what life looks like

Last night I listened in to our school district meeting where the board was trying to decide what schools are going to look like in the Fall. After about 4 hours of back and forth, I turned it off with the take-away that no one knows what the hell to do.

We’ve been bombarded by information from every angle, taking space on our social media, emails, TV and conversations. The narrative and guidance keeps changing, with families having to decide for themselves what is acceptable and what is not. Do you stay inside? Bubble with another family? Eat inside a restaurant?

Here’s my advice: Trust. Your. Gut.

That’s right. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing, or not doing. It’s not worth it, and we are stressed enough as it is trying to take care of kids, work from home, and figure out what’s safe and not safe. Surround yourself with people that think like you, that support you and can lend an ear (or drop off wine) when things get tough.

We decided to send our kids to summer camp at their preschool at a gradual pace. We know the teachers and parents. It’s a small in-home school and follow all the precautions. It ended up being a win for everyone. Kids were able to see friends and get back to a routine, and we got a couple of hours to ourselves. We did it because it felt right to us. We know families that have decided to stay home this entire time, and also know families who have sent their kids to school when the pandemic started. There is no judgement, only support and understanding of what feels ok.

The pandemic will not last forever, and while it’s challenging to navigate, remember that everyone is trying to figure this thing out.