We are only in the second month of the new year but it feels like so many things have already happened.

First, Taal Volcano erupted. The ashfall from the eruption reached provinces even in the far north of Luzon. Our place of residence was not spared. We also did the necessary precautions to protect ourselves from getting sick because of the ashfall. We kept our windows and doors closed for a long time until there is much less ashfall in our village. We waited for rains to wash them away from the trees, buildings and roofs, and from the roads and streets around us. We stayed home as much as possible. If we really needed to go out, we wore masks.

Just when we thought we could go out without wearing masks anymore, there was news of a deadly and contagious virus called the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 that was declared a global epidemic. Again, we did our best to protect ourselves. We followed the advice of the Department of Education not to join big gatherings and to stay away from crowded places in the meantime. We also wore masks when going to public places or gatherings like when we attend Mass in the church. We always bring alcohol with us to sanitize our hands. Until now, countries are still doing their best to contain the disease and to find a cure for this deadly virus.

Do you know that there are now over 2,000 people who died because of COVID-19? Over 70,000 people, in China alone, had been infected. Globally, 26 countries already have confirmed cases of COVID-19. You may read updates about it here and here.

Two people already died in the Philippines because of this virus. While more PUIs were discharged because they have shown no further signs of infection, we should not be complacent. There were cases in China wherein those who were discharged and tested negative eventually showed signs and tested positive after several more days or weeks. You can read a relevant article here.

While all of these are happening, I could not help but be grateful to God that we are homeschooling our kids. I’m also grateful that I am working remotely or from home.

Let me share some of the benefits of homeschooling during crises like what I mentioned above.

Benefits of Homeschooling During Calamities or Health Crises

1. For me, the biggest benefit is that since our kids are homeschooled, they do not need to go out of the house to have their lessons. That means less exposure to potential health hazards. Lower risks of gettings sick or getting infected because of exposure to other people who may have been infected by the virus or are carriers of the virus. Thus, they are protected from health hazards.
2. The second biggest benefit for me is lesser stress. Children and the elderly and those who have weak immune systems and have previous respiratory problems are the most vulnerable during these crises. When you are homeschooling, as a parent, you are not dependent on the declaration of other authorities for class suspensions. You can declare if your kids will stay at home for the meantime and not join any activities that could pose risks to their health. Period. For example, the Department of Health issued a memo to schools that field trips and gatherings should be postponed temporarily and that students should avoid crowded places. But, in the Philippines, most classrooms are crowded. Terminals or places where people get public transportation are usually crowded. There are also schools and associations who still continue to organize and hold gatherings and contests in spite of all the health risks to the participants. I have decided not to let my kids join contests/tournaments in the meantime. I told them that there will still be a lot of contests and tournaments in the future that they can join once there is no more threat to our health and there is no more epidemic. But once we get infected or sick, our lives would be in danger and we would not even know if we could survive. It’s just too risky. Our health and our lives are so much more important than these contests or awards.
3. Third, we get to save because we do not need to buy a lot of masks since we do not go out often. Remember, masks should be disposed of daily. Masks were out of stock shortly after breaking news of the Taal Volcano eruptions was aired and as soon as the N-CoV threat was announced. The price of masks went up right away as soon as stocks started running out in drugstores. Since our exposure and risk of getting sick is lower, we get to save on medical expenses.
4. Fourth, our lessons do not get disrupted because of class suspensions due to a calamity or health crisis. Our lessons continue because the students (my children) and the teacher (me) are all safe at home even if we continue with our lessons. We do not need to go out anyway because all our learning materials are at home or on the internet.
5. Lastly, we can even tailor-fit our lessons to include what is currently happening in the world around us. We can be flexible enough to customize unit studies or to discuss topics relevant to the pressing concerns that we are facing. This makes learning really relevant and interesting for the children.

My family and I also benefited from the nature of my work.

Benefits of Working Remotely or From Home During Calamities or Health Crises

1. Continuous Work and Income: I can work from home or remotely. I just need a phone, computer, and an internet connection, most of the time, to do my work as a consultant, coach and author. I do not need to be absent or to file for a leave.
2. Protection from Health Hazards: I do not need permission from a boss or someone else like a line supervisor or manager or from the HR staff to take the necessary precautions to protect myself from being exposed to health hazards. I have even postponed in-person meetings with clients from faraway places in the meantime. Moreover, I also lessened the risk of transmission of the contagious and deadly virus to our kids because I rarely go out to public places.
3. Stay with the Kids and Keep them Safe: This is one of the biggest benefits of the nature of my work. I can earn while being present at home. I can earn while I make sure my kids are safe. I can earn while I educate them myself.

I really felt so blessed and grateful to God that we have taken this path long before these crises happened.

The number of PUIs due to COVID-19 seems to be going down at this time. But we still need to be vigilant and take the necessary precautions. It’s better to err on the side of caution than to be overconfident and run the risk of getting infected. This is a new virus and it isn’t wise to be overconfident in facing something new. There are still a lot that scientists could not explain or know about this virus. There is no cure or vaccine yet for this.

Do you also homeschool or do your kids go to a brick-and-mortar school? Do you have a regular job or do you work remotely like me?

Are you thinking of homeschooling your children also next school year? Do you also want to transition from working outside the home to working from home or working remotely?

I can help you. I invite you to check out my short term coaching packages or my iHOPE Online Coaching Program which I designed to help parents become more hands-on with their children while earning.