SAN ANTONIO – Parents across the country have had to turn their living rooms into classrooms after school districts closed their campuses as a precaution against the coronavirus.
Lauren Campos said her life was turned upside down in a matter of days.
“I think everyone understands that we are in trying times, and all we can do is the best we can do,” she said.
Campos has been working remotely from home. She and her two young children have been practicing social distancing.
"My husband and I have been trying to do our best to not just keep them in the house," said Campos.
The family has not shown symptoms of the virus, but the change has been a significant adjustment.
Campos’ husband serves as an instructor for the U.S. Army, and because of his job, he is not always present.
"I think the hardest challenge is trying to give enough time to myself to work and my kids," Campos said.
Ashely McGhee has home-schooled her four children for 10 years. She said it didn’t start out easy.
“I really didn’t know what I was doing, and I was terrified that I was going to ruin their lives,” she said.
McGheee reminds parents who are new to homeschooling not to pressure themselves to be perfect.
“You cannot compare yourself to the school system,” McGhee said.
Ashely Jesse, a licensed counselor and program director at Paloma Place, agrees.
“Parents are being really hard on themselves right now, trying to have this very strict structure schedule,” said Jesse.
She suggests parents develop a routine that works for each family member.
Campos said during times of stress, it’s important to know how to practice breathing techniques and ways to calm down.
“We can’t control what’s happening with this virus, but we can control taking care of ourselves, mentally and physically,” she said.
COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019. The disease first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, but spread around the world in early 2020, causing the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic in March.
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