I was concerned about my children's education but thankful for the virtual learning opportunity for safety reasons.

Both children had a hard time staying focused on tasks due to the many online distractions. Canvas also took some getting used to. My daughter struggles more because of the amount of work required on a daily basis. The lack of social interactions clearly negatively affected both of them.

As a parent I struggle to work from home and keep them engaged in class. We spent many hours after school and on weekends completing work due to the amount of work required and having to reteach some of the topics.

Being able to spend lunch/recess going for walks, making cookies, or playing Dance Central and Rock Band together was great. But I’ve learned my children require more social interactions with peers than I previously realized. I have a better idea of what they struggle with and where they excel academically and what motivates them to work harder.

I've also learned that while I enjoy helping my children grow in all avenues of life, I do not want to add a part-time teacher to my resume.