It seems that during these Times of Corona that the kids are alright.
They seem to be coping better than adults for the most part, as well they should. They should have the luxury of childhood balanced with being informed. We should not task them with our anxiety and stress!
I’ll be honest. I thought my daughter, Addison, and I would butt heads every day. But that has not been the case – not like I thought anyway. The pre-teen blues have gone from deep, dark blue to more of a sky blue. We are managing. We have our separate spaces, but she actually wants to be around me more.
Go figure. I swear kids are a mystery.
Taking it to the source, I spoke to Addison and her friend Baili to gain some kid perspective.
Of course, you have to catch them in the mood. If you have to coax and cajole and pull info out inch-by-inch like a magician’s scarf, then just never mind. But I found a good space.
Both Addison and Baili are in sixth grade. Both normally have a pretty rigorous after-school activity schedule. So, are they in fact alright?
Addison likes homeschooling minus the momager taskmaster of course. (JD Note: She’ll live. This is what moms do!) “More of the quizzes and tests are open book. I like that part.”
Baili, on the other hand, says she does not like the distance learning model at all. It seems like both schools got up to speed fairly quickly, with the girls carrying about the same workload as usual.
However, with Baili, one or two of the teachers are not actively using Google Meet, which makes her feel a little uncertain. The class is getting the assignments without the attention or communication.
Meanwhile, Addison is feeling like there is too much communication, specifically referring to her daily 8 a.m. morning advisory/homeroom. She’s fine with the rest of the schedule.
Even with FaceTime (ALLLLL DAY!), both Addison and Baili miss physically seeing their friends. The isolation is setting in a little.
Just Dance with Mom probably isn’t the same. Both go on family walks. But they need their homegirls. Truth be told, so do the parents!
Speaking of which, can we talk about technology? Xfinity do better! The girls are getting kicked out their classes and contending with spotty connectivity. They both brought this up and feel frustrated.
I even bought the Xfi pods and they aren’t helping! Grrrr! Fortunately, the teachers are understanding.
What about more time with mom? Baili likes having more time “but when you want a break and want to go somewhere you can’t. You have nowhere to go but your room.” Um, SAME!
However, the million-dollar question is, how are they coping with all of this uncertainty?
Addison says she isn’t stressed or scared because she knows she’s staying safe. “I’m a little worried but not as much because I’m not always out.”
I asked if she worries about mommy. She worries about my grocery runs, but knows that I am taking the proper precautions. I assured her that I do curbside pick-up whenever possible and, most importantly, we CANNOT PostMate food every day!
COVID hit a little closer to home for Baili, as her grandmother contracted a form of it. Naturally, it stoked her fears. Fortunately, her grandmother recovering and will be fine. “I was scared at first after my grandma got it. Anyone can get it. Especially kids because we carry germs.”
Petri dishes I tell ya! Now that we’ve integrated gloves and masks into our new normal, she feels safer.
Then there’s summer. Everyone’s plans are shot! What to do?! Addison and I are both disappointed because she was accepted to Alvin Ailey ballet summer intensive in New York.
She told me, “I’m really sad about summer camp. I wanted to go to Ailey so badly!” We agreed that it sucks but safety is the priority, especially as New York is being hit the hardest.
Baili went to Ailey last summer but had plans to go to a sleep-away camp this year. “I don’t like it but If I’m safe, I can just find other stuff to do.”
They seem to be rolling with the punches!
Should they open the economy at the end of May?
Baili: “I don’t think they should. They’re saying the masks work but I feel like they aren’t 100 percent certain. Just because the numbers went down…I just feel like we’re not ready yet.”
Addison: “I think that it’s good but everybody shouldn’t think that it’s over. It’s not and we should still be cautious. You can still get the virus and they don’t have a vaccination for it.”
Welp, the kids are indeed alright. And they have spoken. Stay safe yall!
