Parents working from home while kids are virtual schooling can be a challenge. Ahem, understatement. If you have younger children, your work/school balance is likely very difficult to manage. You’re working ridiculously late at night, your video conferences are a train wreck due to little interrupters, and let’s not get started on the staggering amount of dishes your family creates per minute. Me time? Um no. Not even a Target run can soothe your sanity at this point. While I don’t have answers or the magic key to eradicating COVID-19, I can assure you that you are not alone and that yes, your kids’ teachers are saints.
Brainly surveyed 600 U.S. moms and dads of school-age children to find out how the educational closures are impacting them personally, how they are helping their kids with schoolwork in the absence of in-classroom instruction, and how it’s impacting their own work productivity.
Here’s a summary of their top 5 findings:
- WORK WOES. Nationwide 41% of parents said their work productivity has been negatively impacted by their child shifting to virtual schooling, and 44% said they have had a work call interrupted by one of their children.
Remember this BBC correspondent? We all thought this was hilarious back in 2017. Now we just watch and silently nod… because it’s real life. And it’s your life.
- THE NIGHT SHIFT. Roughly 37% of parents said they work an extra 1-2 hours each day to make up for time lost during business hours that were devoted to their children because of school closures, and 24% said they work an extra 2-3 hours each day.
And… that’s led to a huge spike in coffee sales. According to Fox Business, “With so many Americans locked down in their homes to ride out the coronavirus pandemic, packaged coffee sales have soared 24.9 percent among retail channels in a four-week period, according to market research data from Nielsen. The company also found that the volume of packaged coffee spiked by 27.3 percent as of March 21.”
- ANXIOUS TIMES. About 84% of parents are worried that COVID-19 related changes to their child’s education schedule and routine will negatively impact their learning, and 61% are worried their child’s college and career prospects will be negatively impacted. Additionally, 68% of parents are worried about their job security because they have to devote more time to their children due to school closures.
- STRESS TAKES CENTERSTAGE. Nearly 79% of parents said they find it stressful to help their child with online schooling. When it comes to the most challenging subject for parents to help their kids with, 66% of parents agree it’s math.
Image credit: a Facebook friend
- TEACHER APPRECIATION. Approximately 78% of moms and dads said they have a newfound admiration and respect for their students’ teachers after having to help their child with online schooling during the COVID-19 school closures.
We think you deserve a pat on the back — or rather a shirt on your back — with our awesome “remote school teacher” shirt! (You can get yours in our SHOP)
Hang tough everyone!
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