Covid-19 has bought various challenges for us to face both personally and professionally, especially trying to juggle working from home and childcare. With school and pre-school closures happening all the time and people being encouraged to work from home where possible, parents have had to multitask more than ever.
Despite the vaccine having released in recent weeks, unfortunately, there is still a long way to go before a sense of normality is restored.
For many, working from home will continue for the foreseeable future and childcare, such as nannies and pre-schools, will remain closed.
So, what does this mean for childcare in the future? Has working from home changed childcare forever? We explore this below.
Online Software
With the internet playing such an important and large role in today’s society, this has meant that teachers and parents can work together remotely to help their children through their essential stages of development and growth.
Childcare management software speeds up processes, keeps everything together, and enhances communication. The success of this type of software has not only made it easier for parents to look after their children at home whilst working remotely, but it also has the potential to change childcare moving forward too.
Bonding and Attachment
Despite the stress that many parents have felt having to hold down a job whilst simultaneously caring for their children at home, many parents have enjoyed the last few months.
With their children around 24/7, it has allowed for more bonding time, as they help them with their spellings, read more stories, exercising together and even enjoy pretend play together.
Whilst children are at their childcare during the day when their parents are working, mums and dads are missing out on some of the vital stages of their child’s development. However, being at home has allowed them to be a part of this and help them grow.
What’s more, the more time they have spent together, children and their parents have grown a stronger bond and therefore, attachment to one another.
Although this can be positive and beneficial for relationship building, some parents are concerned that their children have become too attached. They haven’t experienced as much of the outside world and the learning curves crucial to this development stage.
Affordable and Easier
Although some workdays can be difficult whilst caring for little ones simultaneously, childcare and working from home, have also gone hand in hand.
Without paying for someone else or a pre-school to take care of their children, parents have saved money. Plus, because they don’t need to take their children to and from childcare, not only has this benefited their bank accounts by using less petrol or public transport, but it’s also made morning and evening routines easier.
Instead of getting the children up early and rushing them to childcare before getting to work, the morning routine is now much smoother, and everything can start a little later. This is creating better home environments and relieving some stress from parents.
So, what do you think? Will working from home change childcare forever? Or, will we see things return to normal once the country starts to get back onto its feet in the future? One thing is clear, it’s essential you take time for yourself to de-stress when you can.
