What is on the Mind of a Parent Right Now?
Sunday, August 22nd, 2021
With schools reopening in just a few weeks, parents have a lot on their minds. Last year’s remote education proved to be an extremely challenging situation for both stay at home and working parents alike.
For working parents, there were not enough hours in the day to keep up with helping students through their remote learning while balancing the responsibilities of a job. While some parents found accommodations to balance work and childcare, many had to leave the workforce to attend to their children. In the early months of the pandemic 3.5 million moms who live with school age children left active work. By January of 2021 many mothers had gone back to work but there were still 1.6 million fewer than a year before.[1]
Over the last year and a half some parents have worried about the mental health and developmental progress of their children who may feel isolated and are spending large amounts of time on screens. The lack of social activity and routine coupled with challenges at home may also increase some young people’s stress levels. Schools also offer a lot of resources for children with mental health needs and when schools are closed these children lose access to these resources.
Tragically, not all kids were fortunate enough to have a parent or guardian present to help them through a year of virtual education. School absenteeism doubled[2] during the pandemic, with higher rates among students with disadvantaged backgrounds and younger children[3]. Many students were unable to attend virtual classes because they lacked reliable internet connections or the parental support necessary to navigate the technical difficulties of signing into class.
Of course there are exceptions and some students thrived in the virtual learning setting. No longer facing the myriad of distractions and social pressures at school, some students had more positive learning experiences through their laptops than they ever did in person and would prefer not to return to the in person learning environment. Perhaps for these students, this should continue to be an option.
With most schools planning on reopening full-time and in person this fall, parents may feel both relief and apprehension. Parents and guardians who have spent the last 18 months worrying about their child’s educational experience are likely excited that their child will soon return to some semblance of a normal school experience.
Still, there are quite a few things to be concerned about.
For busy working parents for whom the cost of a tutor or childcare is a financial burden or even out of reach, schools reopening to somewhat pre-pandemic normalcy means parental stress levels may (hopefully!) go way down. For some parents, the fact that their children are going back to school may mean they are able to return to the workforce. However, this is only IF schools can stay open, and that is still a big IF.
The new Delta Variant is likely top of mind for many parents and guardians. With higher infection rates in all people, including children, there is the risk of the virus spreading through schools. Whether kids are vaccinated or not, the Delta Variant means there are going to continue to be positive cases and schools will likely have to close and quarantine during the school year – especially in schools that do not require masks – which will impact educational consistency and outcomes, and steady childcare for working parents.
A simple public health measure, the face mask, has become the symbol of our polarized country. Sadly, parents are choosing school board meetings as a battleground for deep political differences. The truth is a mask is a small sacrifice to make in order to decrease the spread of the virus and increase the health outcomes for a community. For years professionals in health care facilities have worn face masks because they are proven to reduce the spread of communicable disease. As we watch the rise in cases and the increase in the number of children who are falling ill to this new variant, along with the rising hospitalizations for both children and adults, and related deaths – why would we not ask our children and their teachers to take the same precaution as they return to school? If we want schools to stay open, and the general consensus is that this is what is best for our children and our economy, then we can put a mask on. Asking our children to wear a mask is also an opportunity to teach them about how sometimes it is important to take actions to help others as a form of kindness and as a public service, even if it is not the most comfortable choice[4].
The vaccine is not yet available for children under the age 12. Those who are eligible to be vaccinated and choose not to are putting these children at risk. Those who can wear a mask in public indoor spaces and choose not to are putting these children at risk. It is that simple.
Imagine the first day of school. It is a big day after a very long year and half. The air has a hint of the coming fall, students are wearing new back to school clothes and excited to see one another. Some students, following the advice of their parents, are wearing a mask. Some students, also following the lead of their parents, are refusing to wear a mask. Do kids self-segregate based on those who are in masks and those who are not? If parents are so polarized on this issue, how will it be handled in school? Will the tensions modeled by the adults in their lives be reflected in the way they behave with one another? Will wearing and not wearing masks become a battleground in school playgrounds and cafeterias as well? School age kids will likely spend some of the next school year navigating the social tensions that are a result of these polarizing topics. Some parents have concerns about this additional distraction to their children’s education.
The fact is that the 2020-2021 school year was messy and given how recently it occurred, we are still sorting out what happened and what could have been done differently, as well as how to handle navigating yet another wave of this virus, because the truth is, this pandemic is not over.
If we have another pandemic in ten years perhaps we can learn from these experiences and better prepare. Unfortunately, we don’t have that luxury as we plan for the school year which is just weeks away.
Those who are charged with reopening schools during a pandemic should focus on working to achieve high educational outcomes with minimal health risks. For parents and guardians of school age children, please remember that every family has its own unique circumstances and challenges. Try really hard not to think just about your kid, or just your family, but about what is best for everyone in our communities. And, please be really, really kind.
[1] Moms, Work and the Pandemic (census.gov)
[2] 5 Things You Need to Know About Student Absences During COVID-19 (edweek.org)
[3] REPORT_Present_Danger_Final.pdf (future-ed.org)
[4] Opinion | Actually, Wearing a Mask Can Help Your Child Learn – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
