Should we send our kids back to school?
Before I get to that let me tell you something you already know. 2020 has been a dangerous year because of COVID-19. Oh, there have been other things but let's stick to the Coronavirus. I've been home for what seems like forever trying to be safe. I was on the phone with someone the other day and I said, "Happy Friday." They responded that they had no idea what day it was, somebody had to tell them. When you're in your house day after day the days begin to blur together. I'm guilty of thinking it's Tuesday when it's really Thursday.
I'm also a mask wearing, hands washing, social distancing, kind of guy. Can never be too careful. By the way there's a phrase I never heard before-social distancing.
We all are very familiar with it now.
Okay, should my kids go back to school.
I have twins and their thinking is split. One of them, Miles, wants to physically go back to his high school. He says he misses the ritual of getting up early, showering, getting dressed, and heading out. He says he especially misses seeing his classmates. This spring he did virtual schooling and he did okay but he has been pushing for going back to his actual school.
I was a substitute teacher and when I first subbed I noticed hand sanitizer in every class room. I wondered about that but didn't use it. Big mistake. I got sick as a dog and then realized that schools were a petri dish. Not for the students, they build up immunity, but for the brand new subs, like me, who haven't.
You better believe that I washed my hands every chance I got after that. One other thing, I would see kids coughing and sneezing and blowing their nose big time and I would think, "Why are you even here?"
I'd see that every day.
On to my other twin, Griffin.
He, on the other hand, has no problem with virtual schooling. He's fine with learning from home, he's fine with staying up on classes and homework through his iPad. He sees and talks to his friends every day through FaceTiming and texting.
Two different view points.
Also because I'm a stroke survivor I'm right in the middle of that 'at risk' category. I worry about them catching it. I worry that they might inadvertently bring the virus home.
I worry, I worry.
A main difference between being a kid and being a parent is when you're a kid you worry about nothing. When you're a parent you worry all the time about your kids. Wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth. My Dad used to say he couldn't go to sleep until all of his kids came home at night. I used to think yeah, right. Now? I know exactly what he was talking about.
Throw in COVID-19 and as the saying goes, "There you go."
One last thing I worry about is the teachers catching it. This Coronavirus does.not.discriminate. Old, young, black, white, brown, rich, poor. It doesn't care.
Their school starts August 17th.
Right now? I'm leaning towards the virtual. Today. Ask me tomorrow.
How about you?
#MarkMcEwen
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