The unique challenge of being a teacher and a parent this fall

RENTON, Wash. - As you drive by Sierra Heights Elementary in Renton, students see the words ‘We miss you.’

It’s a sign of the times and something that can’t be said enough for teacher Julianna Dauble.

“I love you I will never forget you, you are the Covid class,” Dauble said.

She calls it a heartbreaking goodbye to her last group of 5th graders as she prepares for a new set of possibly 29 students coming in this fall.

They will meet Dauble the same way Q13 News interviewed her on Friday, which is online.

“Building those relationships with this upcoming group is going to be my number one priority,” Dauble said.

But how do you effectively manage dozens of students with two teenagers at home, that’s the case for Dauble.

**As we all try to figure out getting back to school in the middle of a pandemic, we invite you to join our Facebook group Q13 News: Your Education Destination to interact with our team of journalist parents and other families in your community.**

Even for a teacher with nearly two decades of experience, the situation is giving her high anxiety. She says luckily her children being older, will help.

“Really fortunate having a teacher mom they are on top of things, I’m not worried about them academically,” Dauble said.

Dauble says she will rely on her sophomore and senior to assist her in navigating the new world so she can be the best teacher possible under the circumstances.

The Renton teacher says thinking about her fellow teachers with young kids is overwhelming.

Still having teenagers can also pose some other challenges especially when it comes to what they are exposed to online.

"It’s an absolute constant stress, my kids are good, but they are teenagers, the allure, the endorphins they get from that social media fix,” Dauble said.

The mother of two says it is important that parents have open conversations about online dangers even more now with so much screen time. The educator in her says parents need to do it in a non-judgmental way.

She also says this year, parents need to manage their expectations because she says online learning will not be the same as the traditional kind when it comes to academics.

“The kids are going to be ok, as long as the parents are like we are going to make it, there are no magic bullets,” Dauble said.

The Renton School District is providing discounted childcare for their teachers at five elementary schools.

They will be open to Kindergarteners through 5th grade. It is also available for parents.