Drew Barrymore says homeschooling her kids has been "overwhelming".
The 45-year-old actress has daughters Olive, seven, and Frankie, six, with her ex-husband Will Kopelman, and has said trying to homeschool her brood amid the coronavirus pandemic has been much harder than she thought it would be.
Drew admitted she "felt sad for a while" because she didn’t think she was offering her children enough support, but in recent weeks she has learned to be more patient with herself.
She said: "Between homeschooling and working, I felt very overwhelmed at first – and I hate feeling overwhelmed. It was weird to be a mum and a teacher and a provider and a friend. I felt sad for a while that I was all I could offer my children. Then I realised that I had to get out from under it. I have so much empathy and patience for everyone but myself, it’s sick."
The ‘Santa Clarita Diet’ star tries not to think about things in a negative light, including the recent death of unarmed Black man George Floyd, which has sparked anti-racism protests across the US and beyond.
Drew said that whilst George’s passing was tragic, the protests are "overdue", and sees the current political climate as a sign of positive change.
She explained: "That’s why, to me, what’s happening now in the world does not feel negative; it feels overdue. People will have different opinions about how to proceed, and based on history, there is nothing everyone in the world will agree on. But it seems like there is a collective consciousness right now – an American and global awakening. And I am a student. I’ll be learning until the end of time."
And whilst the ‘Blended’ actress will always speak her mind, she also understands the importance of learning from others.
Speaking to the August issue of InStyle magazine, she said: "When things are so important and high-stakes, such as this time in the world, you wonder how to find your voice. I write and speak as if no one is reading or listening. That doesn’t mean I don’t care what people think; I am a human welcome mat."