This year is not your typical school year. As I sat here today waiting for my children to begin remote learning next week I scrolled my social media. All over Facebook and Instagram, I saw pictures of kids decked out in their first day of school clothes, shiny new backpacks and their masks. Yes, this is schooling in a pandemic thanks to COVID-19. Health checks, sanitizing and masks. This school year will be like no other school year any of us can remember.
Like all parents out there I spent my summer not only moving but deciding if we would be letting our children go back to school or keeping them home to do remote learning. At the witching hour, we chose remote learning. Is our decision right for your family? Who knows. It doesn’t matter though we must all make the decision that is best for our own family.
Why did we choose remote learning?
Health
The one that put the final nail in the coffin to make us choose remote learning was our youngest son’s health. When he was a baby every time he got a cold it turned to croup and turned to us in the emergency room having him hooked up to a mask for multiple steroid treatments. We thought he grew out of it. However last year we had another bout of it. Because of this, we do not want to take the chance with COVID.
ADHD
The second main reason we chose remote learning is his ADHD. Children will remain in the same classroom all day. Staggered recess with social distancing so my son will not be able to run off that excess energy. No movement around the classroom.
As per my sons IEP he is allowed multiple body breaks. He can not sit at a desk for longer than 30 minutes. In previous years he would help hand out paperwork, get to take a walk in the hallways, go to the quiet room if he is getting triggered etc. Sending him to school in this current state is in our opinion setting him up for failure.
Our Bubble
Last but not least we chose remote learning for the safety of our bubble. The government tells us to maintain a “bubble”. Yet children are expected to sit in a classroom with around 27 other children and ride the school bus that they are not reducing capacity on.
Now think of each of those kids’ families and those in their “bubbles”. The “bubble” is pointless now that school is in session. Every single bubble is broken by children attending school. My child if sent to school will not be in contact with 30 other people and their families and their bubbles. PASS!
Remote Learning is OUR choice!
Again this is OUR reasoning, our thinking and our choice for remote learning. As parents, we must choose what is best for our children and our family. We must also protect our family member who is near the end of her battle with cancer. I have no plans to make her end come quicker by passing on COVID to her.
We are also lucky enough that I am a stay at home mom. I know not everyone has the option to even make a decision and are forced into a decision they may not want to make in order to keep a roof over their heads.
This is not an easy time, we are living a part of history right now. So let’s respect each other and support each other. No matter if we are choosing remote learning or sending our children back to school.