Parents Shouldn’t Be Shamed for Their Back-to-School Relief

The pandemic has forced tough conditions and made the last year and a half tough on everyone equally. The dynamics of life as we know it has changed abruptly, and adapting to the new normal is still something we are trying to get hold of. In the middle of all that and with the uncertainties brought along, imagine how tough it is for kids to cope when adults themselves are struggling mentally and psychologically with everything happening around.

With schools reopening, parents, and especially mothers, feel relieved that kids are back to school after a long period of distance learning and online classes. But this relief is rather shamed by some other parents who are against the idea of schools reopening and sending kids back to school during a pandemic.

To be totally fair and honest, parents have had their share of hardships and challenges forced by the pandemic where they are left torn between managing their distance learning and teaching them how to cope with the whole social distancing and being cautious outdoors which is against kids’ nature. Kids are little explorers who love to enjoy outdoor activities to unleash that energy. Now, with kids staying mostly at home, it has become the parents’ responsibility to keep them entertained, screen-time and pc game hours have increased, and of course, their social skills have changed. This reflecting on kids’ emotional wellness will eventually reflect on parents’ stress levels. So yes, it’s natural that parents feel relieved that kids are back to school, and no, you shouldn’t feel ashamed as a parent if this is how you feel.

With a new wave coming around the corner, no one can tell how things will change and if kids will be sent back homes for distance learning. But what I know for sure is that no parent, in any situation, has the right to outright tell another parent how they should feel or deal with their kids because by the end of the days all parents definitely want what’s best for their children.