First Week

So currently we are in the middle of our second week of school. I can't say it's always been a walk in the park but it's only the second week of school. I wasn't sure what to expect with this year after the way last year ended. Just like everyone else, my kids ended up going remote. Our school district was not ready for such a move and it wasn't a great end to the year. They definitely were lately in education but I think we were all ready to just forget the spring and move on. Truthfully I didn't think much about the next year until we started inching closer to it then it was the only thing on my mind. There was so much back and forth. The year got delayed by three weeks. The kids would be returning masks - including my 4 year old. Then we found out a couple weeks before school started that they would actually be returning to a hybrid method. 

To be perfectly honest I was really angry. I thought the whole idea of a hybrid system was stupid and unreasonable. My kids are in 2nd grade and Pre-K. How in the world do you do Pre-K online? But then I also knew that they were doing the best they could and hopefully it would be short lived so they would be back full time soon. Also both my kids told me that they would rather go back just two days a week then not at all, so I was okay with it. They wanted to be in school. I wanted them to be in school. It was what it was. 

We ended up with a weird situation however with my kids going different days of the week. Mondays and Tuesdays, Addie goes to school while Connor is home with me. He has a zoom class meeting in the afternoon when he would normally be in school. His teacher reads them a story and does their normal "circle time" activities. And I'm going to be dead honest here, 4 year olds on a zoom call is probably my favorite thing in the world. It's not ideal but his teacher is amazing and he has a good time regardless. Then we have a few activities that we do here in fill in a little more time before we call it for the day. Emma is napping during this time so Connor and I get some one-on-one time which is nice. I have no idea how I would have convinced him to do this at all if his sisters were around. It's not great schooling but it's something at least. 

On Wednesday the entire school is remote. Connor actually has the day off completely because he only goes four days a week, but Addison logs on remotely to do some meetings then she does some math games, reading and such here at home. 

Thursdays and Fridays are Connor's days at school. Addison however is remote those days. She has her normal class zoom meeting in the morning then she has packets of work to do at home those two days, plus whatever math games and such they have online. They are trying not to get them off their iPads all day which is nice. Connor is just in afternoon Pre-K so we take him in the afternoon then while Emma naps and I work, Addie has to finish up whatever she didn't get done that morning work wise. We try to keep it balanced. 

So to wrap it up, it's a lot. And it's not ideal. But as I write this I also got some amazing news that in a week and a half the kids will be returning to school full time. I don't think I can truly tell you how excited I am. Connor didn't really understand when I told him but Addison was over the moon. The girl just wants to be at school. I want them to just be at school. That is where they thrive and will learn. They will get some normalcy back in all this crazy. 

It's still a lot. There is a lot of changes that had to happen in order to keep the kids and teacher safe but also to make sure that they stay in school and don't end up going remote. But the kids are doing amazing and handling it so well. I really am proud of them and how well they adapt and handle all the changes thrown at them. 

But man I'm not going to lie, I am definitely more than okay with not being their school anymore.