As our children head back to school after an extended break, one might expect a wave of relief and joy. There should be cheerful photographs, heartfelt hugs, and a few happy tears. This should be a moment for parents to breathe easy, reconnect with their own lives, and embrace creativity and friendships. But, unfortunately, that’s not the reality—especially for parents of kids under 12.
Last year was an absolute nightmare. We juggled remote work while keeping our children entertained at home. We participated in virtual meetings with the sounds of children playing in the background and pleading for more screen time. We constantly battled guilt over our kids’ increased screen exposure, crafting ambitious educational plans that often devolved into chaos—tears from us and endless reruns of cartoons for them. We worried not only about our own well-being but also about our parents.
We stopped visiting local markets due to health concerns, which only made us feel worse about not providing fresh food for our families. Playground visits turned into a source of anxiety, leading us to resort to online exercise videos for our kids, only to feel guilty about the screen time. Our own physical health suffered since there was little time for self-care.
So, with schools reopening, the expectation was that things would improve. Kids would be back in class, allowing parents to reclaim some semblance of normalcy, reconnect with friends, and return to healthier eating habits. The world should feel full of possibilities, right? But then the first day of school arrived, and it was anything but a relief.
With the Delta variant spreading rapidly and children’s infections soaring, we spent sleepless weeks wrestling with the decision to send them back. We knew the benefits outweighed the risks, yet the choice brought little comfort. Our eyes are strained from endless nights spent combing through articles on those dire statistical anomalies that others dismiss as insignificant. We find ourselves fixated on tragic news stories of local children who have succumbed to the virus. We invest more in high-quality face masks than in the organic groceries we intended to buy. As we drop our kids off at school, we cling to them tightly, snap a quick masked photo, and then feel the weight of dread.
We can’t shake the fear that our child could be a statistic. The thought of how their image would be used in news reports haunts us. Our stomachs twist in knots, making it hard to eat well. We often resort to finishing the leftovers from our children’s lunches—Spaghetti-O’s they wanted but didn’t eat, or the cheese cubes left behind. We worry about getting sick, constantly suspecting it’s Covid, leading to tests and a reluctance to hug our kids until we receive results. Even negative results don’t fully ease our anxiety; we ponder, “What if I’m the one who gets them sick?”
Yet, we have to keep our fear hidden from our children. We wear smiles, maintain cheerful voices, and attempt to create a joyful atmosphere. We sing songs, engage in imaginative play until we feel exhausted, and read bedtime stories until they drift off to sleep. But when they finally doze off, we’re left wondering how much longer we can hold it together. Sleep eludes us, and we find ourselves lost in a never-ending cycle of online articles.
So, if you’ve noticed that your friend with kids doesn’t seem as vibrant or cheerful lately, remember: they are likely struggling. I know I am.
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In summary, the return to school amid ongoing health concerns has left many parents feeling overwhelmed and anxious. Struggling to balance work, health fears, and family life, these parents are often not okay, despite the appearance of normalcy.
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