COVIDiary: My Pandemic Rage

I've had it with y'all. We could've saved a lot of lives last year. But no. Granted, there wasn't a vaccine yet, but if everyone had followed the very simple rules of wearing a mask, keeping a safe distance from others, and washing hands, the spread of this thing could've been mitigated. 

Sure, you weren't too concerned because last year's version seemed to strike just old folks or people with health concerns. Disposables, right? 

But this delta variant is hitting children and young people particularly hard. More and more children are testing positive for covid, more are being hospitalized, more are dying. Children!

So what do y'all do? You protest mask-wearing in schools. You protest vaccination requirements for schools and businesses. You send covid-positive kids to school. You're not only bat-shit crazy, you're putting everyone - kids included - in jeopardy. All because you don't want you or your kids to wear masks? Seriously? 

I don't want to hear anything about "freedom" or "God's protection" or any pseudo-science you got off the internet about masks harming childhood development. That's big-time bullshit, by the way. Please check reliable sources. Face it. You failed. You failed every time you - an adult - bitched and moaned about wearing a mask. So of course your little special darlin' feels free to whine about it, too. 

What you're teaching your children by not modeling the importance of the basic pandemic rules is the most dangerous kind of selfish behavior. You're modeling lack of concern for your family and your community. You're teaching them "to hell with everyone else, it's all about me." Great. More of that is just what we need in the public square nowadays.

So, thanks. You've landed us where we are right now. Hospitals full. Children on ventilators. School closures. Immature, life-threatening behavior toward school boards, medical professionals, and educators. 

Yes, I'm in a rage. Hot white anger. 

Wear a mask - certainly in all public indoor spaces. (Yes, that includes schools.) Make sure everyone in your family who's old enough is vaccinated. Stop being the problem. 

All this rage is wearing me out.

COVIDiary: Back to School 2021 vs 2020

 

 

Welp. What a difference a year makes. Sorta', kinda'. 

Though grandson doesn't start middle school until next week, granddaughter starts 3rd grade tomorrow. She told me she is glad to get back to school. Her main teacher from 2nd grade has moved up with the class to provide a smoother transition from last year's virtual school to this year's back-to-campus. 

Most of the COVID protocols are still in place: masks, distance between students indoors, etc., but the kids are so used to it by now that continuing to protect themselves and others doesn't bother them. And this new variant is scary, especially for young children, so I'm grateful those rules are still in place.

I've been putting together a photo book about our 2020-21 coronavirus year. While most of the photos and experiences included - holidays, the lockdown, projects - didn't dredge up too much horribleness, I have to admit the pages about virtual school caused a little trauma. It was hard. Looking back on it was hard. Remembering the internet disruptions, the app-confusions, the tears - oy! It's a wonder we're not all in therapy, especially the brave, wonderful teachers (and they may be - I'm sure they need it). 

But looking over what our children learned last year - yes, even while remote from their classrooms - I'm really impressed. It was most certainly not a lost year, and I know that everyone learned all sorts of skills and adaptability that they'll carry with them from here on out. 

As painful as looking back on 2020's start of school is, my main takeaway is that WE MADE IT! We all survived. Now we're ready to face a still-not-back-to-normal school year, knowing that as long as we keep each other safe through this weird virus- vaccinations, masks, distancing - we can keep going, progressing, growing. 

Compare/contrast, you say? Here you go:

Back to School 2020                                                   Back to School 2021

Set up distance learning areas at home                       Lay out school clothes for school

Ensure all internet access and apps work                    Ensure backpack is filled will school supplies

Practice patience because something will go wrong     Practice patience because something will go wrong

Have plentiful snacks/water on hand                           Bring water bottle (no snacking in school, y'all!)

Pray all distributed instructions have been followed    Pray all distributed instructions have been followed

Get to know your teachers via Zoom or Teams             Get to know your teachers wearing masks

Get to know your classmates via Zoom or Teams          Get to know your classmates wearing masks

Crazed parent as virtual school monitor                       Professional educators teaching, monitoring, caring