Today was chaos. Homeschooling is exhausting. Being in a house with everyone on edge is exhausting. Knowing there is not set time when this new world will go back to something relatively normal is exhausting. I can feel my anxiety mount every time my phone dings with an alert from school (my own or my children's).
There was more homeschooling, of course. Some things went smoother. R. completed most of her work without issue. E. had a blast brainstorming reasons why she recommends loft futon beds:1. You can turn the bottom into a couch and put all your stuffed animals on it.
2. You can sleep on the top bunk
3. You can hang things down from the top bunk, like vines, to make it seem like you are in a jungle.
Math was simpler now that I've allowed E. to go to simply solving the problems and checking her work by any means necessary. There was Cosmic Kids Yoga for R., and E. listened to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra (with headphones).
We still spent time outside with the kids. There was a family soccer game, which culminated in changing from the normal ball to a gigantic one two thirds of the way through. We practiced shooting, and after one particularly high shot flew over our fence and down the sharp cliff behind the property line, I went exploring and discovered the tiny runoff for the nearby brook. I took E. with me, and we traipsed carefully along, stepping past discarded soda cans, an old holiday wreath and Christmas Tree, and several golf and lacrosse balls. She was fascinated to see where the water would run when the brook levels rise, and I promised that on a warmer day, we could walk along the trail and see what else there was down there.
I found more virtual experiences for the kids, including a wonderful session with author Ben Clanton, where he drew Narwhal and Jelly from his adorable books. The girls were happy to have me type in questions and suggestions (E. thinks they should have a mermaid for a new friend), and draw their own sea creatures.There were copious amounts of "play dates" today. Both girls had friends who were able to do some variation of FaceTime, which led to many giggles and running up and down the stairs. More veggies were planted, and more bread was made (we attempted an apple bread that I think needs more sugar, less cinnamon).
I got to spend quality time on the phone with a good friend who also happens to be a vice principal at the middle school around the corner. We were going over ideas for our students, ways they could continue to be engaged while not becoming overwhelmed. And we lamented the mommyhood anthem of trying to live up to whatever standards society has placed on us, even in this crazy new normal. I told her about the color-coded hourly chart I'd seen on Facebook, which had been scratched out and replaced with "try to keep kids alive while also working from home and pray they don't start fighting while I'm on a conference call." We agreed that at this point, a little math, some reading, and lots of play to maintain sanity for everyone involved. I realized that adults having connections via voices, and not just texting, is vital to my mental well-being.
I ended the day watching The Goldbergs. This is television gold. It's a throwback to when I was child, when mom and dad made me laugh, when television didn't cause heart palpitations, when silliness was king. I love that it allows me a brief escape from the constant bombardment of terror I feel from the newsfeeds on my phone. And I love that every episode has a happy ending (except when Barry and Lainey broke up, but that was fixed by Schooled, so I'm okay).
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