This past school year and the summer have been challenging for everyone. It's been more difficult than other years because we've got our kids around at every second, and although that's amazing on one hand, on the other, it's been hard to balance. Now the back-to-school season is here, and normally we have a feeling excitement as we look forward to getting our routines back and sending kiddos off to school again. But the world still looks different, which means so does how we feeling about going back this year. There's so much still unknown, and as safety concerns grow, so does the number of questions about how the school year is going to go.
Most of our kids have been out of in-person school since March. Some went back for a few days, but the majority had to finish out their school year virtually, doing classes online and handling homework that way. It was anything but easy — with many parents juggling several kids with different programs for school at home while also trying to work and navigate a changing world brought about by the global health crisis.
Now that school is just around the corner, there are still many questions about the start of school. Some states and school boards haven't released their plans on school — whether it will be fully in class, all virtual, or some sort of hybrid model. Some states are leaving the decision up to parents. This has left many with more questions than answers.
Although it feels like there is no right answer, we wanted to know what parents are doing or planning to do for school and why it is the route they've chosen. We hope to help others feel less alone as they navigate this stressful struggle.
Spreading Happens Fast
We've watched over the past several months how quickly things can spread as case numbers and death rates rise. A new study from South Korea showed that kids older than 10 can spread the virus just as well as adults can. That's something parents need to take into consideration when it comes to the decision to send their kids to school or not this fall.
"We're Not Sure."
There were a lot of parents who have expressed that they're not sure what they are going to do, even this close to the first day of school. "I am undecided yet, I feel it's too early to know for sure but I feel like it will be a combination of both online and in school, definitely feel uneasy but I feel my kids need more structure than totally online and the social aspect," mom Brandy tells CafeMom. "They have been doing well so far but definitely miss their friends."
"We Are Homeschooling, Again."
There are many parents who have, before this health crisis, chosen to homeschool their kids for various reasons. Now that the public school system is facing some challenging times that may cause parents to question safety, sticking to homeschooling seems like the best option for them.
"I was homeschooling before it was cool," Stephanie tells CafeMom. "So, homeschooling again."
"Same here," Elizabeth replies to CafeMom. "And judging by all the emails and messages I have been receiving, the ranks of the homeschoolers will be growing considerably this year."
"Taking One Day at a Time."
"For us, it's looking like one day at a time," Priscilla tells CafeMom. "My partner and I both work from home, and while I've had to step back from some of my work, it's what works best for our family. My son has asthma and frequently picks up respiratory bugs in the fall/winter months so I don't want to put him at even greater risk and am privileged to have the option to keep him home."
She added, "My son is incredibly lonely especially as a single child with busy parents, so we'll see how the numbers continue to go here in Colorado. Parents are truly in a difficult spot. I wish schools and governments would offer all parents more support in these days."
"We're Still Not Sure."
"I run an actual business from home so it's not 'homeschooling' it's 'crisis schooling and management'," Brandee tells CafeMom. "We won't know until closer what the options are, they were saying it would be full-time in school but now that we're back to rising numbers, I doubt that. It will likely be hybrid." She continued to say that what her heart wants and what her head wants are different.
"So we don't know. We can keep them home and that will negatively impact my clients, my business and our income, or they can go to school and we can all get sick," she continued. "Obviously, the former makes the most sense, but it's difficult to shut down what I've been building for three years so, currently, we have no legitimate answer."
"It's a Waiting Game for Us."
"I don't know what to do for the kids going back to school," Adelaide tells CafeMom. "I'm very torn. They both love school and miss their friends terribly. I am immune compromised however and my children have asthma. We have all had our turns being sick and hospitalized."
She added, "Returning to school scares me, not returning to school scares me. I'm so worried that I would fail my children and they would not learn all that they need to. I don't know what the answer is or will be. It is still a waiting game in this household, but I am preparing for homeschooling."
"There's No Right Answer."
"I don't think there is a right or wrong answer but the one thing we do need to remember is to stop judging other people's decisions," Jacquelin tells us. "They want to keep their kids home — good for them! They want to send them — must have been a hard decision — good for them."
She added, "On a personal level — I would like to see them home until this is over but with working parents — it may not be possible."
"We're Planning Distance Learning."
"We will be distance learning," Rylee tells CafeMom. "I want to leave our resources for families and kids who truly need them and keep size small." Rylee, who has two children, one of school age, added, "We have the resources to stay home [and] don't need in person assistance. Hoping to transition back to in person later."
"We Are Sending Them to a Private School."
Another mom says that when it comes to her kids in school, it's important for them to be able to have that structure and routine that school days provide. Lee Anne tells CafeMom she plans on "sending [her kids] to a private school for in person learning. Structure is paramount for us."
"Whatever Is Mandated."
There isn't a nationwide consensus on what the plan is or should be for kids going back to school. Every state, and sometimes it's as individual as school boards, is crafting its own mandate or recommendation, and that's what Frelle is going to follow for her kids. "Senior will do whatever governor mandates," she tells us, and it sounds like the plan is going to be part in-person and part virtual.
What About the Teachers?
It's clear that parents aren't sure what the best plan of action for students is going to be, but this is also a question for the teachers — many who may be more at risk of developing significant issues if they catch the virus. Melissa Hillman, a blogger, has tweeted her concerns about how this will impact the teachers.
What Will Happen To Them?
"Here's what will happen if they open schools," she tweeted. And a thread followed. "1. Every teacher who can retire will retire at the last second making the nationwide shortage worse." Adding, "2. There already aren't enough teachers to teach socially distant classes, & they're CUTTING funding everywhere, so they'll be impossible. They'll blame this on teachers & call it our 'failure,' or blame it on unions for not letting them hire low pd untrained 'emergency teachers.'"
Her Last Point
Melissa continued to tweet, "3. The classrooms will not be sterilized between groups of students, & they will blame this on teachers. We don't have enough time between periods to do it & many have hall duty, prep for next class. We won't be given sterilization tools or PPE. No $$."
What the Experts Say
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its guidelines on what it's recommending for school opening this fall, and it's confused some of the issues that parents were looking at. According to NBC News, "the guidelines lay out the social, emotional and mental risks of keeping students at home and give broad outlines on how to resume in-person instruction in line with what the CDC has already recommended to other entities, like practicing good hygiene, disinfecting surfaces regularly and spacing out students to maintain social distancing."
There Really Is No "Right" Answer
With so much information to sift through and no universal direction that the experts are telling parents to choose, there is no right choice. We're all confused and hesitating because we have to consider the best interests of our kids, the teachers, and others in the family who may be more at risk of contracting the virus. On top of that, we have to balance it with work needs — and face the very real reality that even if we come to a decision before the school year starts, we may need to revisit it a month or two later.
