Mother of the Pandemic Year - No Thanks

I used to eagerly eye spring break's approach on my calendar, quietly rejoicing that there would be time to clean, do a project or two and schedules would ease up for the final quarter of the year. This year my desk was empty - my grades were submitted - and it was March 12th. We were off  - fair week & spring break, happy thoughts & fewer burdens - until everything was cancelled. Fast forward to today.

As the 4th week of no classrooms begins I look back on the weeks of hectic running that consumed January and February with envy. Lots to do with very little time, dates on the calendar that contained multiple places to be - our school/work/home life. Now the calendar is empty and school/work/home are all at home and happening at once. 

GREAT! So much time for projects! Opportunities for crafts! Inquiry based learning at home can happen daily!   HA!

Let's face it, I am a working mom. And I am pretty dang decent at it - if I do say so myself. I love my job. I revel in challenging students to think deeply, to develop ideas, to support those ideas with facts. I love my family time. I am fulfilled when we are together, when we are sharing, when we are doing. 

But never, not once in my whole life did I ever wish I could home school my kids.

In fact, I love daycare. And really wish Youngest could go there now. It's like a magical place where I drop off Youngest, and when I pick her up she is full of new stories and ideas and experiences to share. We can build on them if time allows and I can supplement her learning with activities at home. 

Key word here - supplement. It means something that completes or enhances something else when added to it. 

That's my role as Mom. But Teacher-Mom creates lesson plans to increase understanding and differentiation of shapes, finds stories to read about shapes with no libraries or book stores available creates shape-based art work for the week and games that are based on various shapes. All configured to work around my daily "office hours" for my actual students, late nights working online, and the needs of Teen and Middle - because four-year-olds do not work well alone. Ever. 

All of this is to say that, while I know you are sending me that "great activities you can do at home" post or forwarding me that "10 fantastic projects you can begin now" email out of love... I may hurl verbal insults at the next person that loves me enough to share another "super-fun-easy craft".

While my calendar may be empty - my plate is full, my cup is overflowing, and I am just trying to keep my head above water - like everyone else. Some days I am so frazzled I mix my metaphors! Maybe it's just me - I suspect it's not - but there is pressure to be THAT mom with every share. The wonder-woman of parenting who can do it all even as the world is in crisis, people are losing their jobs, and the death toll keeps climbing. She can even make special crafts that have nothing to do with the learning outcomes set for the week. She's the pandemic-mom-of-the-year. God bless her. She is NOT me. So, let's cut each other a break and recognize that everyone knows what Pinterest is and can find activities should they need them and we can share messages of support instead. Or really funny parenting memes - because who couldn't use more laughter?

BUT....If you happen to have a week or 2 or 6 of lesson plans ready for printing for a 3/4 year-old preschooler, you are my hero and I will sing your praises to the heavens if you share!