It was the beginning of March and my daughter’s 12th birthday was two weeks away. We were going to have a hotel party. Apparently, it is a popular trend with her age group. The kids gather for games and food while using the pool. There is a suite and a room separating parents from children. Everyone was ecstatic. The anticipation of fun was in the air. Then, the unthinkable happened. The COVID-19 Pandemic hit and everything changed. There were no parties. There were no gatherings at all. We were all isolated. Suddenly, it was just my daughter, me, and my students. The anticipation of fun was swallowed by anxiety and sadness. This was surely a birthday she would never forget, and this was the beginning of a journey of staying sane as a teacher and parent that I would not forget.
NAVIGATING THE DARKNESS As a teacher and parent
The pandemic forced the world to think outside the box. The ingenuity that has developed from the pandemic reflects the human spirit to rise to the challenge. In a time of darkness, there has been light. For me, staying sane as a teacher and parent during the pandemic was about finding the light for myself so I can guide my daughter and students, which was exhausting.
My daughter’s mental health issues emerged in full force. My students barely showed up for class. Some people may think as teachers we would have been relieved not to be on-site for work and deal with the chaos of the classroom, which on some level is true. Also true is the disappointing fact of you facing students who are truly struggling with the virtual environment and feeling helpless, because you are unable to help them. It was a darkness that encroached upon my sanity daily.
I was teaching seven days a week because some students couldn’t log on during the week. I witnessed students too young to be home without parents because their parents didn’t have any other options. I also saw students who struggled with reading become further behind. Personally, I became further detached from a job that I honored. In relation to my daughter, I also recognized how she was slipping away due to anxiety and depression. How on earth was I supposed to hold onto the light with so much darkness staring me in the face daily as a teacher and parent? Well, I rose to the occasion as so many of us did during the pandemic. I refused to let the virus take away my light. I fought against the negativity… and I won!
HOLDING ONTO THE LIGHT with my daughter
What exactly did this fight for my sanity as a teacher and a parent look like? For me, it was my faith that led the fight. I have never prayed more than I have prayed during this time. I prayed for ease, protection, and healing. I didn’t do it just for me, I also did it for mankind. The prayers gave me a sense of peace, which allowed my sanity to rest. I also created a schedule and time for self-care.
My daughter and I went into therapy. We had a daily game night, set up video calls with family and friends, and even transformed our living room into a theatre. It was so much fun! We bonded on a whole other level and we will leave this time of uncertainty with an unbreakable bond.
FINDING PEACE WITH TEACHING
Regarding teaching, finding my sanity was all about mindset and acceptance. There honestly was nothing I could do but do what I was doing. I can’t control the school system, parents, and students. All I can do is my best and that is what I did! I accepted my limited ability in this crazy time. The acceptance returned my sanity as a teacher and a parent and gave me a sense of peace that I never imagined at the beginning of this time.
reclaiming my sanity
Now what? We have lived more than a year with masks and restrictions. Things are opening up again and we can go back to the way things were, right? No, that shouldn’t be the perspective we have at all! COVID sheds light on how we have to do things differently. It gave breath to new ideas and the energy of transformation. I decided to leave the classroom and pursue my career as an author. The pandemic gave me time for deep reflection, and I realized my passion and desire to be in the classroom was almost extinct. I took the leap and I am now on my way to being an author. I also learned that keeping my sanity is all about self-care and self-love. I am more committed to taking care of myself than ever before. I exercise daily and eat healthy balanced meals. I have even lost weight! I can only be grateful for this hard time because I have come out even stronger in the end. I kept my sanity and matured as an individual! In a time of darkness, I held onto the light and the reward was infinite!
MindWorks Collaborative would love to invite you to learn more about staying sane during the pandemic. Join future conversations on this topic by signing up for our community of justice-driven special educators here and sign up to get alerts for our next roundtable.
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