Balancing 'work from home' and family

It's safe to say our nation is in uncharted territory when contemplating how to establish a work-life balance while homeschooling and caring for children, keeping up with the demands of "work from home," and facing an unknown future. Fortunately, many people have had access to the necessary technology to work from home. Unfortunately, there is no handbook on how to balance employment with childcare and educational needs.

Early days of the pandemic

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, school and day care closures appeared to be temporary. Without substantial time to determine the best practice for holding classes, teachers, administrators, and parents did their best to keep children engaged and educated. The closures extended to the end of the school year with optimism that the summer months would bring better news. Yet here we sit waiting for school districts to determine their plans for the fall. Some schools have announced plans to reopen, while others are developing strategies for virtual learning.

Before COVID-19, many employers didn't have a work-from-home policy, or their policy didn't contemplate continued need for child care or homeschooling. How could it? A pandemic of this nature and a veritable shutdown of schools hadn't been contemplated in the modern era. This is why an existing policy may ban caring for a child while working from home. No matter what a work-from-home policy states, it should be reassessed to determine whether it truly meets the needs of both employer and employee.

New normal?