To Go To School, Or Homeschool, That is the Question?
by Kelly Guidry, LPC-S
In the last few days I have woken up in the middle of the night panicked, cried, called my mom to ask for help, and attempted to tell myself that everything is going to be okay. But, in reality, I don’t know what the fall is going to look like.
Let’s face facts, I live in a dual income household and that means that we are currently scrambling to figure out what to do for the fall school year. Everywhere is handling the start of school a bit differently, but in our area, school will be 100% remote learning for at least the first three weeks. This means rearranging schedules, potential loss of income or use of sick day / time off, and working to be the best homeschool “teacher” I can be to my daughter.
I want to also preface this with my daughter will be in Kindergarten, the start of scholastic journey, the year where a lot of kids fall in love with school, and it will look gravely different.
Despite the start of school looking different, I have some other mind boggling decisions that wake me up in the middle of the night.
For instance, what happens when schools go back to in person?
Do I readily send my daughter to school and run the risk of her exposing or being exposed to someone with COVID?
At five, does she have to wear a mask? Will she get the same physical education, that is so important to development, that she normally would?
Will the days be shorter?
Longer?
The questions are a mile long.
The truth is, I don’t know.
I don’t know the answer to a lot of these questions, and I don’t know what the right answers are. I don’t think anyone knows the right answers. We are facing challenges that have never been tackled before. So when I attempt to tell myself that everything will be okay, am I really just lying to myself? Again, I don’t know.
What I can take solace in is what I do know:
- I know that we are well informed individuals and making the best decisions we know how to make based on information we are seeking.
- I know that I cannot control the virus.
- I know that I cannot make, nor do I ever want to have to make the decisions that our public school districts are being tasked to make.
- I know that between juggling work and schooling our daughter at home, we will find a way.
- I know that it is okay to feel overwhelmed, cry, get panicked, and feel downright stressed.
- I know that my daughter will be well taken care of no matter what happens.
- I know that I can only tackle what I do know and I have to let go of the what ifs.
What do you know?
The last few months have taught me a lot about letting go of the what ifs and working on being more presented minded. I have had to learn to have boundaries between work and family since work and family co-mingle now more than ever.
My encouragement to all the parents who are facing the impossible decision of what choice to make for your family is: Remember it’s your choice for your family, whatever you choose will be a decision based in what you do know and what you can control. Both in-person school and homeschool are reasonable options.
Focus on the things you can control, because you can’t change the things that are out of your control. You will make the best decision for your family. You got this!
If you’d like more support with making decisions or handling remote schooling this fall, we are here to help! Reach out to schedule a virtual parent session.
