Life during the COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot for everyone, and while these changes are temporary, they have still understandably caused a significant amount of stress, particularly for parents who suddenly find themselves both working from home while also having their children with them, who need to complete lessons and homework for school remotely.

There was a great opinion piece in the New York Times recently, called “I Refuse to Run a Coronavirus Home School.” The crux of the article is this: it is difficult enough for people to suddenly adjust to having to get their work done from home, while also ensuring their kids get their school work done. Suddenly having to play teacher and give home-schooling lessons on top of that is simply too much for many people, especially those who do not have any formal training in education.

It simply isn’t an option for most people to just abandon their work and focus on teaching their children for as long as schools are out due to this pandemic. Parents are trying to do their jobs, keep their families safe and still parent all at once during this time of social distancing and quarantines. 

For the most part, schools understand this—the expectations for many districts are not that parents will take the place of teachers while at home. However, parents are at least expected to access the online portals to get the assignments their children have been given, and make sure they complete them.

What alternatives exist?

It’s understandable to be worried about what all this loss of classroom time will mean for children of all ages, but particularly grade school-aged children. When you think about the “brain drain” that occurs over summer vacation, you can probably amplify that by a couple times when you consider many students will probably go from mid-march to early September without having any time in a classroom.

The good news is there are still plenty of ways for children to get the educational support they need through online resources.

At Flex Academies, we launched Flex Academies ONE in response to the sudden shift of the nature of our educational system as schools closed down for COVID-19. Students can enroll in online classes with a wide range of diverse subjects—languages, art, math, chess, physical activities and so much more. Students log in at scheduled times and have access to an Online Coordinator, who answers any questions students have and make sure each session runs smoothly. All of the classes are taught by certified Flex Academies enrichment providers.

There are plenty of online educational options out there, including some free resources. Flex Academies, however, has an established record of fun and safe enrichment activities in dozens of schools, and the access to an educator online and specific course schedules is invaluable in a time where parents are looking for ways to maintain structure for their children in any way they can.

There is no shame in being unable to pull triple-duty as a parent, employee and educator. Let Flex Academies take some of the responsibility off your plate, and give your children some structured, high-quality educational opportunities during this time of uncertainty.