Overwhelmed At Home

May 18, 2020 at 5:15 am 1 comment

Stress At Home

One of the many things that has shifted during this pandemic is how and where children are being educated. What once happened in a classroom with career teachers is now happening in homes with parents who have other careers. Homeschooling has gone from being boutique to being ubiquitous.

But not all homeschoolers are equal.

An interesting – and somewhat humorous – poll conducted by Morning Consult for The New York Times found that half of fathers with children 12 and under reported spending more time homeschooling their children than did their wives. The ladies, however, saw the division of homeschooling labor differently. Just 3 percent of the mothers surveyed indicated their husbands spent more time on homeschooling the kids than they did. The New York Times article about this study noted:

Years of past research using time diaries have consistently shown that men often overestimate the amount they do, and that women do more.

All of this plays, of course, to a certain humorous stereotype of men who are oblivious to just how much their wives do for their household. The stereotype may feel overwrought at times. But statistically, there seems to be something in it that is true.

For those of us who call ourselves Christians, being oblivious to another person’s efforts, challenges, or selfless service is not an option. When Paul writes to the Christians at Corinth, he says:

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. (2 Corinthians 1:8)

Although we do not know the specific troubles to which Paul is referring in this verse, we do know that while Paul was in the Asian city of Ephesus, he got crossways with a silversmith named Demetrius who made shrines for a Greek goddess named Artemis. When Paul shows up and starts teaching that Jesus is Lord and not Artemis, Demetrius in not pleased and rallies the city with a speech:

You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty. (Acts 19:25-27)

Demetrius’s speech turns out to be so persuasive that a riot breaks out and Paul and his companions are driven out of the region. Paul’s words to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 1:8 may refer to this situation, or they may refer to some other situation. But whatever the situation, this much is certain: Paul has faced plenty of challenges in his efforts for the gospel. And he wants the Corinthians to know this. He does not want them to be oblivious to the challenges he has faced for the sake of the Church.

Do you know what challenges the people closest to you are facing during this time? Or, are you so caught up in your own worries and concerns that you are uninformed of all that even a person as close to you as your own spouse is dealing with?

If you have not said “thank you” to someone for what they have done during this pandemic yet, now is the time. Husbands, you can start with your wives – especially if they are educating the kids, tending to the house, and working an outside job all at the same time.

A survey like the one published in The New York Times reveals just how much we love to debate who works hardest through difficult times. Perhaps, instead of defending what we do – and often overestimating it – we should instead notice what other people do – and celebrate them. This will keep us from feeling overwhelmed by our own responsibilities when we see all that others are doing – and it’ll make them feel better about their responsibilities when we notice and appreciate them.

So, take some time to appreciate someone today. You – and they – will be glad you did.