Joseph Moreno with four of his children. (Photo: Screenshot)

Being a white collar litigation partner at Cadwalader and the father of seven was difficult even before the COVID-19 pandemic came crashing into our lives. Virtually overnight our family was self-isolated, and I was pivoting to a remote law practice while juggling multiple hours of homeschooling each day. As I write this column the first week is behind us and our family is still adjusting to the new reality. But amid our struggle and the hardships hitting the nation, it has caused us to seriously consider what we want our children to take away from this experience.

Years ago my wife and I decided she would forgo an outside career and be a full-time mother so I could pursue a hard-charging Big Law partnership. For the most part it has worked. I get the time I need to service clients and develop business while my wife manages the kids' schoolwork, extracurriculars and most everything else that comes up. With three graduate degrees between us, we appreciate the value of education. And since we both come from military backgrounds, we put a lot of stock in discipline and routine, and most of the time the household runs like a well-oiled machine.

Four of the Moreno children engage in online learning. (Courtesy photo)

So when reality hit us that COVID-19 was for real and that we were looking at long-term school closures, our first reaction was to ensure the children's scholastics continued uninterrupted. We set up a quiet workspace for the older four and prepared a daily schedule. My wife was to concentrate on the younger three, ensuring they would stay busy so the school-age kids could focus. I would take the lead on the schoolwork, which as an attorney seemed the logical thing to home in on as we entered this uncharted territory.

Yet this plan of attack was not sitting right with me. If this experience will mean anything to my kids, they needed to do more than just keep up with their assigned lesson plans. So we came up with four priorities around which the coming weeks will focus.

1. Academics. Don't get me wrong, the centerpiece each day will be school assignments. The teachers in our Catholic school have been incredible in transitioning from classroom instruction to remote learning via iPad or Chromebook. The first few days were admittedly rocky. There were many applications to install, websites to navigate and usernames and passwords to keep track of. But within days, it had become second nature and the kids became just as comfortable with the technology as they were with textbooks. And while my legal skills do not exactly translate to teaching middle school algebra or biology, between me, my wife and our children's teachers, who are available remotely, I know we will stay on track.
2. Current Events. In our divisive age of politics, we have sheltered the children from most of the news cycle. However, they must understand what this COVID-19 pandemic is about and the human impact it will have. Even if my law practice faces a temporary slowdown or our savings take a hit, our family will weather this storm. Millions of others who own small businesses or who work in travel or hospitality or food services will not be as fortunate. It is essential that our children learn compassion and that we plan now on ways to help others when the time is right. This may mean additional volunteering with our church or making a concerted effort to shop at local businesses or adopting a family in need. So many will be hurting in the coming months, and that is a harsh reality our children should not be sheltered from.
3. Public Service. My wife and I met in the Army, and I continue to serve in the U.S. Army Reserve JAG Corps. This month, our oldest daughter will be eligible to join the Civil Air Patrol, an outstanding organization that provides search and rescue and disaster relief as our nation's Air Force Auxiliary. We will highlight daily the doctors and nurses and other public health officials who are working around the clock to contain the COVID-19 outbreak and how vital it is to consider military or other forms of public service. Service beyond ourselves was already a bedrock principle in our home, but it will be front and center for our children as we weather this current storm.
4. Practical Skills and Athletics. In addition to their school assignments, every day will involve a practical life lesson. Items on our list include sewing, changing a tire, balancing a checkbook, cooking a hot meal and learning firearm safety. And every day will include a PT session (as we call it in the Army), something as a lawyer who is frequently traveling and eating out I often fall short on myself. We want to take this opportunity to develop children who are well-rounded and who understand that as important as formal instruction is, there is a tremendous amount to learn outside the classroom.

Our nation is headed for tough times. We could fall victim to despair, hunker down and ride things out. I would rather seize the chance to teach my children that from tragedy one can learn compassion, from service one can learn selflessness, and from hardship one can learn humility. If they can appreciate those lessons then I will have succeeded as a parent.

Joseph Moreno is a former federal prosecutor and a U.S. Army combat veteran. He is currently a global litigation partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft. You can follow him on Twitter @JosephMoreno.