I started journaling two weeks ago. I love to write, it helps me process. I realised today there are likely a lot of parents out there needing to process and also to know they are not alone in their struggles, so I decided to turn the journal into a blog.
30th March 2020
If I thought I had many roles in my life before, today I gained a new one and this one is potentially more important than all the rest……………….. school teacher to my own kids.
A rather unique set of circumstances has stopped the world in its tracks. It has changed everything that we know as normal and that includes the ability to send our kids to school. Covid 19 arrived in the world in January and now in late March has reached the sunny shores of Australia. This virus attacks the respiratory tract and as of today has killed some 35,000 people (remember this was first written two weeks ago). It is easily transmissible and lives on surfaces for days. The only way to stop this pandemic is to isolate.
Late last week we were asked not to send our kids to school unless absolutely necessary. I work in allied health and we have temporarily suspended our normal service, shops are closing, we are no longer allowed to gather in groups of more than 2 (unless from the same household), over 70s are confined to their homes……….. basically where possible we have to avoid other human beings and we all know how great children are at passing bugs about!
Hence, today I became a school teacher. I felt inadequate and lost. Our school has been absolutely amazing, the resources and support we have is just incredible, but still it was so so hard.
We had IT issues with the increased volume of people on the internet in virtual classrooms. Basic operations suddenly took forever. Little Miss 10’s emotions overcame her. She loves school and to have it closed is heartbreaking and scary for her. When things didn’t work smoothly it was devastating and obviously all my fault.
It was tough. I didn’t really want to be doing this and I didn’t know how to be doing this. There were swear words, tears, things thrown and paper screwed.
In the end her big brother was able to save her (and me), uploading documents and giving quick PowerPoint tutorials but throughout it all he was also struggling. The Maths teacher was moving quickly and he wasn’t picking up the concepts.
All three of us breathed a huge sigh of relief at lunchtime. We shot some hoops and then did a small art project painting mugs before the afternoon sessions began.
Thankfully the afternoon ran much smoother and after an evening Maths lesson from Mum (hooray I was useful) we seem to be back on track for day 2!
Professor Bee (aka The Travel Bee)
Covid parenting 
Don’t feel like you have to do it all Prof Bee. We teachers are here to help. All you need to do is keep your kids in their routine, provide a good work space, keep them well fed, healthy, loved and encouraged. What they can’t manage, is all ok….no one else can either probably.
I’m a teacher and I’m finding it hard too, but Im trying to keep myself calm and relaxed so the boys see we are flexible, resilient and can manage these Remote Learning challenges….but I’m also letting them see we are certainly not perfect.
Relax Professors of the Hive. YOU are a super parents who do enough everyday just being you….wonderful you.
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