Let's have a little chat about school.
OMG WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO??????????????????? You feeling that? We all are. New Jersey has just released some proposed guidelines for opening school back up. Nothing in it is particularly surprising, most of the protective measures are what's necessary. Here is an small idea of what we are dealing with. Face coverings for everyone including the kids if they wont stay 6 feet away from people. Desks 6 feet away and barriers between them. No shared school supplies. No reading circles. Possible split schedule (some days at school, some at home). Lots and lots of cleaning. Distance learning again if Covid cases spike. All necessary things. As my husband and I have been agonizing over what to do about school this year three things were of the utmost importance to us; Stability, emotional health and the kids being able to learn. Let's talk about stability first. If the kids are on a split schedule, it will be very disorienting knowing what day is what when they wake up. Eventually they would get the hang of it.....Until someone tests positive or Covid cases blow up again. Then they will be back home again for who knows how long. Its very uncertain and so many unknowns. So many things could change so quickly. No stability at all. Emotional Health is next, and is a big one. Its one of the main reasons why so may are pushing the schools to open back up again. The kids need to socialize. They need their friends and teachers. They need community. This is all very, very true! Amelie is going into kindergarten and she has been longing for the day she will ride the bus with her brother and go to big girl school. There is one big problem, that school environment that we want for her doesn't exist right now. I cant imagine being in a room full of people but being isolated at the same time. Not being able to go near anyone, being behind a barrier. And wearing a mask all day? My 8 year old struggled wearing one for an hour today. He's a stressed out kid and hes scared of catching the virus. The whole time he's in school he will be scared and stressed. For my kids, the scenario at school that is necessary will not be good for their emotional health. I want my kids to be able to learn. A stressed out, isolated kid wont learn. Our kids have been though a lot this year. So much. They have been troopers and rolled with it. The kids did the distance learning and adapted. I'm actually very proud of the way our elementary school got it together in such a short time. It was masterful and I thanked God every day for his teacher. It was her first year teaching, can you imagine? However, having home schooled one of my kids for 2 years before, I could see where it was lacking. This is by no fault of the teachers or schools. It's simply that they teach in a way meant for classroom engagement. Home school curriculum teaches in a way meant for individual home engagement. Once we are able to finally identify our actual concerns and hopes for the year, we were finally able to make a choice. We will be pulling our kids out of school for the year and homeschooling them. They will have stability, they will learn, and now I just have to find a family or 2 who want to have a play date every week. We can add them to our "safe" bubble. I'm also removing us from the school system to enable the school to do what it needs to for the kids who will be going back this year. Less kids mean less juggling and hopefully more resources available to the kids who have to go back. I love our school system. I love our school. My kids will go back, just not this coming year. Some parents don't have any choice but to send their kids back to school. I want to help their kids be successful too. I am mourning my daughter not getting on the bus for the first day of kindergarten. I'm mourning that my 8 year old wont start an instrument this year. I'm mourning what should have been. And yet, I have peace finally. Our decision is not for everyone. And it doesn't have to be. You do you. I am not in your shoes and there is literally no judgement being tossed in anyone's direction. As parents, we are all struggling right now. Every one of us. We can only do what is best for our family. You are the best advocate your child has. I also want you to know that you are the boss. You make the choices. This is the United States and homeschooling is not illegal. Different states just have different laws. New Jersey happens to be awesome, they basically don't care what you do. If you need to talk it out or it seems scary and daunting, i'm happy to have a chat. I wrote this post because every parent I know is internally screaming right now. No option is good. They all have flaws. There is nothing worse than choosing the best choice out of bad choices. I wanted you to know you are not alone. We are all there. Let's be supportive and help each other as best we can. We got this.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorI'm so tired. The children are so not tired. |