By Nicole Maher
With the pandemic still present in our everyday lives, many parents have realized that they now play another role in their child’s life. With the return to school, whether it is fully online or partially in person, many parents have now been faced with the task of helping their children in the education department. Though the new task may allow for some extra quality time between you and your child, it can also be exhausting. With so much on your plate, it is not unlikely that you will be facing some parental burnout at some point during the school year. But, by incorporating some of the following parenting tips into your new routine, you may find some ways to combat this parental burnout and enjoy this newfound time with your child.
Check out these five parenting tips for combating parental burnout during the pandemic.
1. Choose your battles: As a parent, you may have to desire to turn every moment into a lesson for your child. However, when you have become both the parent and temporary teacher, it may be better to choose which lessons are more important for the time being. If you are trying to teach your child lessons at all hours of the day, they may have a hard time separating the education and social aspects of their life. While you should not forgo teaching them all life lessons during this time, creating a list of which ones are most important can help maintain this new balance.
Related Link: Parenting Tips: Create a Positive Learning Environment at Home
2. Acknowledge your anxiety: While you may be prioritizing your child during this time, it is equally as important to assess your own mental health. If you find yourself feeling anxious or stressed about the new responsibilities you hold in your child’s life, it may be beneficial to turn to a therapist or counselor. Discussing how you are feeling with a professional can help alleviate some parental burnout or stress. Incorporating this parenting tip into your new routine can also help prevent you from projecting any of these new feelings onto your child and help maintain a positive relationship between the two of you.
Related Link: Parenting Tips: How to Help a Young Child Understand the Pandemic
3. Use your resources: Just because your child may be learning remotely for a portion of the school year does not mean you are responsible for everything in the education department. Make use of resources, such as teachers and guidance counselors within the school district, to help you throughout the process. These people chose a career working with children for a reason, and will be happy to answer emails or phone calls in order to keep your child on track and ready for future success.
4. Allow for some alone time: Spending time everyday helping your child through remote learning, as well as completing your normal parenting tasks, can be exhausting. It is important to schedule a little alone time each day to allow yourself to recharge and take a break. Whether it is going for a walk, taking a bath, or a date night with your partner, do not feel guilty for needing separation from your child for a little while. By stepping away for a period of time, you will be relieving stress on both ends of the relationship.
5. Prioritize your “parent” role: At the end of the day, and someday the end of the pandemic, your main role in your child’s life is simply to be their parent. While you may be acting as their teacher for a period of time, it is essential that you maintain some of the activities you shared when the relationship was solely parent-and-child. If you and your child used to watch a specific television show together or play soccer in the yard before the pandemic, be sure to keep that in your routine. Incorporating this parenting tip into your pandemic routine can help maintain the relationship between you and your child, as well as allow for the creation of some new memories!
What are some other ways to combat parental burnout during the pandemic? Start a conversation in the comments below!
