I’m writing to the moms today. If you’re able to stay with your babies at home or if they’re grown and independent, this may be less for you. But if not, let’s talk…
I was in the office seeing patients a few weeks ago, talking with each of them about what was going on in their lives as I usually do. That day I seemed to have quite a few teachers on my schedule, so naturally many of my conversations that day were about how the school system was planning for the fall semester. Because we homeschool, I hadn’t received the email that other parents in our county had, inquiring whether they’d prefer in-person or digital remote learning for their children. The teachers had differing takes on the topic – some were hoping that the system would plan on remote learning, and some were conflicted. But each of them was concerned for how they’d be able to keep their students safe, themselves safe, and what the plan would mean for their own children.
Old picture, but you get it…
In our own situation, we’ve been homeschooling for years. Since we both work, the way we’ve been able to achieve this is by hiring a full-time person to come into our home and follow the curriculum plan we’ve chosen. At first, this was our nanny. Now that the kids are school-age, it’s a teacher. You would think that this means that we’re all set for the fall – but we’re not.
For the past five years, we’ve been part of a homeschool program that meets on Mondays to do school together. It allows the kids to gather with their peers in class, for the parents to watch the work to be done that week explained by a more experienced “tutor” who leads the class and gives the homeschool families an opportunity to gather and socialize. It’s been a wonderful experience and the kids have learned SO much. But this year, our community group is planning to meet back in person without a mask mandate.
Now, this isn’t a small group of 5 students. Each class is around 8 students and there are classes from ages 5 to 14, not to mention the little kids and all the parents attending with their children. There also is a huge divide on the personal philosophy of mask usage, from those who aren’t social distancing or wearing masks to those who are following the CDC guidelines to the letter and beyond. Personally, I fall into the latter camp and I don’t think that even with all of the precautions that you can eliminate all risk of transmission of COVID-19. But if we’re going to gather, I think a mask mandate is the best way to go. But that’s not happening, at least not in our homeschool community.
So what are we going to do? We’re talking about it now. I don’t know which tutors will have my kids in class, so I don’t know whether they’ll be serious about honoring the way I want my kids protected. I can’t be there every week and I will need to rely on my teacher to keep the kids wearing their masks. And even though I will require my kids to wear masks, I can’t make the other parents protect my kids by having their own kids wear masks. If we decide not to go back to this group, what curriculum am I going to find for second, sixth, and eighth grade in the next few weeks? Our teacher is new to our family and hasn’t done this curriculum with the kids before. What if missing the community days means she is less well-equipped to help our kids with their schoolwork?
Just a few of our books for the year…
There are a lot of unknowns. And I have been discouraged and disappointed with the lack of unity in our homeschool group about what it means to protect each other. After I’ve been doing everything I possibly can to avoid bringing home coronavirus to my family from the hospital or my office, I cannot fathom how I will manage if my kids catch it at school! I spoke to a mom in our group yesterday who really wants to come back and whose kids love being in the group, but she has one child who is immunocompromised and without a mask mandate, she has decided that she can’t take the risk of returning. I feel like my family is at enough risk from my work and my possible exposures, so why should they be at additional risk at school with other families who won’t wear masks to protect them? And when the group does get together, it is entirely possible that the county schools will close, or the church we meet in will continue their mask mandate, or there will be a virus exposure and the community won’t be able to meet anyway.
The new normal at work…
It’s been hard to get here, but I have found a way to be calm and clear about our way forward. We’ve been through plenty of upheaval in the past couple of years with different teachers, going digital for school in the spring because of COVID, and trying to keep a homeschool running through a series of new teachers while still working in medicine during a pandemic. There are two things that I’ve figured out that keep me steady when I feel myself teetering on the edge of a cliff. One, I truly believe Romans 8:28 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” No matter what is coming, it has a purpose and it is for a reason in my life. Whatever the challenge or situation, I’m supposed to learn something, or it is growing an aspect of my character. It’s there for a reason, even if I don’t always understand it.
Two, it doesn’t matter what comes, because We. Will. Figure. It. Out. We always have. God moves and provides, and we find a way forward. As much as some days I’d like someone else to take the awesome responsibility for handling all this school stuff for the kids, no one is better equipped to make decisions about what’s best for them than me and their father. No one. There isn’t anyone else on the planet who has their best interests at heart the way we do. I detest this uncertainty and chaos – it makes me anxious. But in the end, we are together, we will take care of each other, and we will come through this challenge and many others together. And you will too!
How are you coping with the uncertainty of now? Please share in the comments below!
And here’s this week’s Weight Loss class – come through!