Homeschooling has been a challenge for my family—but Walmart’s new delivery service is easing the pain
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Being a mom during the pandemic has been...challenging. I grappled with many decisions — some were easy, and some not so much. One tough choice was deciding whether or not to send my son to in-person kindergarten. I wasn't fully comfortable with the idea, but remote learning was out of the question — I knew my kid wouldn't be able to stare at a computer all day — he'd simply walk away and start playing in his room.
After weighing the pros and cons — many, many times — I decided to homeschool. Spoiler alert: This is tougher than I thought!
I won’t sugarcoat it — homeschooling, for me, feels like one nightmarishly long day punctuated by fleeting moments of joy. I’m teaching my child to read while making endless batches of slime. I'm explaining addition with a pot of mac n cheese on the stove as I witness my cat miss the litter box. Snack time rolls around and I realize we've run out of goodies.
I live in pajamas, and my daily workout is moving to GoNoodle (if you don’t know what that is, it’s probably a good thing). I keep telling myself that I’m going to look back and appreciate this quality time with my child. But truth be told, I’m going a little stir crazy. Anything that makes my life easier really lifts my mood. That’s where Walmart+ comes in. (Remember when I said some decisions were easy? Signing up for this service falls into that category). Here's why.
Sign up for a free two-week trial of Walmart+ here.
Walmart to the rescue
The predicament of possibly exposing my child to COVID-19 doesn’t go away with homeschooling. I have to procure groceries, school supplies and every other household item that our family needs. Problem is, I can’t leave the house without my child. Why would taking him to the grocery store be any safer than sending him to school?
A friend recently turned me on to Walmart+, the retail giant’s new delivery service, and I decided to give it a shot. Bottom line: you can get almost everything you need at decent prices. I’m hooked!
The signup was easy — a risk-free trial gives you 15 days, but a quick three-question survey will tack on two more weeks. After your 30 days are up, you’ll be charged $13 per month or $98 per year — it’s up to you.
The annual fee is comparable to Amazon Prime, but you get access to fresh groceries, perishables and other household items without any additional tag-on expense. And there's same-day delivery! After my son went to bed one night, I click, click, clicked my way through the site and loved every minute of it. It was so fun to dump things (snacks! greens! crafts!) in my cart. I chose the delivery tab and selected a delivery window. Email and text messages kept me informed up-to-the-minute on the status. And the drop-off was contactless—the packages arrived at my door so stealthily, I didn’t even see the delivery person. You’re able to leave a tip via text link or email too.
Honestly, Walmart+ keeps my house running smoothly and saves me the anxiety of taking my child shopping during a pandemic. Plus I’m saving money! Here's my latest haul:
Skittles Original Chewy Candy Family Size Bag
Who knew how many science experiments you can do with Skittles?! We observed how the colors fade when water is added, and let me tell you — a little candy goes a long way to getting a kid in the mood to learn. And I’ll admit it: I like popping those Skittles in my mouth (I deserve it!). Walmart+ has the best price on the market for these babies, too.
Shop it: Skittles Original Chewy Candy Family Size Bag, 27.5-ounce, $5, walmart.com
Mission Gluten-free Soft Taco Tortillas
My husband is allergic to gluten, and he is addicted to Mission tortillas. Before the pandemic, I had to go to a certain grocery store to find them. He goes through an average of three packs per week — I kid you not. Walmart+ delivers them right to my door, and the price is right. They actually have a nice selection of gluten-free products in general, which I was happy to see.
Shop it: Mission Gluten-free Soft Taco Tortillas, six-count, $5, walmart.com
Go Create Ultimate Fuzzy Kit
I'm constantly on the hunt for projects to tackle during the arts and crafts portion of our school day. This kit has everything we need to make those cute toilet paper roll animals that end up all over the house! Yay! Googly eyes are a huge part of our homeschooling curriculum. Thanks, Walmart+!
Shop it: Go Create Ultimate Fuzzy Kit, Fuzzy Sticks, Pipe Cleaners, Wiggly Eyes, Googly Eyes, Craft Pom Poms, $5, walmart.com
Marketside Organic Baby Spinach
Smoothies are the only way to get greens into my kid’s diet. If I don’t have spinach in the house, I panic. At $4 for 16 ounces of organic spinach, this is a great deal and the spinach is fresh. Walmart+’s organic section has significantly lower prices than any of my local grocery stores.
Shop it: Marketside Organic Baby Spinach, 16-ounce, $4, walmart.com
L’il Critters Kids Immune C
These days you can never get enough Vitamin C and zinc. Boosting my child’s immunity is a no brainer, and he loves these. Although priced a little higher than at Amazon, it’s worth an additional dollar to get these with my fresh produce — I love that they have no artificial flavors or dyes.
Shop it: L’il Critters Kids Immune C plus Zinc and Vitamin D, 190-count, $11, walmart.com
Calgon Lavender Moisturizing Bath Beads
Calgon, take me away! Seriously. Walmart+ offers these jewels for half the price of most other sellers. I treat myself to a lavender bath twice a week. Everyone needs a little self-care.
Shop it: Calgon Lavender Moisturizing Bath Beads with Aloe & Vitamin E, 30-ounce, $3, walmart.com
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