When I first heard schools would be closed for two weeks, over a year ago, I wasn’t thrilled. I looked over at my three kids who were sprawled out on the sofa, surrounded by snacks, drinks, and were eyeball deep in their cell phones and snapped a picture.
I then sent that picture to my sister with the caption: "I can’t live like this for two weeks.” She agreed with me and said she didn’t know how she was going to not be annoyed 100% of the time while her kids were home thinking this was one giant snack-eating party.
It’s kind of blurry, but somewhere in between learning they’d be home for the rest of the school year and when summer hit, we got into a groove. The days got nicer, and I started making our lunches on the grill, or we’d duck out and go through the drive-thru.
My kids liked that they were able to sleep in a bit, and I didn’t hate the fact I no longer had to drive them to school and back. Or to lacrosse practice… or to their friends' houses… you get what I’m saying.
Life slowed way down, we got a few ducks, and when the school year started up again in September, we had the option of choosing virtual learning or in-school learning. All of my kids wanted to stay home and continue doing what they had been last spring.
I was all for it
More than that, I miss my kids when they are gone
The house is too quiet, eating lunch alone isn’t as fun as I remember, and I find myself talking to myself all the time now.
It’s funny that just over a year ago, I was crippled with worry, anxiety, and wondering how I was going to keep my kids on task during this mess. I wanted so much to maintain some normalcy for them — and for me.
And now that things are going back to normal, I’m happy of course, but I’m surprised at how much I miss the life we lived this past year.
