Learning Lessons

I squinted my eyes and looked thoughtfully at Declan who stared blankly back at me.

“Really?” I asked.

We were onto a new lesson from school.  A lesson that surprised me as being one his entire class was working on titled, ‘Are You Flexible?’

I had scanned through the Google Doc until I reached the first page and read the first question.

“Are you okay if your plans change?”

Declan, took the mouse and clicked the “yes” button, leaving me with a skeptical face.

“What?” Declan asked.

“Well, remember last week when I told you that we weren’t going to Virginia to the soccer tournament or Mount Vernon and you cried for an hour and broke the chair?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“And then remember, on Monday you played with the neighbor and threw a football and hit him in the face because he wouldn’t play the game you wanted him to?”

Declan looked out the window, staring into the distance and nodded.

“I said I was sorry later.”

“I know.  I just think that you sometimes are not okay if your plans change.  Sometimes you have difficulty being flexible.”

“Well,” Declan thoughtfully replied, “I’m okay if I have bad plans that change to something good, but I’m not okay if I have good plans that change to something bad.”

I laughed out loud. 

“That was pretty insightful,” I laughed, “Okay, next question.”

The schoolwork.  Now part of our daily routine.

All five of us are here, Bob taking over the basement to work from home. 

I get up early to get my miles on the treadmill since my treadmill is located in Bob’s new office.

Then we’re off!  Breakfast, chores, schoolwork.

Then I teach the kids a new life skill. Catelyn has been versed on how to use the washer and dryer.  Bobby has been taught how to patch a hole in the wall and repair a ripped screen.  Tomorrow, the Bauhaus Buff will come out again to touch up the patch and smudges on all the walls around the house.

To meet Declan’s Physical Education homework of one hour of physical activity each day, we go for a walk.  Declan’s not the fastest.  Honestly, we got passed by a woman walking her three-legged dog who kept taking breaks AND a dad walking with a toddler, who stopped and smelled a lot of roses (per se).  But he’s excited for his walks and they get us out of the house.

When we are out, there are others out too.  In pods it seems like.  Little family groups out for a walk, or to take their dog out.  The pods don’t interact.  The pods keep to themselves.  But the pods are out.

At the end of Bob’s workday, the most wonderful thing happens.  We all sit down to dinner.  I honestly cannot remember the last time we all sat as a family to eat, outside of holidays because of school schedules, work and sports.  Now, we get to sit, talk and reconnect at the end of the day.  Probably my favorite thing about this quarantine.

I’m not following the virus anymore.  I’m following which way the wind blows.  Is more stuff canceling?  Or are things returning to a more status quo?  So far, my emails tell me it’s the first one.  That’s okay.  The quarantine is working for us.

Tomorrow I have to venture out.  The list is small, but necessary.  I am still prepared for full on cautiousness; space around me, self-checkout.  I am prepared to come home, shower and change my “going out” clothes.  I may not be following the virus much anymore, but I do take it seriously.

I’m hopeful that social distancing continues to keep the virus from spreading.  For us, I’m happy with our schedule and the time together.  I’m happy to learn what Declan is learning and to talk with him about things like flexibility. 

And with enough nightly practice (and a new target), I’m happy to say the kids have found a way to win at their cup game 😊