In the fall of 1985, Mr. Smith and I sent our first born off to kindergarten.
Over the next two decades we sent some configuration of our sons off to school each fall. New backpacks, lunch money, homework, band practice and performances, soccer practice and games, along with lots of parental advice and words of encouragement. They are years filled with tremendous nostalgia for us and while life sometimes seemed crazy busy, in retrospect, it was simple.
School 2020 seems nothing short of a nightmare for all involved. Parents, students, teachers and staff are all in unchartered territory and everyone is looking for a way to make it work. Our middle son is a high school band director. He is challenged with teaching in person students and e-learning students simultaneously, all while keeping them safe and ensuring all CDC guidelines for school are followed. Our grandsons’ school is closed for at least the first semester, so they are attending a “pod” class three days a week. Our youngest son who is employed by Penn State University has become the master of the Zoom meeting while working from home since March.
Watching my children and grandchildren try to find their footing in all the confusion with no clear direction, I have tried to come up with a blog post on this subject without success. It’s not uncommon for posts to bounce around in my head for several days before I put pen to paper, but I just couldn’t get my arms around this one. But wonder of wonders, now I don’t have to because my intelligent, clever, imaginative and inventive niece did it for me! Who better to write on this subject than a parent who is currently going through the perplexing and baffling process??? Beth recently launched her blog, Skyplaceportal, and I was delighted when I received her recent post, ¿school? Her son, Samson, started fifth grade this fall, no easy feat for parent or child. You can read her fun, pithy, and spot-on account of their journey here.
Kudos to all the parents, students, teachers and staff currently struggling with the countless amalgams of ideas to use to educate and interest the next generation. I’m glad it’s not me.
C’est la vie
Camp Grandma 
Wow, what a nightmare. My kids are grown with my son and wife raising my two small Grandsons age four and five struggling to ‘homeschool’. I would have had a heck of a time for when my kids were going to school I worked at first part-time on my computer moving on to full-time. My hats off to all the parents, kids, and teachers who are struggling during this time.
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Hi, Sheryl. You are an early bird this morning. It’s been crazy for all involved. Parents working from home and having to manage their child’s remote learning. Hopefully everyone is being kind to themselves and cutting everyone a little slack. I am truly hoping that old chestnut is true, this too shall pass.
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They say the early bird gets the worm when all I want to do is stomp on it haha And I quote like you said ‘hopefully this too will pass’ 😉
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Yes, I agree – Kudos to those working so hard to make this work! My heart goes out to those children who this situation may put them at a big disadvantage. Thanks for your post, and enjoy your day!
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Hi, Betty. Yep, as crazy as life is for my kids and grandkids, I know they are in the lucky category. I once read you can tell a lot about a person by how they deal with traffic jams and lost luggage. Now I guess we can add pandemic to the list.
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thank you so much for the nod, auntie. that’s quite an honor.
re: homeschooling…i try to remember this is an opportunity. a gift. if only i had the energy of my youth to embrace it with its fullness i would be a better human. i am neither young, nor scrappy anymore but sometimes, still…a little hungry. either way, like hamilton, i shall not “give away my shot”…
thanks again. nice post. love you.
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You are more than welcome! I’m from my perspective – you will always be young…
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