Back at the Ranch: The new back-to-school blues

COVID-19. Pandemic. Social distancing. Masks. Herd immunity. If you’re anything like me, you go to sleep each night simply praying that you will soon wake up to a day when these words aren’t plastered across all news and social media outlets. Remember when scrolling through parenting platforms meant getting ideas for vacations, laughing about relatable struggles and connecting with others to make new friends and experience child-rearing together? Can we go back to that, please?

Unfortunately, as the weeks fly by with the ever-changing landscape of information on the coronavirus, case numbers skyrocketing and mandatory face mask requirements being implemented at the business, school, city and county level, parents are faced with one incredibly difficult decision: school.

No matter what side of the road you stand on, the decision must be made. Maybe you have your mind made up and are 100% confident in your choice, maybe you don’t truly have a choice to begin with, and maybe you have options but feel paralyzed in making your choice.

The worst part is that once you make your decision, any decision, you will inevitably upset someone else. We have become a community of judges. We have evolved into an opinion-slinging, finger-pointing and decision-bashing society. Everyone wants to weigh in on your family’s plan.

But there is some silver lining. If you look closely, weeding through social media rants about irresponsibility and negative long-term impacts, there is a small light. A reminder to stop the bullying. A push to remember every parent is distraught right now and that no matter what decision is made, it isn’t easy.

We need a perspective shift. We need to lift one another up. We need to brainstorm ideas that lead to success for every path. Here are a few:

Return to School

• Support local businesses: Etsy now has thousands of shops offering face masks and shields for kids and adults. Filter the location down to Lakewood Ranch, Sarasota or Bradenton. You might even be able to get a break on shipping by doing porch pick-up.
• Safe play: Talk to your kids about ways to play with friends when they are at school. Remember four square? That encouraged social distancing before social distancing was popular. Games like red light, green light can also provide fun without risking getting close to one another.
• Hand-washing and sanitizing: Young children love sharing, as long as what they’re sharing is germs. Before heading into the classroom, practice the best ways to both sanitize and wash hands. Hook sanitizers to your students’ backpacks, lunchboxes, belt loops, braids — anywhere that might encourage them to have cleanliness within reach.
• Lanyards and custom water bottles: Snag a couple lanyards to keep masks close (and also to deter trading and keep them off the ground) and custom water bottles for kids to stay hydrated without sharing germs. This is another area where Etsy can be an excellent source for supporting local businesses.

E-Learning

• Connect with other families in your child’s class: Remember flying by the seat of your pants the last two-and-a-half months of the 2019-20 school year? Let’s not do that again. Lean on other parents, combining affinities in certain subjects or backgrounds in education/psychology to help your children succeed. You’re not a teacher for a reason, so don’t be shy asking for help.
• Digital tutoring: Have an older child struggling with a specific subject? A defiant kindergartner who just doesn’t seem to connect with material? Search any of the parent groups on Facebook, and you’ll find a plethora of recommendations for tutoring. The online platform Care.com also has a dedicated division for tutoring where you can find the perfect local fit for your family.
• Socialization: You might be stuck inside with the kids, distanced for protection and inevitably losing your mind a little. Get creative! Have a FaceTime Lego-building play date with a friend, go on a socially distanced nature scavenger hunt at a local park with the neighbor kids, or hold group Zoom calls with classmates to normalize the at-home feel.
• Creative classroom: Kids find it challenging enough to sit still at a desk during “live” instruction, so asking them to stay engaged watching a glorified Zoom conference call for hours poses a whole new challenge. Change up where they sit for class time — let them lie on a bean bag chair, stand to watch (putting their device on a counter) or blow up an exercise ball to allow for some wiggling while watching.

If you choose a hybrid method of learning in Manatee County, you can pick and choose from both categories. Socialize responsibly on days off, and mask up locally for days on-site.

The 2020-21 school year certainly doesn’t look like any other school year we’ve known. We are all traveling down an unpaved road heading on a unique journey, but we will learn as we go.

And if we can say anything with absolute certainty, it’s that we are a resilient community, and our kids will adapt, regardless of the situation.

Carry on, folks — we will get through this!