#BacktoSchool: Jamein raho, say parents as offline classes resume

As schools in the Capital return to fully offline mode, Delhiites share how they are restoring their pre-pandemic schedules.

The beginning of April 2022 has come with a new beginning, and there’s no denying to that since parents in the city can be seen rushing once again to drop their young ones to school. Following the recent approval, schools in the Capital have reopened in the offline mode, in full strength, from this week. And it’s after almost two years that the morning hustle-bustle in the city is also back with the chorus of ‘Jaldi karo warna school ke liye late ho jayega’.

As Delhi schools go offline, strict clockwork returns to the lives of city’s parents, who talk about juggling the demands of hybrid work mode. (Photo: Sanchit Khanna/ Hindustan Times (For representational purpose only))

The situation is much like the visuals form the song Duniya Ka Naara Jamein Raho (Taare Zameen Par; 2007) as parents in the city find themselves caught up in the renewed scheme of things. Sprinting between playing the role of alarm clocks to dropping or picking up their children to/from school, and alongside adhering to the demands of hybrid work mode, sure requires some superhuman skills!

Rush rush

“My husband and I will take turns while going to our office, to drop and pick up our son. We have done full proof planning on how to go about it,” says Komal Behl Singh, a businesswoman based in Moti Nagar, adding, “It has already been so busy since offices began hybrid work, and now we will get busier. I’m not being able to relax. Thoda sa hi time mil raha hai apne liye... But it’s the first time after two years that my son is finally going to attend his school. Initially, we were not comfortable to send him, but now seeing other kids attend offline school, has given us reassurance.”

Relief, is the word!

But not all working parents have the same opinion. Take for instance Damayanti Barua, a Noida-based marketing professional, who shares, “My daughter has been super excited to be in physical school since forever. So as soon as the confirmed news came in, she started packing her books and stationery, with a great deal of enthusiasm. It’s certainly a welcome change. And for me, relief is the word! Both us, and our daughter are now relieved from being bound within the four walls of the house during the long study hours. But our morning schedule has been recalibrated, basis the school timings. Goodbye to longer sleeping hours, until it’s Sunday!”

And for Natasha Katyal, a Tilak Nagar-based homemaker, it was a worrisome situation to see her kids make themselves comfortable in the online study mode, which was introduced due to the pandemic. So now, she’s relieved that the old routine is returning. “It does take an extra push at the end of parents, to send the kids back to school. Like my son’s school has reopened for revision for upcoming class X board exams. But I have to be behind him to get up early and go to bed timely, and even to eat on time. Parents are surely the ones working round the clock to reset the schedules of youngsters, whose lifestyles have been drastically affected by the pandemic,” says Katyal.

Quest for discipline in chaos

Ecstatic at the possibilities of the change in routine and renewed energy in young ones, who have returned to their schools, will bring, some parents feel it was high time to experience peace prevail in the house during #WorkFromHome. One such parent is Neeraj Mehra, an HR professional based in Vasundhara Enclave, who is quite relieved to ssnd his 11-year-old back to school. “With offline school, there is at least some discipline in life now vis a viz earlier. All of us have order, to some extent, in the chaos with demarcated time slots for study, play, routines, work-life balance, etc. And thank God, there is no more home schooling! We do feel bit lethargic to keep up with the errands of pick and drop, homework deadlines, etc. And would give up anything for those peaceful morning hours! But, we had been yearning to get back to our moments of sanity at home, especially while working from home is still prevalent, and that can be accomplished only by being away from our little monster, whose mischief is inexplicable! I’m hoping that the kids and teachers will enjoy being in school once again as we find some semblance of sanity between being at work, at home, and being a parent!”

Author tweets @siddhijainn

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