An Update on In Person School During the Pandemic

I realized that I haven't done a school blog in a bit, and I wanted to touch base with where we are currently.

My kids are still in school the moment I write this. That is subject to change at any moment. Things have been relatively smooth up until about a week ago. There were no cases in my daughter's school, and my son's school has had only three cases, all of which were traced and the kids and staff involved have all quarantined. But, like the rest of the US right now, cases are rising and rising fast. We received multiple emails from our kids' schools to "be prepared at any moment to have virtual learning for upwards of two to three weeks". With the rise in cases, that means that the staff at both schools has dwindled. I expected this to happen, and right around Thanksgiving was my target date. I have talked to friends via text that have kids roughly the same age, and they all said the same thing. But, for the time being, my kids are still learning in person, and for them, it has been pretty great.

Both my kids are smart, they know what they should at their ages and the learning aspect was only a slight part of why we sent them back to in person learning. The main reason we decided to send both of them back was for the socialization, and that has been amazing for them. Before, when we were doing virtual learning, which was so much better this time around, my kids would throw weird, non important fits. My son would get mad that his sister got candy and he didn't, and he would meltdown. When I would tell my daughter that she couldn't watch TV anymore for the day, she would throw a major fit, similar to what she did as an infant. It was getting to the point where they truly craved, and needed, interaction with kids their age. That part has worked tremendously. My kids are happier, more fulfilled and tired when they get home from school now. They talk glowingly of seeing their friends and teachers. My son has a pod type situation, and his best friends are in his pod. When he goes to his gifted class in school, it is the same people. He now gets to see his current best friend everyday. And it isn't like he wasn't seeing him before, they would chat on a kids messenger thing we have, and play Fortnite together, but now they get to see each other Monday-Friday, and they love it. My daughter absolutely adores her teacher, and she too has a little group of friends, there are only eight kids in her class, that she now gets to see for three hours a day, Monday-Thursday. She is most excited to tell me about who she played with everyday at school, and what her teacher did for her, more than anything else. They have both almost completely reverted back to their normal selves. They do have to, and I make damn well sure, wear their masks. Both my kids have been prepped for this, and they understand why it is so necessary if they want to continue in person learning.

As far as the schools go, they have done a great job enforcing mask rules and making sure the kids understand the importance of hygiene and cleanliness. It has been far smoother than I thought it would be to be totally honest. I thought cases were going to skyrocket within the first two weeks. They didn't, and they still haven't. But there is still the unsettling problem of rising cases in the US that we are now dealing with. I check my email far more often now because I want my kids to be ready for virtual learning again, and I have to explain to them that it will, hopefully, only be temporary. My son doesn't like it, but he gets it. My daughter though, it makes her very sad that she may have to miss school for a few weeks. I fear that, if the numbers continue on the path they are currently on, they may cut her program, and my son won't go back until after the new year. It is really all on the table at this point. For the time being we are continuing to reinforce why masks are important, and the necessity to stay in a "bubble" and to be as careful as possible because in person learning has been so successful for their socialization.

We will see what happens next, I'm sure we will have to go virtual soon, maybe only for a little bit. But, for right now, I commend the school district, the staff and the higher ups for the tremendous job they have done to keep our numbers relatively low compared to other places.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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