Parenting Survey Results

Thank you to the parents from across the country who took our

COVID Back-To-School Craziness Survey!

Question 1 (Results from top choices)

Question 2 (results of top choices)

Question 3

We had 46 parents complete the "Dear Sean..."

...with lots of juicy, challenging parenting questions.

See the full list below.

I do my best to respond to many of them in my class,

"How To Prepare For COVID Back-To-School Craziness!"

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"Dear Sean..."

I’m concerned about my daughter not listening to my instructions but listens to everyone else. It’s going to be a struggle this year if she doesn’t pay attention to me.

I am really worried about new family stresses. And I am feeling sensitive and sentimental. Help us to have hope that good things naturally follow our efforts and intent.

That my teen will not do his homework and remain in his room with electronics. Rigorous coursework this semester. In the spring when schools closed, my son completely stopped doing his homework or corresponding with his instructors.

Your tools seem solid, but my daughter won't stop cussing and swearing, ranting and raving long enough to listen as we try to use them. Seriously Sean, my daughter can aggressively filibuster for an hour and a half or more at a time!

My spouse and I do not agree on parenting and it's ripping this family apart (since my kids have show zero respect/responsibility/initiative) . i know this is a very big topic in itself.....

Seriously concerned about my son starting freshman year with Distance Learning- he did not do well at the end of last year- emotionally, academically- lacked motivation and accountability

Any additional helps for struggling tweens with ADHD/ODD that have IEP's and how to best support them during online learning when they would normally have a Para Professional with them?

Teenage PHD. These teenage boys think they know EVERYTHING. And they get so rude when things don’t go how they think they should. They get really rude and disrespectful.

My child is being more influenced by her friends than her parents. She strives for her friends acceptance and approval rather than doing what her parents aske her do.

Worried about Kid's mental health. What are tips to help them break away from screens (school/pleasure) and do other things when nothing is open/can't see friends.

I fear that my once very academically motivated middle schooler, will be very unmotivated by on-line school and look for easy ways out or even trick the system

Distance learning is different so as compared to in person, how much kids will be able to learn. Missing on social component and kids getting over sensitive.

Keeping our home peaceful and joy filled. Keeping challenges in perspective. Tips on handling stress (e.g. technology issues). Resources for support.

Motivating teens to take responsibility for their space in the house and the importance of organization, so things can be found easily that are needed

I'm afraid that my kids will lack motivation for online learning; how do I keep them somewhat excited about learning, even though it's online?

What are some effective consequences that I can realistically follow through with for a very defiant screen addicted teen? Thank you!

How can we help our kids to learn to prioritize thier day in order to get school done and still have time to help family and have fun?

I fear my daughter won't keep up with her online assignments when I am back to work. She is a 7th grader with school related anxiety.

fears: kids failing due to lack of motivation and it being too late to course-correct/ self-motivation / self control with screens

Screen time, leaving kids home for remote learning on a rotating schedule (2 in person days, 2 remote learning days schedule)

How to balance making sure schoolwork is getting done with trusting them to do it independently? (3 kids age 13-17, 1 w/ADHD)

Can you speak to ideas about balancing giving teens more autonomy with still providing consistent boundaries and guidelines

That he is losing out on 1+ years of academic and social growth in middle school that will show up later down the road

How to handle their up and down feelings of going back or coming back home (if covid enters their school).

How can I help my teen understand the importance of school work, and help motivate him in a healthy way?

Getting my kids to self-regulate screen time and want to develop talents or do other good things.

Making a deep connection to grow with our teen to help us through these years and beyond

I'd love to hear about non screen time ways to get 13 year old boys active, indoors.

Preventing my kid from looking at YouTube when he’s supposed to be doing eLearning.

How will all this screen time transfer to their adult lives, addiction is not easy

How to help kids develop good study habits for on line learning.

making friends when you lack confidence or have social anxiety

Please just speak on how difficult it is as a parent as well

My kid is dreading zoom lessons. How can I keep him engaged

creative ideas ,routines,being in control, consequences

Lack of schedule and missing friends while virtual

Disintegration of our family due to technology

child feeling entitled, handling disrespect

How to stand up to disrespectful teens

How to deal with not seeing friends

Increase in drug seeking behaviors

Depression

During this “Virtual Learning” time we have 3 children. Two in high school and one in middle school while in the spring when all of this started we could “wing it” Now, things are more serious. The schools are doing the best they can but as parents we now are going to have to take a more active roll in our childrens day to day learning. Now, my fear. I am not nor have ever been a teacher. How in the world will I start to help my children with their school work when the two children that are in high school are taking college classes and even my middle schooler? Well, let me just say I am unable to help with even her math.... Then that brings me to the next problem. We have thought about outside help. Who?? We live in a rural area where the school is going to have to set up “hot spots” in order just to allow the children access to the internet.... Then my last issue my children themselves. While they are wonderful kiddos they have been allowed WAY to much freedom with their electronic devices. Hindsight is indeed 20/20 So....there you have it in the proverbial nutshell....what do you think??

My hermetic, screen-addicted, almost-13-yr-old son is not reaching out enough to friends. I'm trying to strike the balance of nudging him to do so because I think it is important that he not be so isolated and cut off from peers but I also don't want to micromanage him. He seems to feel awkward about contacting friends (maybe they are not very close friends) as he once asked me what he should say in the email--even asked me to write the email to his friend!--but I managed to convince him that it would be even more awkward for the kid to receive an email from his friend's mom than from his friend himself. Is it common for boys this age to not know how to reach out to friends/sort-of-friends? What can be done about it while remote-schooling? I believe he is past the age where I should be contacting the friends' parents to arrange (remote) playdates...but maybe I should? This is such an important time for social development--there's only so much we can do to provide it. He needs time with his peers.

My concern is keeping my 11, 9.5 and 5 year old on a structured and supportive schedule. Kids thrive in supportive environments. My girls are amazing, and I don’t want them to lose this. The spring (March-May) online school began strong, but became more difficult as the semester went on. They were less motivated. I also would like to stop needing to repeat myself when asking my girls to do something. My girls are probably younger than most of your targeted children, however I believe in proactively acting. I love your PDF and am looking forward utilizing it for our family, of course altered for our ages. Thank you.

Our son doesn't like to talk to us when we try to talk to him and he always replies that there's nothing to talk about and just goes to his computer and hangs out online with his friends......how do we get him to want to be around us and open up and talk to us? Our son always seems upset and angry when we try to talk to him and just try to ask him simple questions.