Having School Age Children During Covid

  Things have been super crazy since schools got shut down last April when Covid came out to the public. We live in Maryland and at first it was only supposed to be a 2 week break, then when it was realized how serious Covid really was schools shut down for the rest of the year. The kids were given work to do so they could still work on what they needed to for that school year, which was almost over (Thank Goodness!!!), but for kids who's parent aren't super into their education I imagine it was extremely hard.

  Unfortunately, the area we live in there were alot of kids who were pretty much on their own. Not only for the end of that year, but last year they did virtual, online classes. IT WAS HORRIBLE!!!!! I have 3 kids and I taught them more than their teachers did. Luckily my children have always gotten really good grades and pick up on most things fairly quickly, at least compared to some of the other kids their age. 

  The online learning was horrible!! Many ADULTS have a hard time doing online classes, because there is very little one on one, and absolutly no hands on. For many kids, I can imagine how much harder it would be because they need that one on one, even if it's just to have the teacher walk to their seat and help them if they are having trouble with something. 

  The schools had the online classes full, as though they were in a real classroom and not on a video call with 30ish people. It was just utter chaos, especially for my 2nd grader who has really bad anxiety and was just starting to get used to being away from me, and getting into the swing of things in a classroom. At least in person she could ask the teacher to come to her desk and talk in private. Online there was none of that, it just wasnt possible because, like I said, there were about 30 people on the screen hearing whats being said. 

  I did most of the teaching or explaining, especially with my girls. My older daughter was entering her first year of middle school, which is a HUGE transition in itself. Yet she wasn't just switching her school and learning to deal with schedule changes and different classes on A/B days, but she had to learn all this on top of learning how to do it all online. Needless to say, I ended up having to help her alot as well because, though her anxiety isn't quite as bad as my youngest, but she still has it. Which made her very uncomfortable asking for help infront of so many other students who were mostly new faces to her. 

  So this school year.... even though the cases are sky rocketing again due to this new strain of covid "Delta", the schools around here have decided our kids can just be guinea pigs. Thats how my husband and I feel at least. They have restarted that it is mandatory to wear masks again in Maryland, and other states in America, but are still expecting our children to go into a building with tons of other children who could possibly be asymptomatic and nobody have a clue otherwise. & children will not stay multiple feet from each other, no matter how much we try to drill it into their heads. Even if some try to, their friends will possibly not understand the danger and get too close anyway. They are kids!! Who currently, if they are not 12 aren't able to even get the shots, if we wanted them to. SMH!! It just makes no sense to me!!

  In my opinion masks being mandatory never should have stopped, because the vaccines never stopped it from being contagious, or stopped people from being able to get covid. It supposedly helps shorten the amount of time you are sick. That is it!! 

  As of this morning there was a death in New Zealand caused by Pfizer's vaccine. I am so glad my family did not get the vaccine. I wanted to wait and see how things went, and now I am SUPER glad that I waited. I refuse to let my family be guinea pigs. Considering how quickly the vaccines were made available, that is how it seemed to me. There was no where near enough time! Which was proved by first J&J causing blood clots, and now a death caused by Pfizer.

  So with all the craziness, schools opening even though cases are on the rise again, and my main concern, my yougest daughters bad immune system... We have decided, since I am blessed enough to be a stay at home mom, we are going to do homeschool this year. Personally I cannot stand to wear a mask for an extended time. With my daughters immune system, and all the other things I have stated, plus mine and their fathers feelings in general, this is the best course of action for our family. 

  I don't want my kids to miss out on so many of the once in a lifetime things that they may possibly miss out on because of Covid, but their lives and health are the most important thing next to their education. I know they will excell doing homeschool. There is no doubt in my mind, I just wish they didnt have to miss out on the social side of going to an actual school. 

  Maybe one day Covid will be better understood and there will be an actual immunization that will help to keep people safe and, fingers crossed, Covid free. Unfortunately, I think this is something we will have to deal with for the rest of out lives because of how it was dealt with in the beginning and how so many people don't take it serious enough. I think that anyone who doesn't personally know someone who has passed, or at least come close, doesnt truly understand how serious the situation is! Too many people are more worried about the now, instead of the future. It sad, but that how most things are. 

I write hoping to reach at least one person, who I could help in some way. I dont know if this particular post will help anyone, but I do plan to write more. I want to write at least once a week, hopefully more :)

I am 32 years old and have lived a crazy life, one that has made me the strong woman and amazing mom I am today. I will get into detail about my past in my next post. Long story short, I am a recovering addict, clean 8 years this September 20th. Since then my life has been AMAZING!! I am blessed to be with a one of a kind man, we raise our 3 kids together and we may not be rich, but we do well and our house is full of love. 

Both of us had totally different childhoods than our kids and we chose to break the cycle. Before getting clean, and even the first couple years were, well in a word, HARD!! Very much so!! It's not my place to put my old mans past out there, but I want my story told. 

"I don't know exactly what's next, but I'm stepping forward with grit, anchored in grace" - Julie Graham