CP: My 9-year-old daughter and I talk the night before about which activities from the school’s suggested list she’ll want to do in each subject area. She’s old enough to be able to tackle most things on her own, and if she has any questions, I’m around. I’m around a lot these days.

At lunchtime, I look over what she’s done, mainly just to make sure she’s been doing something on the laptop besides watching people make slime on YouTube. The afternoon is free time.

FD: And what does free time actually entail?

CP: My daughter can do her own thing. Her little brother, who can’t read yet, needs more attention.

When I’ve got work, I juggle: playing cars while listening to a conference call, setting him up with a project before opening my laptop and when I need to, turning on the TV or handing him my phone without guilt. Some structure is helpful, but I try not to overplan.

That’s it for this briefing. See you next time. — Chris

Thank you

Theodore Kim, Jahaan Singh and Hamilton Boardman provided the break from the news. You can reach the team at briefing@nytimes.com.

P.S.

• We’re listening to “The Daily.” Today’s episode is about the challenge that the coronavirus poses to hospitals.

• Here’s today’s Mini Crossword, and a clue: Coral formations (five letters). You can find all our puzzles here.

• NYT Live invites readers to a conference call with our Opinion section’s philosophy forum, The Stone, at 4 p.m. Eastern today. An editor, Peter Catapano, and the philosopher Simon Critchley will discuss how mortality and hypochondria relate in our new pandemic reality. R.S.V.P. here.