Tips for Parents on Balancing it All During the Covid-19 Pandemic

By Ashley Alvillar, life/career coach and founder of Monarch Results Coaching

1. Get Help

Talk to your spouse/partner, parents, babysitter, friends, older siblings, etc. to see who is able to help – even virtually right now. A babysitter can do storytime or a grandparent can take on math with your child. Find a schedule that works with your partner.

2. Make a Schedule

Kids thrive off of a schedule. Review it with them. Use earphones for kids’ classes or virtual camps, so everyone can focus on what they’re doing, and incentivize kids for completing them.

3. Find Time for You

Even with as busy as we all are right now, finding some “me time” is really important. Take a sanity run or walk for just 20 minutes. Try a free yoga class or meditation app. Some favorites are The Underbelly Yoga, Calm, Headspace, The Class, DanceBody, and 305 Fitness.

4. Build in Time for Fun

In between the home-schooling, house-cleaning, and dinner-cooking, build in some time for fun! Board games, scavenger hunts, hide and seek, cooking, arts and crafts, painting, Legos, card games, sack races – the possibilities are endless, depending on what your family enjoys. You can get creative too – my kids made a train out of a box the other day.

5. Set Boundaries at Work

Talk to your manager. Explain what your situation looks like and what you can realistically take on. You just can’t do it all right now.

6. Have Couples Time

Getting out for date nights right now is tricky, but you can make some special time at home! Try an adults-only dinner after the kids go to bed and a movie you’ve been wanting to watch on Netflix.

7. Remember This is Temporary

This too shall pass. Breathe. Plan for the future. Where focus goes, energy flows.