My daughter won’t be attending traditional school for the foreseeable future.
It wasn’t an easy decision. In fact, it was difficult, emotional, confusing and stressful.
You see she’s going into first grade and she’s pretty darn smart for her age.
She’s been very aware of the world in the midst of the pandemic and has been very concerned about the whole mask thing.
On the day that school supply lists came out, she freaked out. Her fear was the idea of going to school with people who weren’t wearing masks.
From the first time she left the house early in the pandemic to now, she goes nowhere without a mask.
It’s not that she’s afraid of the virus. She doesn’t understand what COVID-19 can do to a person’s body. She’s never seen a picture of someone on a ventilator.
But she understands that people are getting sick and there are several important ways to keep it from spreading.
Anna watches television shows and asks if they were filmed before the pandemic because there were more than 10 people in a group, they’re closer than six-feet together and they’re not wearing masks.
When it came to the idea of school, my husband and I had numerous conversations and I even spoke with a couple school board members.
We live in a school district with a very high number of children living in poverty which means for many that returning to school where they get free meals, warm buildings and solid loving adults around them is an important blessing.
So in that sense, I understand the need to have schools open in many places.
The other side of the story is that by returning students to school, the chances of spreading coronavirus to students, staff and teachers increases exponentially.
For me, the idea of endangering staff and my child is more than I can bear.
I know that having my daughter go to school at daycare rather than in a classroom with her peers wont be easy. It won’t be as fun and it will be a challenge but for my family, it’s the right thing to do.
I also am lucky to be able to afford to keep my child at a daycare where she will be taught and cared for in a safer smaller space.
Whether you send your kids to school or keep them home, you make the decision that’s best for you and your family.
I don’t judge people for their decisions. This whole “back to school” season is much different than any other in our history and is certainly difficult.