ABSTRACT
The unprecedented experience of restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic can be described as a unique example of a forced, sudden, and unexpected transition to exclusively distance education. In addition to the health-related stress caused by the global pandemic, parents have had to address physical, technical, and complex psychological challenges related to remote learning at home. This article presents parents’ perspectives on distance education at home, considering a broad family context and focusing on the social emotional aspects of this experience.
More than 2,500 parents participated in an online questionnaire on family stress and well-being during the pandemic. The current research is focused exclusively on the analysis of answers about parental experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Latvian context. The survey was performed at the end of the school year when social distancing rules were in force, many preschools were closed, and schools provided remote education. Parents were asked about different aspects of family stress and the support they received. School-related stress in relation to other stress factors, the support received, and socio-demographic variables are analyzed in this paper.
A thematic analysis of parents’ answers revealed several categories of stress, providing an in-depth understanding of the multi-source nature of parental stress during the emergency situation. Finally, some recommendations for parental involvement and necessary support in the enforced distance education context are made.
