Parenting is one of the hardest jobs and now due to social distancing laws, many of you have now been dealt the extra job title of 'Teacher'.
Laura is a regular customer at F&F and a mother of two little girls. We first got in contact with Laura when she tagged us in an Instagram story of her girls using our Eco Paints for an art project. We were curious to know how Laura was going with this extra responsibility of guiding her girls through a curriculum at home.
We spoke to Laura about homeschooling, her favourite products, and how to explain the current state of the world to her girls.
Interview with Laura Gahan
We know it's probably confusing to your kids to be told they can't go to school right now. How did you explain to them what's going on in the world and why they can't go to school and see all their friends?
There are always bad bugs that can make us sick and some are worse than others. We need to be careful that everyone can stay as healthy as possible right now so no one catches the bad bugs. We’ve decided to stay home for a little while so the bug can go away.
How have your kids adapted to the new routine of homeschooling?
The schools are doing such an amazing job at supporting the students still, and now that we’re at the end of week two, things are going much smoother. We have got a little routine now and they are enjoying it.
The schools are doing such an amazing job at supporting the students still, and now that we’re at the end of week two, things are going much smoother. We have got a little routine now and they are enjoying it.
How have you adapted to your new role as a 'teacher'?
It’s been nice to have more of an understanding of what our teachers do. They certainly play such an important role in our children’s lives. For me, it’s just about doing the best I can with the guidance of them still. We have specific school time which helps to divide teacher/parent time.
It’s been nice to have more of an understanding of what our teachers do. They certainly play such an important role in our children’s lives. For me, it’s just about doing the best I can with the guidance of them still. We have specific school time which helps to divide teacher/parent time.
What advice can you give to other parents who are in the same position as you, learning how to be in two different roles: Mother & Teacher at the same time?
Be kind to yourselves and trust your intuition, we have been teaching our children since the day they were born so know you have the capability already and reach out for support if need be.
What products from F&F or other things have you found useful to keep your girls occupied and happy at this time?
Our favourite products are the eco paints. My girls have been using these for a long time. We have also had lots of water fun using eco store bubble maker. Almost all our household products are from F&F so the girls love cooking and creating with many items. It’s been important for me to know that toxins are reduced in their life and that we live as sustainably as possible.
Going treasure hunting in the reserve near our house has been another task I’ve found useful. The girls enjoy using their treasures for arts and crafts.
