In the five months since COVID disrupted our lives, virtual learning has shifted from something we frantically tried to pull together to the new normal in our children’s education. However, no matter how accustomed parents and students have become, it does nothing to ease the stress and frustration virtual learning causes at home. How Working Parents Tackle Virtual Learning has become a daily challenge, especially since most of us were not trained as teachers and never planned on taking on a second profession. Jobs in industries such as multifamily housing also cannot afford to let their employees work from home, which only adds more strain.

Fortunately, there are ways to make homeschooling a little easier. Below we discuss three ways working parents are tackling virtual learning.

1. Schedule Your Work Calls During Their Most Engaged Time

If you are working from home, you will have to take Zoom and phone calls that require your full attention. Inevitably, during these important times, your child—or children—will need something from you. This simple scenario can cause major stress.

One way to avoid this common problem is to schedule your calls during your child’s most engaging school time. For younger kids, that might be during an art project. For older kids, it might be when they are in a live-streamed virtual classroom.

At first, it may not be clear when they are most engaged. However, after about a month of instruction, you will start to see patterns and learn the best times to schedule your work calls. While you are going through this learning phase, let your supervisor or clients know what is happening. That way, they can support you with flexibility during this temporary time.

2. Plan on Doing Weekend Work Time

This tip may not be the most popular with working parents, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Saturday and Sunday may become the only two days a week when you can schedule undivided attention for your job. On weekends, your child won’t need your help with classwork.

You may be surprised by what one or two hours of uninterrupted time can do for your productivity. With this extra focus, you can knock out a large portion of your weekly tasks. That way, your Monday–Friday routine feels less overwhelming.

3. Engage Your Community with a “Learning Pod”

Let’s end on a high note—especially after tip #2. A “Learning Pod” may be the best life hack for virtual learning, especially if you work in a field that doesn’t allow you to work from home, such as the multifamily housing industry.

The learning pod concept can work for almost any age group, from toddlers to teens. Essentially, you connect with two to five of your child’s classmates who live nearby and create a pod. Parents then coordinate to host the pod on certain days of the week.

For example, if you link five students together, you only have to host once a week. On the other days, your child spends time at the other parents’ homes. You drive them to and from, just as if they were attending school in person.

In addition to freeing parents to work, pods hold students accountable for classwork, homework assignments, and assessments. Parents can also offer enrichment activities such as book clubs, science experiments, executive functioning games, or even chess.

The group may choose to hire an educator—at a cost of $10 to $50 per hour, per child—or work independently if the students are older.

Of course, any group meeting in person must exercise caution to limit exposure. That means daily temperature checks, six-foot distancing wherever possible, mask wearing, and frequent hand washing or sanitizing.

While all of these tips can help you navigate the new educational system, one reigns supreme: self-forgiveness and understanding. No one expects virtual learning to meet the same standard as in-person classes.

When you feel yourself—or your child—becoming overwhelmed, pause. Take a moment to forgive yourself for falling short, and then congratulate both of you for navigating this historic moment in time.

By simply showing up for virtual learning while managing your own work responsibilities, you are already accomplishing something most people have never had to face.