DAY 12

I don't know about the rest of you all, but I am running out of enthusiasm for this project. I have tried very hard to keep looking on the bright side. I try finding joy in spending so much time with my family, but I am an introvert at heart. I need long periods of solitude to maintain my sanity and serenity. In this isolation it is difficult to find ways to give myself that quiet time. I think I need to take some long walks by myself. Which addresses another problem I am having.

We are very well stocked with food. On a normal day we have a pantry and freezer full of food. Now we are overflowing with canned goods and frozen pizzas. With no place to go I find myself eating more than I need to. I have gained five pounds over the last two weeks. I try to stress eat celery sticks, but eventually turn to the more comforting peanut butter and banana sandwich or chocolate cupcake. Those cupcakes were amazing but we won't be making them again anytime soon. Too big a temptation! So, walking seems like a good idea right about now. I will be alone, and out of reach of the refrigerator.

Our school teachers and administrators have provided us with some wonderful resources to keep the kids busy and engaged during this stressful time. When I home schooled my kids in the early nineties there was no internet, and not a lot available for those of us who were teaching at home. We had to develop our own lesson plans, unit studies and field trips. I knew very few people who were also homeschooling, whereas today we all know of families who are making this choice. It's wonderful to see the many ways that a home school family can create an educational experience to suit their children.

We have to keep telling ourselves that this, too, shall pass. Our kids will go back to school. We have no way of knowing how long it will be or how the requirements for days attended will be affected. If we can just read and write something every day, and do math activities like cooking or playing games our children will be fine. I think we just have to imagine that we are on a chilly, lonely version of summer vacation. My little chick loves playing school, so it is easy to work with her. Not every child, nor every parent, is suited to homeschooling. I hope that no parent out there feels like they have to suddenly become a teacher, especially when we are all so stressed out already. Our children's mental health, and ours, is so much more important than their grades. Keeping that in mind, I relaxed a little about the playground equipment today.

There are still things to celebrate - my new granddaughter arrived this evening! At 8:13 p.m. Miss Olivia was born after ONE PUSH! Sadly, I could not be at the hospital, but we received lots of pictures and text messages. Mom, dad and baby are all well and will be going home after twenty four hours. I am hoping that we will be able to meet her in person very soon.