Home...school...it’s real

Amazing day for Mac in hospital *just a little 🤮
 (may become a professional hospital photographer with thus light!)

Praise: Emerson is doing well. His numbers to help protect his immune system is still not up, so he is susceptible to infection. Currently we are in hospital for the 3rd week, after Mac’s 3rd round of chemo. Now we are in the safest place, with this virus that has many countries on lock down and so many succumbing to it. We are still awaiting results for Elvin, who has quarantined himself in our master bedroom. He continues to have fevers, but is in good spirits. Just making sure his symptoms don’t get worse, and that my Mama Rosa (mil) and the kids are protected by God’s hands. 

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Now many of you all know my current situation

I trained to become a doctor, got married, we have 3 beautiful children (1 in heaven...miscarriage before Mac), now just full time mom since Emerson’s AML diagnosis. 

Before all this health crisis I was working full time, taking care of my kids and household. Always with extra hands to help from my parents, in-laws and sister. I felt like a superwoman though, as many moms feel. Since this whole stay @ home mandate and school closures, parents who were working full time, have now been forced to still work from home, and make sure their kids complete school task. 

My post for today is in regards to the amazing teachers and stay @ home parents. The news has been fixated so much on the working parent attempting to school their kids, but forgot about the people who do it daily.

Shout out:

✅Pete Goodly (yep my dad, taught)

✅Uncle Jake (my dads brother, who is also my parrain, taught for many years *including some of my patients)

✅Stephen Goodly (my above uncles son, who won teacher of year @ Warren Easton, and was then called to become assistant principal at McDonogh 35)

✅Angie Goodly (wonderful amazing wife to my cousin and spectacular teacher)
✅Beauvoir Ladies (my cousins: Jesse, Leslie & Rosie, all wonderful teachers)

✅Aunt Clarice (currently retired, but was principal for many years, she was highly revered)

✅S.Rice (pastor’s wife and mama to 4, rocking it at home schooling with previous teaching skills)

✅Danielle (my little sister and mother to 2 handsome boys..new to home-schooling but manages to work part time as a nurse and school her kids!)

Quarantine story time with Titi (Pop, Asher, Mia, Manny)

The list goes on

-Teachers 

✅They are not paid nearly well enough. 

I mean many of us expect to drop our kids off and that they will be taught not just the curriculum but the teacher will have to take on other responsibilities.

*Mother/Father figures

*Teaching manners (i.e. manners)

*Counseling (psychological, emotional matters)

*Potentially helping out a child in a financial situation 

*Using their own paychecks to purchase items for their class (rather than the actual school making sure their are plenty of supplies)

Stay @ home parents (mom, dads, grandparent, guardian)

✅Should be paid

✅Often times they do not have ‘education’ background

✅Sometimes this situation varies on reason why

   •Financial choice

   •Public or private school options are not ideal

   •Acknowledgement that your child may need additional help in his/her ability to learn

✅Frustration at the work load

   •your kid is at school for 7-8 hours, filled with learning, then has 4-5 hours of homework 

✅It is not just school work all day

   •cooking

   •cleaning

   •doctor visits

Schooling is like a relationship, it occurs in two sides. This means that just because you drop your kid off, does not mean you are not involved. 

I mean as I explained above my current situation, I just realized how bias the news has been in this particular area. You see I’m sure this entire situation with Covid-19, will be life changing for many of us. 

Let me ask this:

✳️Did you think that you just drop off your kids and then the teachers and staff will teach your kids everything they need and you don’t have to do anything?

✳️Are you, as the parent not involved in the learning that your child is doing? I mean I get it, math changed over night, but that means we as parents need to learn new things (I plan on hiring a tutor).

✳️Do you really think it’s okay to let your kids utilize their tablets, video games or tv all day (like that won’t cause issues)?

 •I mean do you expect them to sit still, like a statue all day?

My best thought though in all of this is where are the home schooling parents at? Why doesn’t the news stations find them to interview. I mean even if you were personally homeschooled, there are so many different formats now and days. I am pretty sure that the many people who decided to home school for their kids, as like a first generation thing, it was tricky, but they found their rhythm. I mean honestly ask homeschool parents how they make learning at home ideal, in a non-pandemic situation. I’m sure the kids who are being home schooled now, are not anxious and overwhelmed with schooling portion. 

I know in my reality I think some parents think weekends are a punishment for us, as we are like stuck with the kids for 48 hours. So we look forward to Monday morning so they can be someone else’s problem. 

So let’s just sit back and think. 

This pandemic is a big deal for many of us, that are affected directly/indirectly. We should do our best to self-quarantine, if the situation arises (my kids currently have to FaceTime both their parents 😩). 

I get it, your overwhelmed, as having your kids at home for an indefinite amount of time, can feel overwhelming. 

✅Enjoy and hold them

✅Let then stay up a little late, and wake up late

✅Learn with them and make it fun

 *have class outside in the grass

  *art work is not just for little kids

  *put on a play

  *learn to play an instrument (my hubby is learning the guitar)

✅Try to understand their difficulties and frustrations

✅Remember they are often a reflection of you (or your spouse)

✅Break out dance session, is fun for the parent too 

Jesus, thank you for your steadfastness in teaching us. For your willingness to be so patient. May we not rely on screens to be our child’s only tool in learning. May we not hold ourselves to such high standards and be okay with failing as we try to help our children grow. For in our failures they will see how success can come from being resilient. May we use you as an example as we lead and teach our children. In Jesus name Amen