It’s nearly midnight and I’m finally able to write.
The past few nights I’ve spent my usual writing time trying to plan out the next days educational adventures for double trouble (my two kids). I look for things that they can do while waiting to switch out on the computer and make sure that my son has everything in order for his school packet.
I’d be lying if I said that total homeschool is going so much easier for my daughter because I’m spending the time right now reviewing and finding out what she knows and the best ways that she learns. We’ve found all sorts of educational things online that she’s enjoying, for the most part. We did butt heads over a science unit that I found that was not just videos but interactive activities. She seemed interested at first but then lost interest and became frustrated. She didn’t want to do it and didn’t understand why I was making her. I told her that we weren’t always going to be doing fun things and that sometimes school would be doing stuff that she didn’t really want to do but that that was just a part of life. Once things calmed down I realized that the reason that she was so upset with the program was that she was used to being rushed along because in school she has only so much time for each task. When she realized that she could slow down and take her time understanding things and trying things out she calmed down quite a bit.
I’m also learning a lot myself and I hope that the teachers are discovering the same thing I am: we all need a break.
Trying to force this quarantine life to match life pre-Corona isn’t working.
I’m glad that next week is Spring Break and there won’t be the extra pressure to try and fit this new square life back into the pretty round hole it used fit in.
It’s all a jumbled mess, because there is also this feeling that everything is fine and that what’s wrong is something simple and will soon be easily fixed. Then you go out to try and get something that you need and Ta-Da! The world is magically different.
I’ve spent the a very large amount of time hiding out in the greenhouse again this week. My flowers and vegetables are coming along good though.
I’ve seen a lot of people complaining about people being out when they shouldn’t be and I agree that there is a definite lack of seriousness to the whole mess, but I have to say that I’ve caught myself perusing the shelves at the store just like everything was normal and dandy. Of course someone turns the corner with a mask and gloves and the eyes of a panicked maniac on the hunt for lysol and the realization that things aren’t really normal at the moment comes flooding back.
I don’t bring the kids inside the store anymore and they are getting stir crazy. They can’t grasp the reality of the situation any better than anyone else. We’ve taken lots of walks into the woods behind the house.
I’ve bought a few nonessentials. I’ll admit it. They very were calculated non essentials which I planned my essential shopping trip around.
That’s the way life is now.
Like I said before. I’m Ma Ingalls now. My monthly shopping trip (I try but it’s more like weekly) is very carefully planned out with the quickest route around the store while the kids sit outside in the buggy/car waiting.
A Hermitess 