The “New Normal”: Parenting In This New World

If there's one thing we can all agree on, it's that parenting during a global pandemic is challenging. There are days when it’s great and you all love spending so much time together, and days you’d rather get in your car and drive very, very far away. We get it. We're all experiencing it right now.

And that's one of the funny things about life right now: rarely have we ever, as a global community, experienced so much of the same things together. This situation transcends ordinary boundaries like religion, geography, or class. Everyone from celebrities to us normal people is just staying at home.

The juggle of working and parenting

It's a juggle more difficult than we've ever faced before. It's like one long day when you had to stay home to take care of a sick kid. Except for months and months, and all of the kids are at home. But if there’s one thing we'd ask you to take away from this article, it's to cut yourself some slack. There's no 'right' way to homeschool during a pandemic.

There's no perfect way to get all your work done, keep everyone fed, and be a great spouse and parent. Some days will be good and others will be horrible. We hope there are more of the former, but that you give yourself some understanding during the latter

'Just' parenting

Even if you're "just" parenting during this time, say taking care of a newborn during your maternity leave or if you're a stay at home parent, please don't make the mistake of assuming that this "should" be easy. If you're swimming through it, great! But if you're finding it hard, that's completely understandable.

During normal times, you can get out of the house, meet up with other parents for playdates, maybe have a nanny or domestic help. Your parents would be able to visit, your kid might go to daycare or school. There are so many ways in which we do not usually raise children in the complete isolation so many of us are in right now.

Do your best

There is a lot to navigate during these very weird, uncertain times. Many people are navigating feelings of loss and grief, trying to work out how to work remotely, how to tap in and out of work and parenting, and juggling the demands of children who are equally bewildered. It's a lot to manage.

All you can do is try your best. One day that may translate into ultimate productivity and amazing activities, but it’s OK if the kids watch a little extra TV while you drink your eighth cup of coffee and scroll through Instagram. We all have ups and downs and manage in different ways.

Get by however you can

For some people that will mean creating routines and batch cooking. For others, it might be setting up activities the night before so that their kids have something to greet them first thing. But if for you it’s eating cereal for dinner and letting the kids watch TV so you can work, that's OK too. This isn't forever.

So whether you feel like you're acing it or failing every day, please know that we are all feeling those feelings. All parents around the world are wondering if they are doing the right thing. This weird time will eventually end and life will return to normal. Until then, we just try our best, love our kids, love ourselves, and get through each day as best we can.

Sources:

1. 15 tips from a mom on how to handle the new normal amid lockdown: https://indianexpress.com/article/parenting/family/15-tips-from-a-mom-on-how-to-handle-the-new-normal-amid-lockdown-6351669/

2. For Parents, the New Normal Is Not Always Easy: https://wdet.org/posts/2020/04/15/89490-for-parents-the-new-normal-is-not-always-easy/