When I learned that my kids wouldn’t be returning to school as usual this year, a whirlwind of emotions hit me — fear, anxiety, and a strange sense of relief. With adrenaline pumping, I turned my focus to preparing our home, filling our pantry with essentials like flour, sprinkles, ice cream, and snacks. My wife and I felt fortunate to still have our jobs during this uncertain time.
As the school year began, we found ourselves grappling with Google Classroom, Google Meet sessions for my children, and even trying to create a makeshift gym in our dining room — the same space where we tackled math and shared meals, and where I juggled work responsibilities. Like many parents, I stepped into the role of teacher, skillfully dodging 9th-grade Algebra (just as I had in my own school days) while also guiding my twin daughters through kindergarten lessons. By 9 a.m., I was already exhausted, but my day as a program director for a heart health nonprofit was just getting started.
We opted for a hybrid learning model, with our kids attending school in person on Mondays and Tuesdays and learning from home the rest of the week. I never anticipated that I would find myself constantly multitasking, struggling to keep up with meetings, appointments, and household responsibilities. Then my son surprised me by asking when he could get a job and learn to drive. That prompted me to reclaim their education and teach them in a way that resonated with me: outside the traditional classroom.
During the pandemic, I discovered a passion for baking — something I had always admired in my friends but never attempted myself. With extra time on my hands and a desire to ensure my kids were eating wholesome food, I started making bread from scratch. Following Mark Bittman’s recipe and purchasing a Dutch oven, I was soon baking loaves that my kids eagerly anticipated each week. That sparked the idea to teach them valuable cooking skills they weren’t learning in school.
Traditionally, I wasn’t the kind of mom to let my kids roam freely in the kitchen, making whatever they pleased. However, the pandemic called for flexibility, and I relaxed my rules. My daughters, aged 5, took delight in measuring flour and mixing ingredients; their anticipation while waiting for the bread to bake brought me immense joy. While they couldn’t learn these skills at school, they certainly could at home.
At one point, I realized I needed a break and decided to take a “time-out.” I shouted downstairs to my kids, “I’m going to my room for a while. I need a break!” After a moment of venting, I returned to my chaotic role as teacher, chef, referee, and mom, explaining to my kids that it was okay not to feel okay. They needed to learn that it’s alright to express emotions, including frustration.
According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), adults can nurture children’s social and emotional growth during the pandemic through consistent routines, active listening, and fostering connections. We emphasize feelings in our household, and I also recognized the importance of maintaining my own routine.
As the pandemic progressed, my kids became more involved with household chores, even if they initially groaned about it. They learned the value of helping out, especially when faced with the consequences of neglecting chores — like discovering no clean spoons for their cereal or the dreaded mountain of dirty laundry. My teenage son’s room may still be a mystery behind closed doors, but he has learned about responsibility through tasks like yard work and painting the fence, for which we paid him and helped him open a bank account, discussing the importance of saving money.
As we move forward, we continue to impart lessons that extend beyond academics, like how to set the dinner table, respond to home emergencies, or manage a budget. This summer, we grew tomatoes and peppers and redesigned our garden, teaching my kids about resilience and the value of starting over. I’ve also realized that hiring help for yard work can be more efficient than making it a family project.
What I cherish most about this time spent at home is witnessing my kids embrace the outdoors. They’ve built relationships with our elderly neighbor, explored their surroundings, and engaged in imaginative play. Life may never revert to the way it once was, but the lessons my children are learning — ones that only we can teach them — will last a lifetime.
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Summary:
In light of the pandemic, I’ve embraced teaching my kids essential life skills that extend beyond traditional academics. From baking bread to managing chores and understanding financial responsibility, these experiences have fostered resilience, creativity, and emotional growth in my children. This unique period has provided invaluable lessons that will stay with them for years to come.