New Jersey has been hard hit by the coronavirus. During March, April, and May, the kids and I were confined to our home almost exclusively. John did all of our shopping and errands. I was terrified that one of the kids would get sick. Fortunately, the number of new cases per day has been dwindling over the last few months. As a result, I have been considering re-entering the homeschool world this school year.
After months of isolation, we finally started getting outside again in June. We regularly went for walks and visited many local parks. Eventually we started meeting friends at our favorite trail, and we resumed a sense of normalcy. As September approached, I had to make some tough decisions. Should I enroll my kids in activities during the school year or continue to isolate at home?
Some of my children have adapted to the pandemic rules and regulations better than others. My oldest daughter, who is a germaphobe, is totally fine with staying inside our house indefinitely. My oldest son has struggled with feeling bored and lonely. He asks me repeatedly when the world is going to go back to normal. My middle son has been very preoccupied with germs and hand washing. Fortunately, my youngest two don’t really understand or care about the coronavirus.
I wrestled with the decision, but I ultimately decided that we would be re-entering the homeschool world this fall. I think it will be good for everyone’s mental health. However, I still worry about getting the virus. If things get too bad, I can always pull them out again (like I did in the Spring). Right now, this feels like the right decision for my children.
My 5 and 9 year old are doing swim lessons. We had a credit from the spring, so this activity only cost $30 for both children to attend for 6 weeks. My 12 year old son is playing homeschool volleyball. The cost was $40 for 6 weeks. My oldest daughter is taking an art class. This one is pricey. It’s $175 for a 10 week course. But she loves drawing, and I want to give her the opportunity to learn more about her passion.
How about you and your family? Are your children resuming sports and extra-curricular activities? Or are you choosing a more conservative approach?