If they gave out gold medals for worrying, I’d stand atop that podium with pride. No one can beat my ability to worry about things far beyond my control. My mind can spiral about just about anything, but add “sending kids to school during a pandemic” to the picture? Put me in coach! I’m ready for this anxiety to be an Olympic sport!
After months of being online, I remember taking my masked children back to school last year. We were ALL ready for them to be back in the classroom, and though I smiled and took pictures marking the occasion on the front step, I collapsed into a puddle of tears watching them walk away. Had I just dropped my kids off at school … IN A PANDEMIC?!? I was a complete mess.
Doing The Best We Can
The schools did a great job of keeping the kids masked and distanced. It didn’t sound like a lot of fun, but everyone agreed that it was 1000% better than being online all day. Here we are again. The virus we thought we’d beat by staying home for two weeks, seems just as wild as its early days. And again, I’m sending my kids to school IN A PANDEMIC.
I’m mad. I’m sad. But mostly, I’m doing what I do best. I’m worrying.
What Will School Look Like For Us
Who knows how the year may end up, but for now, here is what school will look like for us:
Our area has indoor mask mandates and we are not mad about it. That means, our schools require masks indoors. (Important note: our children don’t mind wearing masks at school. They’d rather wear a mask at school than be behind a computer at home.)
Our schools will do their best to create distance but it won’t be the 6 feet from last year.
The kids will take off masks to eat and their schools are going to give them as much time outside as possible.
My daughter is vaccinated so she won’t have to be quarantined if there’s a case in her class. Depending on the level of exposure we may keep her home to be safe.
Clubs, athletics, and “normal” activities are moving forward … with masks.
I’m sure there are some reading this who will roll their eyes at my worry. Here’s the thing: Many friends and some family members got sick with Covid. Some had mild cases but three were hospitalized, and my former boss died. One friend has debilitating lung damage and my girlfriend who had Covid A YEAR AGO still can’t taste food. While my foolish optimism thinks we’d be fine if we ever tested positive, why would we be careless and get someone else sick? So yeah, that’s why I worry.
Our kids wish they had a few more weeks of summer, but they are excited to start school again. They wear their masks and wash their hands, and leave all the worrying to me.
