The pandemic lockdown forced parents and children into seclusion in their homes to prevent the spreading of the novel coronavirus. Celebrity parents are not excluded. Now, many working parents have to transition to a stay at home parent lifestyle.
Angelina Jolie is one of the parents around the world who was bound to try out the stay at home parent lifestyle as the pandemic continues. She admits it is not what she imagined motherhood would be.
"I Always Wanted to Be a Mom"
In a recent interview with British Vogue, Angelina Jolie opened up about her desire to have many children and be a good mom. However, she envisioned a Jane Goodall kind of mom traveling in the midst of the jungle, not in the traditional sense.
With the pandemic lockdown, Jolie was made to discover what motherhood is like for a stay at home parent. The actress revealed that she felt she lacked "all the skills a traditional stay-at-home mom has," Page Six reported.
The 45-year-old actress revealed that while she can take care of her kids, she is proud that her children are resilient and helping her out. She loves that she can rely on her children as independent as they are. "I have pretty capable kids, and I feel we are such a team at home."
Jolie has six children she shares with ex-husband Brad Pitt: Maddox, 19; Pax, 17; 16-year-old Zahara; Shiloh, 14; and twins Vivienne and Knox, who are now 12 years old.
ALSO READ : Angelina Jolie on How to Parent During Lockdown
Why Not Everyone Should Be a Stay at Home Parent
Jolie's case is not unique, as many working moms and single moms also share the same feelings as her. Not everyone can handle being a stay at home parent. For one, it can be lonely being surrounded by children all the time and having little to no time to have a decent, regular adult conversation and typical adult problems like at the office.
Jolie is a humanitarian and a career-driven woman and has many opportunities to tap into her talents. Women like her may find a stay at home parenting world too small.
When you are frequently only at home, your conversation topics are limited, and your world seems to keep getting smaller, Life Hack revealed.
Further, contrary to the belief that stays at home parents have so much time to play and bond with their kids, plus time for self-care, the opposite is actually true.
Stay at home parents barely have time for themselves as they cope with the demands of a newborn, toddler, preschooler, plus the antics of a teenager and misbehaviors of school-aged children.
They may even feel guilty for carving time for self-care. Add to that a feeling of loss of identity like you think your day-to-day is only filled with parenting tasks and none else.
What Skills Does a Traditional Stay at Home Parent Need?
The "Maleficent" star revealed that she felt lacking in all the skills a traditional stay at home parent had. So, what are these skills? Keep in mind that a stay at home parent has many roles.
You are not just a mom or dad, but you are also a teacher, a housekeeper, a laundryman, a repairman, a playmate, a chef, and a driver, among others.
You may also need to study parenting skills to help you navigate sibling rivalries, discipline issues, and tantrums, among others.
