Well, it’s official. In this year of impossible decisions, my district and the district my kids attend have decided to start out the year with remote learning.
Virtual or Remote?
I’m really glad our districts decided to start out remote. I would have put my kids in the virtual academy if they had been required to report in person (I think??). I’m grateful they took that decision away from me for now. But it doesn’t make it any less stressful.
We still have to decide between enrolling in the virtual academy or remote learning. I know the difference between these things because I sat through hours of reopening planning meetings with my district. But do they have to be named almost the exact same thing?? Let’s confused parents more. I’ve seen so many questions about this exact thing in all the school-related Facebook groups I’m in.
Then there’s the next set of impossible decisions looming down the road. Do I want to risk sending my kids back in November if the district deems it safe to do so? Can I opt out then? Will I be full-out homeschooling because I refuse to send my kids back?
What about sports?
So, college football is canceled, but we still have high school and local sports teams planning to play??
My girls play soccer through a local club. I took them out yesterday during one of my weekly freak-outs. After I decided their social-distanced practices are not social-distanced enough, and that I can’t trust anybody. Maybe I’ll put them back in next week. I never know how I’m going to be feeling.
It’s just another one of those impossible decisions. Do my kids lose out because they are exposed and contract a deadly virus? Or are they not really at risk anyway, and they lose out because I’m taking away one of their only opportunities for socialization with their peers?
No one wins
All I know is when I look at my state graph, Covid cases are rising and we were on full lock-down when it last looked this bad. But hospitalizations are down, right? I guess that’s why we’re open for business??
Another thing I know, is I feel sad for my kids. I have a middle schooler who LOVED middle school. (Weird, right? Probably one of my least favorite times.) She was making friends, playing sports, joining clubs, becoming independent – basically living her best life. It crushes me that I may be deciding to keep her home if/when they go back face to face.
And my youngest is a social butterfly. The one I get regular emails about from the teacher for talking too much. She’s silly, playful, imaginative, goofy and innocent. And I’ve seen her lose some of her innocence. I’ve seen her worry and cry and miss her friends so hard.
And now I’m crying as I write this.
I know this will pass. I know it could be worse. But it doesn’t make me any less sad.
As we enter back into school this fall, all I can do is hope for the best. Teaching intervention groups was a struggle in the spring, but this is different. I’m optimistic it will be better.
My kids’ schooling was a disaster in the spring. The district has a new plan. We’re still getting the details, but I’m optimistic that it will be better.
I don’t think we’re going to back in the building this year. But I’m optimistic that next year will be better.
It will be a long winter, but we will get through this.
