Dear Kids,
There are 5 weeks left of school. Five weeks. When did that happen. Eight weeks ago, I thought it would take forever for the end of the year to come. I was desperately hoping for even a slim chance of schools reopening before the end of the school year. I felt like the school year was never going to end and I was going to be a basket case by June.
It took a few weeks, but we finally settled into a routine. Brother has a routine of what order he wants to do all of his schoolwork and we have a schedule for his Zoom classes that doesn’t vary much. Sister has figured out I have less time to play with her in the mornings now, but she likes to try to get involved. She also gets more screen time than she should, but I know she isn’t the only toddler living that reality.
When I was a kid, I was always sad at the end of the school year because I knew I would be missing my teacher. As happy as I was to move on in my education, I had spent months with my teacher and didn’t want to leave her behind (all of my childhood teachers were female). I hope that you two feel the same way about your teachers as you grow up. I just wasn’t expecting to feel it for you this year!
In preschool, we had regular contact and communication with all of Brother’s teachers. Then Kindergarten started and suddenly we had no real idea of what he was learning in school and what was going on in the classroom. It was a bit of a shock to feel shut out. Not that his teacher didn’t try, but juggling a class of over 25 students plus their parents wasn’t easy. Now we have daily communication from his teacher and, honestly, I’m loving getting to be “involved” during his Zoom classes because I have to sit next to him to make sure he isn’t putting his head on the table and blowing bubbles the whole time. She’s become such a part of our lives that now I feel so sad Brother won’t have her as his teacher five weeks from now.
This is something of a bittersweet time. Doing school at home is exhausting and sometimes mind boggling since juggling a school-aged child and a toddler is not easy. I’ve been counting down to when it’ll be over. At the same time, the next 5 weeks are going to fly. His teacher is already working on a virtual end of the year celebration. Assessments are being assigned every Friday. We’ve reached the end of some of the reading and math materials. We’ve reached the point in the academic year where there’s more fun and games and celebration. I’m actually going to miss this, almost as much as I’m going to miss his teacher.
Which brings me to first grade. At the moment, the school district knows the next academic year will start in mid-August as it normally does. Whether schools will open or not is completely unknown. I’m afraid of starting a new school year with a teacher Brother doesn’t know, though likely has met a few times. There won’t be any rapport, expectations will be harder to set, it’ll be more difficult to determine how to teach Brother since he won’t have any foundation in schoolwork and his teacher that we can work with.
Last Friday, our county allowed some non-essential stores to open, like toy stores, book stores, florists, but only for curb-side pickup. Trails and golf courses also opened up over the weekend. Nana drove by a golf course and reported there was a group of older men who were not socially distancing themselves. I feel like this doesn’t bode well for us.
As things open, I’m afraid of a surge in cases. The mayor said public health is working with a 3-6 week timeline to be able to tell if more steps to reopening can happen. It’ll be enough time to see a change in the number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. Since Daddy is an essential worker and since we’re both at higher risk, we have a plan for if cases rise, stay the same, or drop. I’m just hoping they don’t surge. As much as I enjoy being home, not having to drive, and not having to deal with people, I do want to run around a park with you, I do want to take you to the playground, I do want to walk around the mall, I do actually kind of want to go back to Disneyland.
So, the school year is ending. The county is starting to open back up. The mayor isn’t going to be speaking every afternoon. Things are changing! I’m hoping it’s for the better
Love,
Mom
The Lily Cafe 
Around here, people in public are acting like we’re fully back to Before. It’s because the virus hasn’t hit them close to home; it’s just An Annoyance. For some friends, it’s even like a hoax.
Our school officially ends May 22.
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My husband works with a whole group of people just like that. I feel like a basket case whenever he goes in and stays later than he was supposed to.
I’m oddly glad we go into June. I’m not ready for summer to come just yet!
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Here in Arizona most stores were open for curb side pick ups. The kept the hiking trails open as well.The grocery stores were always opened but there were rules to follow along with arrows. Now there are all kinds of things opening up like restaurants and thrift stores. The local news went out and taped how college students are not practicing social distancing in large groups at restaurants hanging out. It is scary to see.
The drug additions and addicts are no longer being moved out of certain areas when they camp out in large groups behind grocery stores (fry’s stores may have to close in our area) and they hang out in parking lots and stores stealing what they can. The cops have stopped coming and say they can no longer remove them.
Weird stuff going on, but the news doesn’t report it and we have some people here who mask shame others who wear masks. I am not sure why that is but there are just people out there who are angry and judgmental I guess.
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That is definitely scary. There are so many crazy things happening. People have so many pent up emotions and everyone is so divided on how best to manage this. It’s scary to think many people believe it isn’t that bad, even with people dying every day. Every few days something else opens up here and I see more and more traffic. It makes me nervous, but I do understand the economic need. I’m just hoping people can be smart and care about their fellow human beings. I hope you and your loved ones stay safe and healthy!
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It’s cool you got to be more involved with your son’s learning during this time. There’s a silver lining =) I’ve been trying to focus on the good in all this since the news and such takes care of focusing on the bad. Hope all is well with you and your family, Kat.
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It’s a really beautiful silver lining. We feel very lucky to be able to be so involved in his education. Sometimes it’s hard to see all the good, but, as one of my good friends would say, sunshine and fresh air are good things, so, as long as there’s that, there’s always plenty of good in the world. I hope you and your loved ones are well, too!
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