“Something’s gotta give”: Juggling parenting, hybrid working and technology in times of crisis

Australian parents are balancing competing demands as caregivers and workers, impacted by the broader environmental, economic, social and political spheres. Balancing responsibilities is amplified in times of crisis, evident in COVID-19 lockdowns, where Victoria, Australia experienced some of the harshest lockdowns worldwide. Semi-structured interviews with 15 parents with a child aged < 18 years, explored their experiences while parenting in Victoria during lockdowns. Two key themes were identified, 1) navigating parenting practices during challenging times and 2) the push and pull of technology as both an antidote and problem in parenting roles and accessing health services. This research highlights learnings for post-pandemic parenting, whereby parents have a strong desire to maintain hybrid work arrangements and are conscious of fostering healthy technology use in a time of simultaneous social media limitations and tech advancement. Findings highlight the importance of the ongoing support families needs, in raising children through changing and challenging times.