Back to School, COVID Style

Back to school style usually consists of fun fashions, cool backpacks, and rad sneakers. Fresh school supplies, eagerly labeled and organized. Children, while reluctant to get back to rigid scheduling, are also brimming with excitement at being reunited with their friends. This year, in the age of this rogue virus called COVID-19, back to school style is centered around... masks and trepidation. This reality lands with a thud on the desks of teachers worldwide, who are now expected to continue to guide their students through yet more Twilight Zone scenarios.

Never in a million years did I think this would still be going on. I thought summer was going to be normal. Back to school? No worries! I honestly can’t believe that the hottest back to school accessory is a freaking mask. I wear masks diligently, but I hate doing it. It’s so uncomfortable. The thought of my kids wearing them for 9 hours straight makes me want to cry. The schools have gotten on trend by printing custom masks as well. It really is a thing. My children, being in private schools, do have in person classes. My oldest daughter in university does not. The ones going back are very excited to be back in actual school. They never thought they’d say that, and it’s been gratifying for me to watch them come to that realization on their own. Each school has major modifications, with keeping one grade home per week on zoom, in an effort to reduce the amount of people in the building on a daily basis. Two of my kids have the same zoom day, which I’m thrilled about. It will be nice for them to be together once a week, especially after being together nonstop throughout lockdown. I’m very happy they’re going back to a version of normalcy, despite my obvious concerns about the virus spiking back up. My children have a ton of questions for me about how things are going to play out. It’s sweet that they think I have the answers, but I don’t. One of the great lessons from this insanity, is learning to accept that we just do not know. As I told my zen teacher recently, it feels far wiser to be able to admit to them that I don’t know. That no one does, not the teachers, not the principal, and that it’s new for everyone. It’s a learning process for every human, and our job is to follow the rules and take it as it comes. There is so much about the virus itself we don’t understand. There are the mask wars, and the bizarre assumption that outdoor dining is perfectly safe, despite the tables being on top of each other. People seem to feel more comfortable at large outdoor gatherings, yet tremble at the notion of you having six of your closest friends inside your home. Unfortunately there is no formula that’s foolproof, aside from total isolation. One can leave a covid test with negative results, and pick up the virus ten minutes later at the supermarket. Corona has a mind of its own, as we know. But life can’t be on hold forever, and I personally am looking forward to attempting real school. If it doesn’t work, ok, we will all reroute. Such is life; a constant series of events that we are responding to. We can react or respond. Reactivity comes from knee jerk visceral emotion, while response arises from a pause, followed by a wiser decision. Still, as parents, we are being called upon to captain this new ship for our children.

Socially, how will my Freshman son meet new kids, if he can only see eyes? Will this nonsense continue throughout my daughter’s entire senior year of high school? Will my kid be sent home and treated like patient zero, if he has a slightly raised temperature that’s completely non COVID related? What will lunchtime and snack time look like with masks? How on earth can I assume that all the students actually wash their hands properly? I can’t. Again, it’s a reminder to myself that I have no control over this looney toons situation. Look, this remains a national experiment. Some states are failing flat out. My biggest concern is that New Jersey and New York will reverse the improvements we have made. We all want our regular lives back.

Sending love and strength to all the courageous teachers and school administrators, as you wade through these uncertain circumstances. All the bus drivers and custodians too. It’s not fair what’s being asked of you, and I appreciate you all very much. It’s never easy, but now it’s harder than ever. Thank you so much for all you do, to sustain our children and communities. May this year find us all safe, protected, healthy, and at ease. May we find joy and balance amidst the unknown.