The capacity to work from home in this time may be a blessing, but it’s also a balancing act. Many parents are discovering whole new ways to organize work and kids in the same household. Pittsburgh resident, America’s Preferred Home Warranty (APHW) Area Sales Manager, and full-time mother Fawna Farrell is one of them—and her hands are full to capacity.
A Crazy Couple of Days
“The first couple of days I was really stressed out,” Fawna said. “I felt so much pressure and no control with how everything was changing by the minute. I was worried about how I would work and take care of the kids and all these extra responsibilities, and I honestly thought everything was caving in for a minute there.”
Then in the second week of Kaden (7) and Flora (5) being home from school, she had an epiphany: In the past when she had been gone all day, Fawna felt she was missing out on their lives. “Now I have the best of both worlds!” she exclaimed. “I can stay home and be with my kids while I continue my career.”
Implementation Though…
Now that’s easy to say, but harder to do. “We just had to find that balance as a family,” Fawna said. She found that structuring the days is what worked best for her and her husband, Jeffrey, and of course for her children. “When kids don’t have structure, they act up. So I came up with targeted learning charts for both of my kids, and another for rewards where they get stickers for good behaviors, daily chores, etc. We’re also using this time to teach them life things, like folding clothes and what goes into making dinner.”
Fawna (@FawnaAPHW) wanted to share her story to let other parents know they’re not alone in all the craziness going on. “There are probably a lot of parents who feel beside themselves,” she said. “My hope is that they’ll see my story and just embrace things for what they are. Our kids are only little once, and we miss them like crazy when we’re working. So let’s enjoy them while we get to stay home. Just have fun with it!”
As everyone around the world navigates around COVID-19, we want to let you know that America’s Preferred Home Warranty is committed to serving all of you, our customers and partners with uninterrupted, first-class service.
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