9 Simple Truths for School Since COVID: How Moms can Stay Sane and Help their Child Succeed in School

School is looking different this year. More importantly, it’s feeling different. Whether we are homeschooling, distance learning, or sending our kids off to a new reality, what most parents need right now is encouragement. We need support, help recognizing that we can do a good job of this, and maybe someone to point us in the direction of helpful perspective. These nine simple truths can help moms stay sane and help their child succeed in school since COVID.

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I had this post topic penciled into my calendar for a long time. Because I have a little experience homeschooling, five kids, and a degree and background in education, I thought I should have something worthwhile to share. But to be honest, I’ve been putting it off. I’ve never done school like this before. I wasn’t sure I had any advice worth sharing.

But then I realized you don’t need me to fix your problems.

None of us have done this before, but none of us need someone else to swoop in in order to save the day. We know our own kids and families better than anyone. We’re competent and willing.

What we do need is support. We need to feel the truth that we are capable, we’re not in this alone, and we are just what our children need. And a few practical tips to helps us find peace and perspective on the hard days wouldn’t hurt either.

So, in contemplating what we really need right now, here are 9 powerful truths to help us stay sane and help our kids flourish in school since COVID.

9 Simple Truths to Stay Sane and Help your Child Succeed in School Since COVID

We can find and keep peace and perspective and help our child succeed in school by understanding and embracing these nine things that were true before COVID-19, during this pandemic, and into the future.

1. You are doing better than you think.

It’s far too easy to see our own limitations and shortcomings.

But our kids don’t need us to be perfect; they need us to be there. They need us to show up and show them that we can adapt to hard situations. If we don’t have the skills to flourish yet, we can learn them.

Embrace the mantra I turn to when I feel totally overwhelmed. “I can’t do it all. I can’t fix all the things. I can do enough. I can do what matters.”

2. Your emotions are normal. (And so are your child’s.)

There’s a relief that comes when we recognize that our reaction is not only okay, it’s expected. Studies show that when we try to suppress emotion, it typically increases the emotion, especially in situations of stress or mental load. (Hello life right now!)

Recognize that emotions don’t have to dictate your choices, but give yourself space and permission to experience the full range of emotion that comes with new or difficult circumstances.

Encourage kids to experience and share emotions as well. Check in with them by asking things like, “How did you feel about your day today?”

The hard emotions won’t last forever, and whatever you feel, yeah, that’s normal too.

3. You don’t have to do this alone.

Sometimes we feel like we need to be a super hero or something. Maybe we think everyone is too busy with their own lives, or we might think since we signed up for parenthood, we ought to be able to do it on our own. But we don’t.

Find a parenting tribe in person and/or online to share the struggles and joys. If that 5th grade math is causing tears (for you and your kid), find a tutor or reach out to teachers. Show your kids that resources exist and people are willing to help us succeed in school and life.

4. This is an excellent opportunity to practice patience.

Yes, yes it is. Patience is a virtue we all want anyway, isn’t it? So now is the perfect time to practice.

5. Learning how to learn is more important than getting good grades.

Every class has a different formula for getting good grades. However, when a child knows how to learn, that child will succeed in school and life.

As parents, we can emphasis study habits, asking meaningful questions, finding joy in learning, and developing a growth mindset. These are important traits in learning how to learn.

If you want to learn about a unique and powerful way to approach education and learning, I recommend reading Courage to Grow: How Acton Academy Turns Learning Upside Down by Laura Sandefer.

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6. Focusing on the academic basics helps a child succeed in school.

College admissions policies will change. Future employment needs will change. But the academic basics that lead to success are constant.

These basics include reading comprehension, creative expression, and problem solving.

Whether you’re homeschooling or helping with homework, focus on developing these basic academic skills.

7. Kids need to own their own education.

When we feel ownership, we treat things differently. That principle applies to education too.

If we are in the habit of doing a bit too much nagging of our kids or a bit too much helping with schoolwork, we can intentionally create new habits that encourage independence and accountability. Remember, it’s not all about getting the right answer; it’s also about learning how to learn.

Related: How to Start New Family Routines

8. School is a laboratory for learning how to be a good human.

“Study hard, get good grades, but most importantly, know that I love you.” These were always my dad’s parting words before school. I felt clearly then and I know fully know that at the end of the day, what really matters most is the way we love and feel loved. It’s the way we develop relationships, learn how to forgive, and just be a decent person.

What did you worry about teaching your kids before all this? It probably included how to say please and thank you, how to not have a meltdown when the plate is blue instead of pink, and how to be a nice human. I think those are still the things we should worry about.

When we maintain this perspective and teach it to our kids, we set them up for a lifetime of not only success but happiness.

9. You were always your child’s first teacher anyway.

No matter how different your role might look right now, you were always your child’s first teacher. Our children are watching and learning from us about how to succeed in school. They’re figuring out what to focus on, what to worry about, and how to react when they make mistakes. They are learning that we can do hard things.

So whatever your official “teacher” role looks like these days, step into fully.

“There is one responsibility that no one can evade. That is the effect of one’s personal influence.”

-David O. McKay

Always True, Always Grateful

Something really cool about “truth” is that when we’ve framed it correctly, it’s always true. So while these principles were always important, maybe COVID has given us a chance to see some of these things more clearly.

So, the last truth I’ll share, a bonus if you will, is that there are always things to be grateful for.

I, for one, have been so impressed by how my kids have handled distance learning so far. They are being independent and approaching it with a great attitude. Their teachers are working hard under unique circumstances to make the experience engaging.

And I didn’t have to bawl through the first-day-of-school drop-off this year.

Maybe school since COVID will bring out strengths we didn’t know we had. Perhaps it will help us cherish our relationships and connections with others. And maybe there will even be quirky things that come of this that we end up loving.

Our perspective is important. As we choose to focus on the things that matter more and embrace the simple truths that can help our child succeed in school, we will find more and more evidence of that first truth in both ourselves and our children.

You are doing better than you think.

What is helping you stay sane right now? How are you helping your child succeed in school? What is the hardest part for you of school since COVID? Please share in the comments!

Related Posts…

• 6 Tips for Packing School Lunches that are Stress-Free, Fast, and Healthy
• Routines for the School Year: Tips for a Peaceful, Productive Family
• How to Help a Child with Low Confidence

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