“I heard you guys cheering this morning,” my neighbor said as I was walking up the driveway to my front door.
I smiled and laughed.
“Yeah, sorry about that!” I called over.
At 6:55 AM on Monday morning, Bob and I stood with Bobby and Catelyn at the bus stop. When the bus finally arrived, we stood there cheering manically for two reasons:
- After 7 ½ months the kids were finally going back to school
- We wanted to embarrass the heck out of them like any good parents do
In hindsight, I guess it was a little early for all that noise outside on the street. I guess I should apologize to a few neighbors…
As unreal as it was to finally send Declan back for four days a week a few weeks ago, it was as unreal to send the big kids back for two days a week. Two days before their first in-school day, we scrambled, getting whatever supplies teachers were calling for since there would be no sharing. You had to bring what you needed and carry it with you all day as the kids were not allowed to use lockers this year either.
Even down to the nitty gritty:
“I need a new fit,” Bobby said, standing in front of me.
“What the heck is a “fit?”
He pointed to his shirt and then his shorts.
“Do you mean a new OUTFIT? Like, back to school clothes?”
Bobby nodded. (I just wanted to share the new teen lingo. That may come in handy for someone).
So, with their new “fits” and supplies, they finally went back to school.
Bobby and Catelyn both said their day was “weird.” On the bus, they had to sit together in an assigned seat. They thought a man sitting in the front of the bus was there to ensure students kept their masks on and stayed in their assigned seats.
At school they got to see other kids whose last names were in the same portion of the alphabet as theirs. Which led to a couple of more crowded rooms as some classes had 20 kids whose last names were in the A-L range.
In lunch, the tables were removed, and desks were put six feet apart from each other. The seating was assigned. They both said that lunch was so quiet. No one talked as no one knew the people assigned to sit six feet apart from them.
“The loudest thing that happened was some girl burped and we all turned to look at her,” Catelyn offered.
“Did anyone laugh?”
“No.”
You can’t buy a lunch. Free lunches were offered to all the students, although mine decided to pack their lunch.
“When I got to the lunchroom the last of the lunches were being handed out. I couldn’t get one even if I wanted one,” Bobby let me know.
Lunch was the only mask free time during the day. The kids didn’t seem bothered by having to wear their masks all day, so that is good.
As weird as their days were, both are excited to get back for another in-school day again.
Declan went back to school a few weeks ago for four days a week.
It was a transition that was much needed for him. In the time he was at home, he was falling way behind. In math the kids were taught multiplication in five zooms – zooms where Declan stared out a window. So, it was no surprise that when division started, he had no idea what was happening. Put those ideas into word problems and forget about it. He was completely lost. Not only was he failing in new material, he also lost all basic addition and subtraction skills.
School was a blessing for him.
How has back to school for all three kids been for me? I reveled in my quiet, house that I cleaned and stayed clean, house. All missing cups, forks, spoons and bowls have been found from kids rooms and cleaned. I did not make a thousand breakfasts and lunches. I got to the trails AND the gym. I got work done, appointments scheduled. I could finally focus. It was great.
Our school district has already said that things may switch back to all virtual in two weeks. I am fine with the big kids coming home. Giving them the “weird normalcy” of a semi school day is great if it works, but not necessary. It will just be very hard if Declan is to return home for full time virtual learning. Not much learning is taking place.
But we aren’t there yet. And until I am stuck being a 1/1 aid to a child who stares out the window, I am going to enjoy getting things done!
(P.S. Declan DID tell Chatty Kathy that his parents really liked her and felt she really stood out on zooms 😊)
Sweet! I’m glad Declan said something nice and didn’t call her Chatty Kathy😂
We are in danger of moving to the “purple tier” in San Diego County, but schools that are open will NOT have to close. As far as I know, no one at Ben’s school has gotten the Kootie (knock on wood). 2 days a week is better than zero days, cuz like with Declan, Zooming was a big FAIL!
A new “fit” huh? Shortening words is SOOO 2012😂😂😂
I’m so happy for you!! Enjoy, enjoy, ENJOY!!! 💃🏼🎆✨💫💕
Oh, I know! I held my breath when I heard him say he talked to her about us. Thank goodness it wasn’t that bad! It turns out Chatty Kathy is equally chatty to all and has talked Declan’s ear off when they got seated 6 feet apart in the lunch room. He said she was very chatty, but very nice. 🙂
I know! I am just going to start thinking about the part of the word that is missing to learn what the heck they are saying. I’ve found the best way to stop the silly talk is for me to talk that way too – drives them nuts! “Mom…stop, please.” 🙂
I hope your school stays open! I hope ours does too – or they find a way for it to stay open for Declan! He’s a mess on zoom.
Thank you!!
We got moved to “Purple”. Outdoor dining, restricted indoor to 25% at businesses… a whole list of stuff. Schools already open can remain open but no new schools can open. So we’re still doing GLYSB 2×/week💃🏼
So the big kids dont go on consecutive days? That seems kinda weird. And I wonder what they do with siblings with different last names🤔 Sorry, I tangent a LOT 😂 I hope your schools stay open! At least Declan’s!🤞💕
Yeah, we are last names A-L on Mondays and Wednesdays and last names M-Z on Tuesday and Thursday and then all schools (Declan’s too) are zoom only on Fridays. It is something, I guess!
Congrats! I am so happy for you and your family for a return to normalcy. I would’ve cheered loudly too. What a great blessing!
Sounds like the schools are well organized, albeit a little weird for your kids, but so nice they are with their friends and more importantly, you get time to yourself!
I’m sorry about Declan and the math issues. I have faith you and his teachers will help him catch up!
Fingers crossed you don’t have to go back to virtual learning in two weeks! Enjoy your free time in the meantime and hope it lasts even longer!
Thank you! I hope Declan stays in the classroom too. We’ve already held Declan back one year – we just can’t do that again. I am relieved that he has special education services. If he is falling behind in the classroom with the help of his teacher and 1/1 aid, he will go to his special education teacher for some more intensive support. I am leaving that decision up to the teacher but will discuss it with her when we have our zoom parent/teacher conference at the end of the month. Well, fingers crossed he just stays in the classroom!
🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻And sounds like you have a great plan.
A good friend said she was losing her mind last week when the already short school days (end at noon) went into “partial” days for some reason… drop off at 8am and pickup at 9:30am. Soooo pointless!!
That is pointless! That would stink!
Glad that all is going well, and that Declan said something nice to Chatty Kathy.
Thank you! Me too 🙂
Hopefully, things will get less weird. Gettysburg has been doing the 2 day thing since the start of school and Eli likes it fine… maybe better than normal. But he isn’t getting as much instruction and that’s undoubtedly going to be an issue in life if this keeps up. His lunch sound way better. They sit where they want but keep two seats between them. They’ve been playing Among Us which I think is fun because they can talk to each other while they play.
Among Us is big here too. I bet if they could get be near their friends they may play that too.
Finally being able to focus sounds wonderful! I think that’s one of the hardest things about parenting for me. The constant interruptions and not being able to finish tasks. Where I am, most grades K-8 students are in school full time with the option of remote learning if families choose. High school students do part time in school and part time from home. Conditions here have taken a turn for the worse with case counts skyrocketing and lots of restrictions coming back. Schools, however, do not have too many cases as of yet.
That is what I am hoping. I haven’t heard of any cases at our schools – and with everyone masking I am thinking a lot of illnesses will be avoided this year, which will be nice. But the numbers seem to be on the rise, and if they hit a certain point our district superintendent said that is when the schools will close again. I hope the cases stay where they are! The kids and I all like them being at school.
I agree. Even my son has come around to admitting he would rather go to school than keep being at home! 😂
I didn’t find the silverware my son took until we moved. It was about five pounds of forks and spoons…
The funny (not so funny) part is that I have a “no food in your room” rule. I guess they are taking my rule as more of a suggestion.
The elementary school district near me went from virtual to hybrid 2 weeks ago and was supposed to start full time this week. That is now on hold. Some local districts that have been going full time are switching to virtual tomorrow for middle and high school. Teachers, bus drivers, students in quarantine. Not enough teachers to keep things going. It’s bad here, worse than the spring, and the county executive is about to employ more shutdowns. I hope your peaceful time lasts a while. Enjoy it while you can.
I am hoping for one more week – there is nothing official yet, and we have not been notified that our children have been in contact with someone who has tested positive – but the numbers are going up. I guess it is just a matter of time.
That’s what I like to see, get them embarrassed. So pleased that it’s a start. You so needed that. Hope school stays open (even if it is just part time). Less Zoom….. Hope is just not housework for you. You have earned some me time.
Yeah – if anything the bus driver seemed to appear to enjoy the cheering – so there is that!
Something about the kids leaving and house being cleaned reminded me of when they will grow up and leave the nest. Not sure why though. It sounds like school is very different than what they are used to but they handled it well.