Homeschooling makes parents happier – study

PARENTS homeschooling their children during this bitterly cold February could be forgiven for taking a West piece of academic research with a large pinch of salt.

But according to one Bath professor who has studied parenting during lockdown, it could actually make them ‘happier and healthier’ in the long run.

Professor Paul Stallard, a psychologist at the University of Bath, made the discovery with a Lisbon team after surveying 385 people from the UK and Portugal.

All of them were caring for children aged between six and 16, and the majority were homeschooling when they took part in the study between May and June 2020.

Most were also working from home and around half were on a reduced income.

Yet, despite these challenges, 88 per cent of people felt “something positive” could come out of the pandemic.

The researchers called this “posttraumatic growth” and found that going through a tough time can actually make us all happier human beings.

Of the 385 people, almost half said the pandemic had “brought them closer to family” and that they understood each other better.

Around one in five said they had been able to “reconsider what’s really important”; and that lockdown had allowed them to “slow down” and enjoy the little things in life.

Some said they appreciated others more (particularly health workers), enjoyed green space and noticed less pollution.

More than 10 per cent of people said they had found a better work/ life balance and learnt how to use new technology.

One parent said: “I have always wanted to home school but cannot afford to... this has been a wonderful experience.”

Lead researcher Professor Stallard said that the pandemic had put a strain on people’s mental health, but that was “not the full story”.

He explained: “Many respondents in our study emphasised what we had heard anecdotally about some of the positive effects people have derived from leading their lives in quieter, slower ways because of lockdowns.

“These are quite important findings.

“Not only do we identify what some of these positive experiences have been, but we also show that those people who have been able to find those positives had better mental wellbeing than those who did not.

“And it gives us clues about how we might build back happier and healthier by embracing aspects of a quieter life and those small, positives that have emerged from this period.”

Co-author, Dr Ana Isabel Pereira of the University of Lisbon, added: “This study also suggests strategies that families returning to a more restrictive lockdown in several countries can use. It is important, especially in these moments of high adversity, to find meaning and purpose in these experiences.

“In each moment, we can find new ways to connect and build stronger connections with our children, partner or friends; to choose how we can make the best use of this time of confinement and to help others in the community experiencing more adversity or with fewer resources navigate this period.”