In the US, parents in Washington DC were initially told their children would need to home-school for two weeks. More than a year later, mother-of-two Lori Mihalich is only now beginning to see an end in sight.
“It has taken a toll on both my husband’s and my own mental health,” the 41-year-old tells the BBC. “We joke that almost all of our income now goes to groceries and therapy bills.”
While concern about her children’s learning was initially high, as the months went on, Lori’s focus shifted towards the mental health of her children, aged 8 and 10.
“I admit to not realising exactly how much support, not only academic but also physical and emotional, school provided my kids. Having consistent childcare has been the biggest struggle, and the unpredictability of each day has definitely ramped up my own anxiety in unhealthy ways each day.”
Schools in many parts of the US are beginning to open their doors to students again. But the same cannot be said just a few hundred miles away in South America – a continent that has seen more school closures than anywhere else in the world.
