Just for this month I’m going to rename this Parents Corner!

We usually like to keep our newsletters fairly upbeat and positive, but today I wanted to have an honest discussion about some of the challenges around the pandemic and our kids.

It’s no secret that parents are doing it tough. If you’re working from home, you can also add menu planner, shopper, teacher, carer, chef, play planner, cleaner, counsellor, friend, and sports teacher to the list! Yes, we do these things regardless, but on top of working and home schooling, it’s a big ask. The saying goes that it takes a village to raise a child and at the moment our village is significantly diminished.

For those that are sending our kids into school, the above still applies but we worry that our kids aren’t learning enough whilst they are there. I know when I’m at work, my kids at school are literally just being supervised, with learning being minimal at best. And that’s not a dig at any of our wonderful teachers, it’s just how it is right now.

I don’t know about you but I do think about the juggling act that is required right now and I also think about the worlds future and what it may look like. As a parent, worrying about our kids is par for the course, but the current circumstances certainly heighten my concerns for the wellbeing of my children. I have 2 kids who are not independent learners so when I’m home, all of my time is spent teaching them and even then I wonder if my approach will have the desired outcome. Keeping tabs on my own emotional state is hard but I’m so thankful that my husband is very good at keeping perspective. I find that he can ground me and bring me back to the present when I’m worried so much about our future.

All of the above makes me incredibly grateful that I get to come into work, here at Beyond Self. I work with beautiful people in a calm and supportive space. Anybody that has been in here knows how calm it is. I know that now, more than ever, I need to look after myself, which will enable me to do the very best I can for my kids, despite all that threatens to derail me. So this is why I’ve been taking the time to have a regular massage where I have been able to truly relax, and then also have weekly NET sessions, where I have been able to work through some of the challenges I am struggling with. Oh and I’ve also just dusted off my roller boots and am having lots of fun on them.

So to all parents and carers, please remember to look after yourselves, now more than ever, keep healthy and make time for yourself. 🙂

By Sarah Burrows