Had a zoom meeting scheduled for 8 am this morning. Got up early, posted my daily thing to the kids, donned my zoom meeting shirt and tie over my pajama bottoms, and logged on. It was audio only. Got all dolled up for nothin.
Before making my world famous french toast (which was bomb because it always is and has been forever and ever) I went fishing. I caught nothing. But I loved it. Not like thrill-a-minute, loved it, but I loved it. I don’t get to fish much. Even in summer because I am a travel baseball coach and because, life. But I do get some in every summer. Whether it’s landing big ones every few minutes, or just sitting out in the sun/rain/gloom watching a body of greedy water for an hour, I love it.
It got me to thinking about the things we can do and not satisfactorily actually do the intended thing, and still really have a great time. The only other thing I could think of for me is golf. I do it maybe once a year. Maybe. And I pretty much suck. Sometimes it takes like 5 or 6 hours and I hit maybe 3 balls really well. And those shots are pretty awesome, but it’s not really that. I’m usually with family or friends, it’s usually outdoors and I can show off my sweet mismatched socks which are usually covered by leg sleeves. A golf cart and a beverage – good times.
I’m lucky enough to have a few students whose parents are able to really be all in with this distance learning stuff. Shockingly, these also tend to be the students who like doing school. So from them, or their parents, I’ve been hearing a lot. Sometimes they’re worried or their parents are asking if they should be worried about not doing this version of school good enough. And all of these specific students have sent me pictures of themselves completely engrossed, smiling, determined – while doing the work provided as well as some really brilliant home cooked learning. And to each one I say – yes. You’re doing enough. Chill. Relax. Keep doing what you’re doing and don’t add stress because you think you need to win covid school today.
Be a kid. Enjoy what you can. Be proud of your child. Watch the lake and don’t expect a seafood feast. There is no par for this course.
Idealiotic 
I think the message of being enough should be written in big letters and posted on every wall where distance learning happens. I find it challenging to help the parents to accept this message.
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“Covid school” you should trademark that. My favorite sentence is your closing sentence because it pulls from the rest of your piece-the kids and parents, the fishing, the golf. I particularly like the “par for the course” tie in.
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Absolutely. And, hopefully, that whole being a kid thing and enjoying life? We’ll be able to make that more of a thing, even when school is in session again.
A girl can dream…
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I love that your students think they have to work hard to show you they are working. You must be really important to them. Very sweet.
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You make such a good point. We are all, right now, able to continue doing what we always do without ringing any bells. We just need to keep doing it. Doing something, maybe keep getting a little better at it. But the stress has permission to leave. There’s other things to stress over so for now, and hopefully it won’t last long, but for now let’s inject some fun and just enjoy learning.
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“Be a kid. Enjoy what you can. Be proud of your child. Watch the lake and don’t expect a seafood feast. There is no par for this course. “
The advice is meat and the imagery is sauce. An enjoyable slice to consume 😉
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I love the last two sentences. I am feeling more stress and anxiety about being a good teacher to my own kids than I am my regular students.
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