Kristen Bell has been in the distance learning trenches for 7 months now, guiding her daughters—7-year-old Lincoln and 5-year-old Delta—through coursework that they would normally tackle in a classroom. Back in May, Bell explained that distance learning was making her family miserable, so she ripped up the schedule.

And after summer break, in the early days of September, Bell announced to the world that by the second day of school she was “exhausted.”

Now we’re a few weeks into the new semester, and Bell is making sure that her family’s emotional wellbeing comes first during this difficult season of life. Her daughters are doing virtual school, but Bell isn’t stressing about grades or Zoom attendance.

“I’m going to prioritize her mental health, just like I prioritize my mental health, and if she is too overwhelmed, I’m going to shut the computer and take a 5-minute break,” Bell said in a recent interview with Dr. Wendy Mogel at Advertising Week 2020, according to People.


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Bell continued: “One day or one year is not going to break anyone. “

That’s true when it comes to her kid’s education—at Lincoln and Delta’s ages there is plenty of time to catch up.

If you and your kids need an hour or a day away from the computer, take it, mama. This year isn’t about productivity or coursework. It’s about surviving this pandemic as best as we can.