The Reasons I Want My Kids in School

Over the weekend, I received an email that our principal is recommending to the Board that we 1) start school one week later and 2) will be 100% virtual for the first 4 weeks of school with evaluation happening every 4 weeks to determine if we continue virtual.

I FREAKED OUT.

Like almost sobbing freaked out.

When I wrote about all my conflicting emotions last week, one thing I didn't say {not sure why} is I almost wanted someone to make the decision for me so I could at least have peace about it - if someone made the choice I couldn't second guess whether what I was doing was right or not.

Well, I got my wish and immediately was upset. Not because I can't see why the school would do this - there are too many unknowns and it would look terrible if there was a huge spread of COVID because of schools opening.

BUT because I want MY kids back in school. I worry about the mental effects all this will have on them more than the physical toll of COVID given my children are healthy and this is really not affecting kids. {And I fully recognize a school has to also consider the safety of the teachers and staff, I'm just speaking from my own personal situation.}

Here's why I want my kids back in school FOR THEM:
1) I think we do an okay job, but they need to be more active. We are not getting nearly the activity level they got with daily PE and recess. Yes, we go on bike rides and swing and take walks, but they need more than what we are doing.
2) I want them to be around other children. We have some kids we play with, but it's not the same thing as being with a classroom of kids and interacting/learning from/dealing with etc. your peers.
3) We need to make school a priority. If they are home with Brent and me as the teachers, we will struggle to get everything done. I don't say this like school isn't a priority but a bigger priority is Brent and me keeping our jobs. I have been meaning to work on math facts with Drew all summer...2 months in and it hasn't happened yet.
4) They need to be a priority. I feel like I am annoyed a lot throughout the day when they need anything - the mom-guilt around how much I ignore them is high. Yes, all their needs are met, and again, keeping employed is a priority, but I just want someone who can give them attention around. {Flip side: I feel ZERO guilt for ignoring Paige's tantrum at 8 AM yesterday over me not giving her a 2nd piece of bubble gum while I was trying to pay attention to a conference call...and failed miserably.}

Do you want your kids back in school or do you want to home school {if you have a choice}?

Turtles All the Way Down

A couple of Sundays ago, I took the girls on a bike ride while Brent and Trent were doing some work on my dad's land. The girls and I stopped at some neighbors' houses to say hi to their kids and visited for a little bit. I decided to take the longer way home so the girls could get more exercise. We barely made it a few houses down the street when both girls managed to fall off their bikes and start sobbing.

I was on my bike trying to console and calm down 2 crying girls while also thinking about how I was going to get us all back home. I decided I would ride my bike and have the girls walk, and we could get on the golf cart and drive down the street to pick up their bikes. Going the fast way home, it would only be about half a mile. 

An older neighbor {who we didn't know} was in her yard working in her flower beds. She saw we were struggling and offered to follow me in her car with the girls' bikes, but I said we could make it. {Why as mothers is it so hard to accept help from others?} Then she asked the girls if they'd like to see her pet turtle, which instantly dried up the tears.

She brought her turtle, Julip, outside and the girls loved getting to touch and hold her. Donna, the neighbor, told us all about Julip and her personality. Then she mentioned she had 2 dogs and the girls wanted to meet the dogs, so her husband brought both dogs outside. My girls were in HEAVEN. They have 2 teenage daughters, so they understood a little something about having 2 crying girls at the same time!

We sat in their yard for about 20 minutes. And it was just what our disaster of an adventure needed to make some very sad girls happy. It also worked out really well that Brent got home during this time and was able to come down in the golf cart and pick the girls and their bikes up!

It's nice to see and experience the bonds of motherhood. I didn't know Donna, but she knew a mother in need of some help. Her small act of kindness was a huge blessing to me and made 2 little sad girls very happy. I hope to be a Donna always.

Drew and Julip - look at that smile!

You wouldn't know they'd both been hysterical 10 minutes earlier!