zoom classes.

 

You can’t ask a kindergarten child to do all of this on their own. If the mother goes to work, who will assist the child? If she works from home, how can she manage both tasks at the same time? If the family has more than one kid, this means they have to provide a laptop for each child. This is another financial burden at a time where many lost their jobs or their salaries were cut down.

 

This semster, schools charged parents with the full fees and applied the annual raises, as well. However, parents still can’t guarantee that their kids will get a proper education and won’t need extra help to catch up with their academics.

 

Kids’ safety is still a concern

If your child’s school expects daily attendance, you are lucky enough to skip online schooling problems. However, any mother will remain worried about sending her little one to school during the current situation. She might conveniently go to work but her heart and mind will be with her kid at school asking herself every single minute even if the child still puts on a face shield.

 

To every mom out there, I’m a clueless working mom with a school kid. We are experiencing an exceptional situation. Staying sane can be counted as your 2020 achievement. This is not the time to prove your superiority as a mother or to feel guilty.

 

Hang in there, you’re not alone.

 

Further reading: How Am I Supposed to Feel Safe Sending My Child to School?