Distance Learning

 We have officially switched to all three boys doing distance learning.  AAGG....  I knew this was going to happen but it still doesn't make it any easier or make it more worth while for the boys.  I have so many worries right now and my kids education is one of the biggest!  I worry for COVID and the boys bringing it home but being in person for school is so important and needed.  All three boys have been doing "ok"  with school but it is not the same as being in person.  Brian, Ann and I all work which makes it very hard to have someone at home helping the boys stay focused and getting all the work done on time.  They are missing out on so much.  They are getting the bare minimum for education.  I mean really- two or three zoom meetings and then a few work sheets does not count as a day in school.  I know the teachers are trying and I really appreciate all that they are doing but it's not enough and it's not the same.  Kids need peer interactions, being social and having more follow up with the teachers.  Right now the plan is to return to school in January but I don't see what will be different by then?  I am very aware of the COVID numbers and they will not be better by January.  The vaccine will start to be around this winter but who will have the opportunity to get it and if they do will they get it?  I think this is the next worry.  Just because there is a vaccine around doesn't mean every one will feel comfortable getting it.  And they are not recommending it kids under 18 years of age.  So this rules out the boys.  AAGG...  this school year has been a bust!  

Axel 7th grade:  he has been struggling with handing things in on time, which had had major affects on his grades.  He was getting straight A's last year.  This year not so much.  I have to continually check if he is handing stuff in.  He's understanding the material but he has lost a focus and drive.  This sucks major because he was in full force last year.  Learning points that he does better in person with a little competition of his peers.  I worry for his mental health also- being a preteen and not having any peer interaction.  We really haven't been allowing friends over because of COVID.  It's hard to navigate this as a parent.  He does have a phone and gets some connections but it's not way kids are suppose to interact.     

Abel 4th grade.  He has been doing well with getting on his zooms and handing in his work.  It all just the basics though.  Hardly any thing extra.  For him I worry about his speech.  He has been with speech therapy for his "r" sounds.  He has been getting a ton better over the last school year but again this year has been a bust.  He does good with real instruction and consistency.  It's hard for us to keep up with that.  

 Ansel 1st grade.  He has been doing ok.  I mean really 1st grade via zoom?!  He has two zoom sessions a day and then has work sheets that we work on.  It's so not what 1st grade should be.  He does well sitting down and listening to the zoom lessons but he can have all his work done by noon.  So he gets a few hours a day of basic stuff and we call that a school day?  He only got half of his kindergarten year and now will get half of his 1st grade year?  What a bummer.  This is his foundation years and his missing out on so much.  For Ansel I worry about his reading.  He does great with math, spelling and other topics but reading he like to fight a little.  

Well in summary we are just taking all this one day at a time.  I worry so much about how far behind our kids are going to get with school.  I worry about their mental health, their physical health and SO many things.  I worry about the long term affects of all this.  I get so mad when I see people still not wearing a mask.  I mean seriously I get that you want to be selfish but if you would wear a damn mask my kids could be going to school!  They are our future and some day need to be functional in our communities.   Please wear a damn mask so we can keep people safe and have our kids have some kind of normal life again.