It’s no secret parents are dealing with a lot at home throughout this COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, which shutdown schools across the country — and the globe — for an undefined amount of time. If you're like me, you're at home helping to facilitate distance learning for your multiple elementary-aged children and toddlers while working your own job from home. You're juggling parenting, working, helping with online learning and trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy in your home. Oh yeah, and you're trying to remember to shower.

As an educator and a parent, it gives me a unique perspective on this at-home time and what it can and should mean for families, that I felt it important to share some lessons learned to help you navigate these unsettling times and be the heroes of your own household.

The spread of the novel COVID-19 has forced more closures and stay-at-home orders than we have seen in our lifetime. Most of the news this month quickly inundated us with frightening stories and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel is, for many, difficult.

As we continue to weather the storm of the novel COVID-19 virus weaving its way throughout the world, millions of children everywhere are hunkered down at home, at their computers, attending their “virtual school day” – as they navigate this new reality.

We keep hearing the term “social distancing” as one of the key measures to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus to others. And with state and national guidelines restricting large gatherings, what does this really mean? Must we remain quarantined inside our homes? Is it OK to have a playdate with a friend? Can you still host that birthday party this weekend? Should you go for a walk in the park?

With all of the news and social media coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, children may be confused and frightened by what they see and hear. Imaginations run wild on the playground and parents may feel that the topic should remain off-limits to avoid sparking fear in their child more than necessary. But according to The Child Mind Institute, children are actually more fearful when they are kept in the dark.

As we begin to thaw out from the winter and students everywhere begin their spring break vacations, what better opportunity for students and their families to switch gears from the classroom toward relaxation and regroup time?

When you hear the name Taylor Swift, what comes to mind? Pop music, blond hair, little miss perfect? Or, if you’re like me, you think all of those things but with a little more country twang. Wait, it isn’t 2006 anymore and I am sad.

If your kids have an internet connection, they are likely using TikTok. It's a free, engaging, short-form video-sharing app geared toward teenagers that allows users to express themselves with filters, music and other features. Users can watch and record videos of themselves lip-syncing to music as well as create short, shareable videos so they can interact with friends through likes, comments, songs and livestream.

Playing a sport in college is a very personal choice that can change the entire shape of your college experience. Only a very small percentage of high school student-athletes will earn the opportunity to move on to collegiate athletics. In fact, according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), out of nearly 8 million students playing high school sports across the country each year, only about 6 percent compete at NCAA universities.

If you do find yourself aspiring to become a college athlete, there are several tips to help you decide if the race is right for you.

Many children are reluctant readers. They're uninspired by the content, struggle with vocabulary or are simply more interested in other things. It's possible your child has trouble putting down a book, but so many parents pull their hair out trying to figure out how to motivate their child to read. 

So, how do you ensure your child soars in reading without making it seem like another mundane to-do-task? By getting your child to fall in love with reading.