Being a parent today is more difficult and stressful than it has ever been. We have so many more external factors influencing how we bring up our children and a lot less help. But of all the unchartered territory we have had to navigate over the past few years, none was more challenging for parents than life without school. For over a year, we lost the foundation that we take for granted and our kids paid the price. 

Depending on where you are in the country, education is probably pretty close to “normal” now with the lift in mask mandates and children being back in classrooms full time. But what did that year at home, in isolation, learning from a screen, do to our kids? Are there long-term effects that we should be worried about? And the biggest question right now is, can it happen again?

Joining me on this show is Anya Kamenetz, lead education correspondent for NPR. Anya is passionate about education and technology and we are super excited about her new book, The Stolen Year, How COVID Changed Children's Lives, and Where We Go Now which comes out in the summer of 2022. Anya has written several books including, The Art of Screen Time, which is a must-read for any parent who worries about how much is too much for both themselves and their young ones.

From mental health and managing relationships to raising changemakers and advocating for support, freemom is a podcast dedicated to ensuring that every mom feels heard. You can find us on the gram at @freemomcast or on the web at www.freemomcast.com. You can also support the show and help fund production with a sweet little five-dollar donation right here. Thanks for listening!