I’m just thinking out loud really, and allowing my fingers to move across my keyboard. I’ve actually stolen a writing prompt from my own book 365 Days Of Writing Prompts For Romance Writers. ‘What’s on your mind, right now?‘ You see I woke up this morning thinking deeply about parents around the world right now, and how many of us are ‘stuck between a rock and a hard place’ as my own mum would say. Debating what to do about returning our babies no matter how old they are back to school vs the need to earn a living even if there’s a risk to our babies. Then I just finished home school my son about ten minutes ago, left him to get on with whatever six year old’s ‘get on with’ when their parents aren’t looking LOL so I could do some blogs. I got interrupted as I received an email from his school. Since school has reopened a couple days a week around the 12th May, they’ve had just twenty kids return over three classes! Part of me wasn’t really surprised, the other half was absolutely heartbroken that they went back. He attends a small private school with about no more than fifteen kids in his class, so it’s a small school. Twenty returned over three classes has got to be less than a handful of kids per year group, but they are still there! I asked myself why? Why have these kids gone back to school!? If I could I’d baby sit them all I’d do it…then I thought about my sanity LOL.
I’ve read all the articles and listened to all the news reports in every corner of the world, since I’ve been locked down officially since 11th March. The newest worry being the Covid-19 impact on children. Especially, after it was thought that kids are less at risk, seems there’s something else that attacks their body. I read one today, and how it attacks the vital organs. This is what made me decide that my son is not returning until September to school, earlier this month when some opened and the news reports started to surface I just could not do it to him, or myself. Many parents can’t even make that decision, many parents might forced to send their babies back to school. This is what crossed my mind as I woke up this morning. I felt incredibly blessed that I work at home anyway, so it’s not a thing to keep my boy off. But it’s damn near impossible to work as he is young, and not a teenager who understands ‘ I’m working keep the damn, noise down boy!’ My sacrifice is only to work when I should be asleep, and sleep when I should be working. But many parents their sacrifice is actually safety because they need to return to work so their kids have to or must return. I sat with that thought all day today, and even more so when I got an email from the school.
It’s so sad, and I feel incredibly …. what’s the word I wanna say ’empathetic’ or maybe even ‘sympathetic’ towards all parents who have had to return their babies to school. If you are one of these parents reading this my heart and love goes out to you.
This Covid-19 has really shaken up life as we’ve known it for sure, and in some parts of the world governments are handling it very differently. Yesterday, I had a conversation with a friend on Skype in Brazil, she told me her president never agreed to the lock down. (OMG, right) and therefore the death rate in Brazil has been on a steady increase over these last few months. My heart went out to this part of the world. I look at my own native country the UK, and feel that while we were so slow to move unlike other parts of Europe, one thing that we’ve got right is the financial support for those who need it who can’t work. But the health management part has been a bit of a disaster, as for the school’s management. I don’t see or even believe for one second as an ex- high school teacher that kids can ‘social distance’ at all!! And I don’t for one moment believe that when class sizes on average are around thirty in the UK, when I was teaching how they can expect teachers to narrow down classes to less than fifteen or whatever ridiculous number they suggested.
Then I think about the USA, and the outlandish comments the president has made around Covid-19, and even suggestions around drinking bleach!!? *Sigh* right now, I have so many views on what’s going on. And I just hope that every parent out there right now is able to make a decision on the return to school with safety at the fore front of their mind, and try not to let employers push you too much. I spoke to a girlfriend, she told me her kids will return a couple of days a week because her employer wants her to work from home still, but more efficiently. She has two small babies that are five years old – twins, so her work rate has dipped and her employers are throwing a fit. It upset me she is put in this position. Parents, please consider the pros and cons of this all, consider the reports on the impact of Covid-19 on children. Kids can’t and won’t social distance, my son can’t social distance to save his life LOL it’s his personality a very bubbly, touchy feely kinda boy. If he’s sick the whole house is sick, if he has a minor cold.
Ask your employer to stay home, apply for all the financial help your country offers and don’t be too proud to snatch it up!
Right now, I feel like home school should be an option for as many as possible, and the option to remain working from home. This would be my ideal world, and I know for many it may not always be possible. But, my thoughts are with you all.
How has your country or city handled the return to school? Have you sent your kids back? Why or why not? I’d love to hear how everyone is getting on do drop a comment.
Keep well everyone.
And come across some beautiful blogs. I met my co-author via blogging too, and if I had not started here on WordPress, I would not have two anthologies, I’m very proud of, under my belt with her. I don’t get to blog as much as I’ve love to. But the focus of the blog has changed over the years.
Author, Kim Knight 