Parenting in COVID times

If parenting was a challenge before COVID, now it is about 100% more confusing.  While the parenting "rules" were vague before, they are really blurry and kind of non-existent now. Do my kids go back to school? Do my kids play sports? Do my kids hang out with friends? Do my kids stay home? But it is outside... But everyone else is doing it... But I used to do that... But I normally would have sent him to school... But it makes no sense to me... But why not? But that is not what the rules say... I thought I was allowed. I thought I could. I thought that was ok now. We're all kind of winging it...

Hope you all stay safe... and sane ;)

Parenting: wet football game style

First day of school in 2020.... the Alexander edition

This photo captures the ever-elusive and picture-hating grade 11 student in front of his habitat, and only standing still for a matter of seconds before jumping on his bike to head to school with his friend. Yes, Alexander started his final year of high school today. Wow- I can still remember his first day of kindergarten: since he is born in November, he should have been held back a year but our stubborn and fearless eldest son insisted on going to school at the same time as his friends. Andreas and I left it to the professionals who agreed that he was ready to go to school early**. So, off he went to his first day of kindergarten... We got there early so Alexander ended up being first in line, only to be joined by a boy who was (no joke) a good foot taller than him. I almost cried, thinking that we made the biggest mistake by letting our younger-than-the-rest-of-the-class son go to kindergarten early. Thankfully, when the other kids started arriving, we realized that boy was a good foot taller than almost everyone 😉 and, since he remains one of Alexander's best friends, I can say that he still sticks out in the crowd 😉 

Wishing Alexander and the rest of the class of 2021 a very happy COVID-19 graduating year... 

**In Quebec, the cutoff for each school year is September 30, so all children born after that date start school in the following year. Since Alexander is born in November 2004, he should have started school with the kids born in 2005 instead. Confusing, I know.

First day of school in 2020.... the me edition

 Here we go..... 😉

Yes, I did some online teaching when we shut down in March but, now, it is the real thing. All undergraduate classes are online for this semester but I still have to go in to work with my Master's and PhD students face to face. Honestly, as much as I like the challenge and variation of online teaching, I find it hard to connect with the students, especially when I have a large class and have to scroll page by page to see what is going on. I enjoy the eye to eye contact and the spontaneous communication/discussion. Now, it feels much more "organized" to ask a question (ie: clicking on the raise hand icon/using chat or trying to find who just said something), which can be a bit intimidating for the students. Also, they are not obliged to put their video on so, sometimes, teaching to a bunch of black boxes feels like talking to my kids when they are watching Youtube videos on their phone (ie: no interaction 😉). Plus, I had to change all my evaluation methods to suit online delivery... hope it all works out!

Anyway, we are back and I am looking forward to some sort of routine. I missed my job and those I work with. Keeping fingers crossed that my internet remains somewhat stable and I don't provide any entertaining background adventures for my students 😉

xox

First day of school in 2020... the Nicklas version

Today was Nicka's first day of grade 8. The school staggered all their entries by grade level so it was only his year that went back this morning. I know that I was only able to take 2 pictures of him but, considering that I usually get a hand in the camera, this is pretty good (even though he clearly looks unimpressed in the second picture 😉). 

There are many of his friends that he hasn't seen since March so, despite the cool attitude, I think he was looking forward to seeing them again. 

Again, after the parental "this is school in 2020" speech, he walked off to find his new bubble-class.... first high school start done... one more to go!

Happy Tuesday to you all xox

What is up with all the pictures?