In the groove

It’s week two of distance learning. Things are going ok. Most of our glitchy issues seem to be resolved for the moment - although I’m still anxiously awaiting the Verizon hot spot the school has offered to supplement our shitty internet. Things I’ve learned since last week:

There really is no comfortable spot to do work around here. Bobby regularly moves his chrome book from the hallway to the kitchen to our bedroom and never seems to settle anywhere

You can’t have any other devices on wifi when both boys are on their zoom calls in the morning

We need to have more snacks lying around. Also, the boys need to learn to throw away the wrappers of said snacks 

Theo’s “independent work” after his zoom classroom stuff ends around 10:30 AM is way less gnarly (so far) than his kindergarten stuff last year. Go figure 

The small exercise trampoline that’s been monopolizing our dining room for months, mostly unused, has become an essential recess tool

So far, the schedule is fairly relaxed and I feel like I can live with it. I get up at 8, make breakfast and get the kids through their morning routines, then set both boys up to start at 9 AM. Bobby has a pretty good mix of teacher time, breaks, and work in groups. I don’t watch him very much - I worry that he’s really fucking up and I just don’t know it. But every time I peek in on him he seems to be doing what he’s supposed to be doing, so...? It also makes me realize how much of the actual school day is spent on academics and how much is other stuff. Turns out a lot is other stuff. He is typically done between 1-2:15 each day. So far the only after school work has been a slideshow due Friday. We’re half way done with it.

Theo has live instruction until about 10:30 which to me is age-appropriate, and then there’s 5-6 quick, easy assignments we do together on various platforms. Between lunch and these assignments it takes him about until when B finishes up. Then we’re off for the day.

I don’t have any complaints about the way things are being done - I wish this had been in place last spring, although obviously that was impossible at the time. It seems workable - at least for non-working parents. Theo has to be assisted at all times. The BF thinks he’ll be able to do his own assignments soon - I don’t believe this for one second. I can barely figure out where everything is. But at least the online school part I just have to make sure he’s paying attention, which he usually is. 

For now I can still sneak off for walks or lunches, although the BF has been back at his old job here and there, doing mostly favors for his old boss (some paid, some not) so I’ve seen a bit of my future being trapped here alone day and night with two rambunctious kids, making breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day, and make no mistake, it is a slog. 

Our governor says our numbers are dropping and our school district is teasing us with hints as to what a return to school could look like. I don’t dare to dream, honestly - I still can’t imagine how winter, always the height of sick season, will be when things suddenly start getting better. But like all people right now I’m taking some comfort in the fact that our infection rates are not still ever-careening up to the sky. That’s something.