Back to School, or Nah?
We are officially in back to school season. Or are we?
Last week we talked about choosing a daycare and all that entails. Trust, diversity and the learning environment were our most important factors, but Corona Renee has added another layer of worry for us parents. Discussing this process made me wonder, what are all the other parents out there doing about schools re-opening, remaining closed and the inevitable continuation of distant learning? For those with pre-school age children are you sending them back to their at home daycares or daycare facilities? I know this is a touchy subject and everyone has an opinion! But this is our reality.
Pre-covid days I can remember the dread of summer coming to an end followed by an immediate excitement of going back to school. Going back to school meant seeing friends you hadn’t seen all summer, starting school team sports and the daily routine of classes and school. I recall the preparation of going school shopping for supplies and clothes and getting my first day of school outfit laid out the night before. Now with Covid-19 in our midst back to school season looks a lot different. Schools are making tough decisions as to whether it is safe to open their doors and how the new safety measures will be implemented on a consistent basis. The University of North Carolina for example, felt they reached a comfortable state and reopened school, campus and the dorms. Students came back, but so did Covid. An unfortunate spike of cases occurred surrounding the dorms and frat houses. So there’s, that. It’s college!
Schools, daycares and childcare facilities undoubtably have the student’s best interest in mind and are doing and going to do everything they can to ensure a safe learning environment. And of course, it is not 100% possible to keep children socially distanced from one another, especially after reconvening them after months of being isolated from one another.
Our daughter has gone to daycare throughout the pandemic. Her daycare has taken specific safety measures to practice social distancing during curriculum, separating the children 6 feet apart, taking the children’s temperatures upon arrival each day, and requiring that only one parent pick up their child on a consistent basis. The days of Kinsley running up to the door to ring the doorbell and announce her arrival are on pause. No longer do we walk in and hear the heartwarming cheer, “KINSLEY”, as her friends excitedly shout out for her arrival. Drop off and pickups are now done outside to minimize the amount of people in the facility.
Their safety measures have worked quite well thus far. At this point I consider the daycare synonymous to the NBA bubble, only essential personnel are allowed in the bubble- the kids and the daycare providers.
Ultimately, Coronavirus is still very active and prevalent in our daily lives. With the proper safety measures and social distancing we hope to continue to allow this one piece of normalcy for your kiddo.
What are your thoughts?
I for one am just so interested in the constant shaming and judgement placed by some parents and non-parents based on the choices they/we are making for our children, but that’s another post.
Where do you fall on this matter? Let’s talk about it.
Love Ya, Mean It,