Hello beautiful people! I wanted to take the opportunity to express my thoughts based on a number of conversations I've had with parents regarding the "new normal" of their children being homebound during this pandemic.
"I can't believe this is happening", "this is messed up", "I don't know what I am going to do with him here all day"-just some of what I was told by parents having a hard time grasping the concept that for the next few weeks and possibly the rest of the school year, their sons and/or daughters will be home learning remotely. Though I get that this is a change, I was stunned at the largely negative sentiment surrounding the situation. Have we gotten so accustomed to passing parenting to our teachers that we as parents have lost touch with our own children?? that parenting has become a burden for us? seriously???
Our teachers are tasked at educating our children; as parents, we are responsible for raising, guiding and nurturing them. Schools are not daycare centers, they are the hub for formal education, to prepare our children for what lies ahead in this ever-evolving world we live in. To hand over parenting to our teachers is not only unfair, it's wrong. When we made the decision to become parents; we made a silent promise to our children; that promise was to care for them until they are at the age to care for themselves. Our teachers are our allies, not babysitters; they are our partners in helping us build a foundation where our children will mature into caring, successful citizens.
Having our kids with us should not be viewed as some sort of punishment. I get it; we have gotten so comfortable in the daily routine of not having them with us for 6, 8 or even 10 hours a day. We are now responsible for creating and maintaining structure for them; responsible for ensuring that while at home, school work is completed. Yes, for the time being, we are "stuck" with them...so instead of looking at it so negatively why not take the opportunity to get to "know" your child/children?
My daughter is home with me and after accepting that she may spend the rest of the school year home, I took it as an opportunity to reset our relationship. By this I mean creating an atmosphere of quality time spent together; whether it is designating a game and movie night, working out, cooking together or even doing our work at the same table, I am making the effort in getting to know who she is now that I have her with me 24 hours a day...
I challenge you to do the same with yours...
"The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence"
-Denis Waitley
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