JCC Coronavirus Escape Pod (Vent/Emotional Support/Share/Homeschool Help!))

Ooooof.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-55549072

A note for UK parents - given the current lockdown the BBC will start presenting educational programs again to aid home schooling. You can get details at the link. Lessons start on Jan 11.

 

Thanks, will share that with colleagues next week.

As to this new UK lockdown, feels far more ominous.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-55692137 - Children in England can now access books online while schools are closed using a new virtual library set up by the Oak National Academy. For more information and a link to the site see the story.

 

Well, our date to go back into the office got bumped back to 4-1-21.

 

It's definitely how my kid's lives are being effected that's making this hard on me. My eldest son had to do engineering 1 first semester at home and it was the class he struggled with most. I was so happy it was going to be over and also sad because I think he would have liked it in the classroom where it was hands on. Well now he got his choices for second semester. He had to make all his choices back in early Jan 2020 before anyone imagined school would be virtual. He found out Thursday he got engineering 2, but luckily a different teacher I'm hoping that helps and he also got FACS (family and consumer sciences AKA home ec) It was his first choice because he likes cooking. UGH. What a freakin waste! I feel so bad for him because the whole reason he took the class is pretty much lost. Now he is scheduled to go back in the classroom 2 days a week starting March 6th. Since the teachers will be vaccinated. I think it's hybrid, and will be 2 days a week. That hasn't been confirmed. I think it's just a given. Anyway if he goes back two days a week that means he gets one day of FACS in the classroom a week. Monday will always be a day off this whole damn year. They think they kids need extra time to catch up every week because this virtual learning is so hard on them. (I think that's BS my kid's are having no trouble learning online). Then Tuesday and Thursday are ODD class days and Wednesday and Friday are even days. So he'd go in on Tuesday and Wednesday. Then he'd learn from home watching the other half of the class in the classroom on his computer Thursday and Friday. Hopefully that makes sense. To sum it up I just really feel for him missing out on what he should be getting out of his electives, the fun classes! Not to mention all the socialization he needs! He's almost 13, this is a really critical age.

The other thing I'm really struggling with is sports. Both my kid's played baseball before this started. Spring '20 was cancelled everyone missed out no big deal. In fall my youngest got aged out because he turned 7 a week too late to be allowed to play due to their rule that kid's under 7 wouldn't be able to follow the social distancing rules. So I took it upon myself to sign up the youngest for a t-ball class. Outdoors everyone wore a mask and he loved it. My husband would not think of letting the older one play. He doesn't think it's safe. Now there's spring ball in '21 and both my kids are eligible and I think we should do it, even though I get nothing is 100% safe, but my husband won't hear of it. My kids are going to be so far behind in baseball. They don't even want to practice on their own. I am getting them out to play tennis when weather permits, but for whatever reason they have no interest in baseball without their teams. I don't expect my kids to even be good at sports, trust me I never made a team in high school. I was cut, cut and cut again. But I wish I could give my kids a chance, especially the youngest who seems to really like baseball. The kid's whose parent's let them play are getting so far ahead. Anyway that's my Sunday morning rant.

I hope everyone is staying healthy!

 

That is definitely tough, @Runjedirun . I do think it's probably kids and the elderly who are suffering the most with all the isolation and lack of normal activities. As your examples illustrate, kids change so much from year to year and certain experiences can only happen during a limited period of their lives, so even anticipating "things will be better in another year" or something doesn't help the problem of everything that can't just be "made up for" in the future.

 

AMC theaters opened back up in my area, but I'm still not going mainly due to lack of content. I miss that along with hosting social gatherings. I cut ties with virtually all of my co-worker friends because of their unbearably selfish attitudes towards to the pandemic (also some other things, they have all moved on to better jobs than I so extreme jealousy and resentment). That's made me depressed.

 

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your co-worker friends, @I Are The Internets . That definitely makes a tough situation tougher. :-(

I offer myself as your virtual CBS Sunday Morning discussion buddy anytime you are up for it

 

I was out walking the neighborhood with my friend just now. We were talking about the Nationals winning the series less than 2 years ago. It made me think about 2 things. #1 my husband was so sick during that time period I couldn't enjoy the win and I think it's why we do take Covid as serious as we do. #2 I really want a big soft pretzel that you can really only get at a ball game.

 

The last couple of days have demonstrated that I'm a very bad cynic.

A good cynic would not have been the least bit fazed by a national leader brushing off 100,000 deaths, while hundreds or over a thousand deaths continue daily.

 

At this rate in Missouri I am thinking I won't get a shot until summer, even though I'm high risk. It's the worst state at vaccine administration so far.

Goodbye to my hopes of going out in the spring.

 

A licensed psychotherapist and pilot wrote an article about dealing with life during quarantine. Most of it applies to all of us, not just pilots. Maintain your Attitude during COVID-19 using the Big Three | (aopa.org)

 

So glad my earlier prediction was wrong and I did indeed get my shot. Now just waiting on #2.

 

@I Are The Internets

The AMC by us just reopened a few weeks ago as well. No interest in going anytime soon though with perhaps the EARLIEST will consider going to see something is around Memorial Day Weekend to take the kids (especially my daughter) to go see Cruella. But that is only if everything health wise is much safer and even then we might not go as will stay home if it's a D+ release. Just so much easier especially since were still worried our daughter might get scared of it even though it's her new obsession. We have watch that trailer about 6-7 times a day since it dropped.

And @Juliet316 I think the Toilet Paper Wars of 2020 are finally over with. Not only are the shelves seem to be fully stock again there are no longer any limits (at least by us) and they are even running sales on it. We honestly have enough to last us thru the end of the year to be honest now that were all out of the house so more often.

 

Yeah, been able to get toilet paper at regular intervals here.

 

We are really struggling with our middle schooler. I don't know if it's normal teen stuff or teen stuff magnified by the pandemic. He went back hybrid last week and now he claims he doesn't want to do school at home anymore. But he doesn't have the option. School is only 2 days a week in person. Honestly, I feel like he's just being difficult to be difficult. He turns 13 on Thursday. This is just normal adolescent stuff. But it's so damn frustrating and I do think he'd be in a better place if he was in school more, if he could hang out with his friends at school, on the bus, just anywhere. It's not cool to sit 6 feet from everyone while wearing a mask. He even says the cafeteria is silent with "awful" music they play in the background. Anyway he's been on the honor roll for the first two 9 week grading periods and now his grades are slipping! So damn frustrating. And it's going to be a whole new struggle to go back 5 full days a week in the fall. At some point the teacher's have to stop accepting late assignments just because "we know it's difficult with the pandemic".

 

Have you considered getting him some virtual counseling? Does the school itself offer any?

 

My husband called all over today. One place had an appointment in November. Some places just had answering machines and he left messages. No hits yet, but we are trying. There's a world wide crisis, counseling is hard to find, especially if your a new patient.

 

My health insurance company has free virtual counseling that you can do on the phone. Is that something you could look into with yours?

 

Good news, someone returned a call. My son is thinking about if he wants to talk to someone. We aren't going to force him, but he's also got to agree to do some work on the days he's learning from home. The good news is we did find a place that can make a virtual appointment relatively soon if he wants one.