The 2020 school year is just around the corner and there is still concern as to whether students will return to campus in the fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
When schools shut their doors and transitioned to virtual learning in March, one group of students went on with its normal routine: homeschoolers.
"In the spring, when our schedule didn't change, a lot of other kids' lives completely changed," Megan Silver said.
Silver homeschools her children, Ryan and Emily.
While their academics were not interrupted by the novel coronavirus, the stay-at-home orders created a sense of double duty for homeschool parents.
Homeschooling is nothing new, but in recent years there has been an increase in the practice.
"Now you go around and people say 'My sister's cousin or my pastor's kids are all homeschooling'," Margaret Bailon-Labednick said.
Labednick is the founder of Homeschoolers Unlimited Texas. The original purpose of the organization is to provide students with opportunities for social interaction outside the classroom.
During the pandemic, it has turned into a resource group for parents and students all having to manage the stress and pressure of constant time at home.
"There are so many resources out there," she said. "You network with other parents, and you are not alone."
For the students, they are able to communicate with fellow homeschool students.
"We just talk about our normal day and what we are doing," Emily said. "It gives us a bright spot in our days."
Homeschooling could be an option for parents who might be anxious or nervous about sending their kids back to school in the middle of the pandemic.
Megan Silver has advice for those who are looking to teach their kids at home.
"I think that anyone is capable of homeschooling," she said. "But it is a full-time and lifelong commitment."