I’m going to be really real, real, realsies here, and say that this is pretty much how I felt at the end of this Monday of ours:
I mean...NO BUENO.
But first, a disclaimer:
I’ve said this before on this here blog, but I’ll say it again now, and then probably a few days from now, and then a few days after that, and then a few days after that:
We are not currently battling the real problems of the world. We still have an income. We’re not doctors or nurses or administrative personnel or first responders on the front lines of this virus. We’re not exposed and battling for our health. We’re not starving for food, our in need of shelter.
We are currently stable and grateful. And praying for those who are not.
The only “problem” in our casa is our general mental well-being as we try to adjust to this ever-changing, temporary, new normal.
And specifically, the challenges of educating three kiddos who are underfoot for the foreseeable future. With a hubby now working from home, as well. (Just like millions upon millions the world over.)
So...with that said.
Today wasn’t great.
At all.
In fact, it was a bit like this:
My kiddos were cranky.
I was a bit on edge.
The house is a little wrecked at the moment, as I’ve let the kitchen/central command area get a little unorganized (all those meals and snacks and demands!) and we’ve officially moved the hubby into the piano room as his personal office for the time being, so furniture and a whole lot of stuff is rotating and misplaced for a bit.
And I’m one of those people who needs order to deal with all the rest. So I’m going to have to take some time and gets some ducks back in a row tomorrow, for my own well being.
But the most significant challenge of the day was tackling our first round of assigned distancing learning from school.
No bueno.
Now...another disclaimer (I’m full of them tonight):
I love our elementary school.
I’m so grateful for our entire education community. The teachers, the counselors, the administrators. They are all pulling together to provide us with resources and lesson plans and outlets for help, should we need it. They are working tirelessly in uncharted territory. All while juggling their own families and spouses and chaos at home.
But the truth is: my trio and I were in a pretty good groove all last week.
I really buckled down and accessed some workbooks and created my own math and language arts lesson plans, and we established a solid schedule with art enrichment and other fun tidbits thrown in. With a lot of reading and writing incorporated into our day.
And most of this was done with the work right in front of us on pencil and paper, rather than by computer. And the kiddos were doing well and thriving. And—dare I say?—a bit happy with and intrigued by their “lessons.”
Then, today, we sort of blew that all up. :(
Again, I’m so grateful for the educators we have. And never more so than after I reached out this afternoon with my own household concerns of how to mesh our tried and true work from last week, with the new material they provided.
And basically, they are just full-on supportive of our household functioning in whatever way works for us. And more importantly—whatever way keeps the kiddos most engaged in their learning.
Change is tough.
And this social distancing means a lot of change, all at once. And feeling our way through every step. From afar.
So...on the plus side: at least we ripped off the bandage today. I think it was our worst (at least in these early days) of feeling overwhelmed and frustrated with new technology and expectations, and uncertain of how things will progress from here.
But I’m confident that if we just center our schedule and our learning around our household specifically, we’ll make it through as best we can.
In the coming days, I’ll share some of what is working for us. And I’m hoping that list will expand as we better understand and appreciate some of the new school resources.
Beginning tomorrow at midnight, we’re officially under state-at-home orders, and though we’ve been operating under those guidelines for nearly two weeks in my household, there’s something about it being official that’s a bit unsettling. And daunting.
But.
We’re all in this together.
One day at a time.
Stay safe and stay sane, people.
We can do this.
Over and out.
P.S. These silly pics are from October 2018, when the hubby and I were in Mohonk and accidentally embarked on the most terrifying rock climbing experience o’ our lives, ha.
They felt like appropriate images for today.
Especially because we lived through the ordeal, and the view from the top was incredible. :)
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