How to Juggle Kids, Schooling & Work During Coronavirus Shutdown

Most of us are trying to do so much during this coronavirus shutdown. How can we do it all? Juggle kids, schooling, and work during the coronavirus shutdown. We talk with Julie Beem, Executive Director of Attachment and Trauma Network, an author on trauma and attachment and frequent workshop presenter.

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Hit the Highlights

To say this is a stressful time may be the biggest understatement of the year. And what is adding some of the greatest stress is trying to do it all.
What we are being asked to do is impossible. Teach our kids every subject in school, get them outside with exercise twice a day, provide food for their bellies 3 times a day, and do all of this with no help and trying to do the stuff we were already supposed to be doing, such as work! This is a set up for failure and certainly for feeling like a failure.
Focus on relationship. The rest doesn’t matter.
List things that haven’t changed and are good in your life right now.
Schoolwork- Tips for parents
1. Decrease the pressure by lower expectations
2. Education takes place all the time in everyday things we do.
3. Talk with the school about reducing expectations.
4. If it’s causing too much stress and resentment-stop.
How to get work done while the kids are around.
1. Determine what is the most critical things that must get done for your work.
2. Be creative about when you work. Evening, naptimes, spouse coming home for lunch to give you an hour, weekends, when kids have online school, trade off morning and afternoons with your partner (if you have one), etc.
3. Talk as a family about the importance of your work and together set up a schedule the will allow you to have work time.
4. Set expectations for behavior and not interrupting.
5. Save activities that your children really like for when you need to work. (Judicious use of screens.)
6. If you are going to work for a set period of time, plan a treat or reward for after that time for those who were able to obey the rules.
General Tips for Setting up an Environment that will decrease fighting and whining and increase productivity while stuck at home.
1. Judge success by how your relationship as a family is going.
2. Everyone needs a break from each other at least once a day.