Navigating Distance Learning

Yesterday, after putting on my mask, lining-up to wash my hands and have my temperature checked, I walked into the grocery and had to smile on hearing the sweet sound of Parang music. I immediately felt a rush of emotion: nostalgia, euphoria, anxiety. “Will we celebrate this year?”

This emotional rollercoaster is becoming more frequent for many of us, especially parents; and as we approach the grim one-year anniversary of the first COVID-19 reported case, a degree of fatigue is beginning to set-in. I realise now more than ever that the absence of celebrating our milestones, intrinsic festivals, national holidays, even the ability to mourn our losses together for these many months has been imperative to keeping the spread of the coronavirus at a minimum, but it has also increased our anxiety about the future. We are a close-knit society that thrives on gatherings. Without a doubt, 2020 has been historically heart-breaking and with online learning for students, parents have had to adjust routines and become more innovative than ever.

We understand the profound importance of social distancing, washing hands, wearing masks to our survival, but the reality remains that many are struggling to survive emotionally and financially. In September, we lost 67 lives in Trinidad and Tobago and have had a million deaths worldwide. Yet, we have also seen over 90% recovered and with the introduction of local legislation and policies, we are beginning to flatten the curve. It is a surreal time, but knowing that the world has faced historic pandemics, survived and even thrived in the aftermath, is somewhat comforting.

Finding the right balance: managing expectations
With the home-schooling of our children, it has been a struggle to find the right balance between work and play for many. But it may be best to realise that managing expectation is key. Children are resilient and there are learning opportunities all around us. My major shift has been in breaking with tradition and practice, and through trial and error, re-arranging schedules - from work to meals to exercise, taking all our needs into account.

Connect with Employers, Teachers & Finding Peer Support Groups
As parents, we have had challenges finding the time and talent to monitor our children while they’re at virtual school, particularly parents of primary school children: work meetings may coincide with online classes; some have to work on-site in the office because their jobs simply do not facilitate remote work; or others who may need to leave home to gain treatment for an illness. At times it is left to the older siblings to assist the younger ones during class and playtime, which is an added stress. Interestingly this phenomenon of older siblings caring for the younger ones would not have been such a remote occurrence 50 years ago. In fact, it would have been the norm – except that 50 years ago there would have been no online school! Many parents would have recently lost their jobs, or have had reduced income as companies struggle to stay afloat during this time, yet they would have had to invest in computers and internet services with the re-opening of the school term. Recognising these issues, companies have had to review their policies in order to provide greater flexibility and aid where needed. Many organisations have ensured that their Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) include counselling for employees and their family members as well as financial planning and in fact greater use is being made of these facilities now.

Mental and physical health take centre stage:
The pandemic is more of a marathon than a sprint and so now more than ever our physical and mental health have to take centre stage. See this time as an opportunity to get closer to your family. I truly appreciate that now we are sitting down and eating healthier home-cooked meals together, not rushing out the door in the morning or grabbing a quick meal on the way home. Many of my friends have even started vegetable gardens with their kids and my children’s friends who are young adults are doing the same with their parents. One of my son’s friends even examined my vegetable garden and declared that I had planted my paw paw trees too close together and that my ochre trees were also too close to the sweet pepper plant! I was quite amused by the observations and of course he was proven right as the plants grew.

I have also found that a fifteen to thirty-minute walk in the neighbourhood, breathing in the fresh air and thinking about planning my next garden foray, or visit to Tobago once the beaches reopen, often improves my mood. On weekends, baking healthy treats, sitting in the garden with my spouse while watching the sun go down over the hill or just binge-watching a TV series helps me to relax. We also look forward to having scheduled Zoom calls with family, particularly those abroad.

Similarly, for parents with school-aged children, I would encourage connecting more often through support chat groups and Zoom/Microsoft Teams meetings with teachers and peers to share information and address key issues associated with online schooling. Balance is essential, so monitoring screen-time on devices so that after a select number of hours on the iPad or laptop, the children can then play outside or take care of a pet or engage in some outdoor activity, may also be helpful. Now is the time to break with tradition and create your own rules and remember that learning is everywhere.