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Kids Ain't Cheap

But They Sure Are Worth It

Why the Pandemic Affected Our School Choice

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When the pandemic struck, my oldest child was in a public high school.  His school shut down after spring break and offered all online classes.  Quite frankly, the whole experience was a disaster.  All of the teachers were new to online schooling, and the classes had to be put together quickly.  This learning environment was chaotic and confusing.  Plus, the governor told all schools that children’s grades couldn’t be any lower than the grades they were receiving in person, so kids like my son, who were already receiving good grades, lost motivation.  As the pandemic stretched into early summer, we made bold decisions about his education.  There are several reasons why the pandemic affected our school choice.

Why The Pandemic Affected Our School Choice

Why the Pandemic Affected Our School Choice

Our goal is to give our child the best education for the circumstances, which required a different way of thinking for us.

In Person School Wouldn’t Be the Same

Why the Pandemic Affected Our School Choice

Our son is a social kid, and we knew he’d struggle with social distancing in school and being with a smaller cohort of kids because the school was going to stagger which kids go to school on which days.

We Didn’t Feel the Environment Would Be Safe

Frankly, with all we’re learning about COVID-19, we just didn’t feel the environment at school would be safe no matter how many precautions are taken.  The virus thrives indoors with many people, and that’s the environment for schools.  I know many schools are taking precautions, but for us, that’s not enough.

The School’s Online Platform Wouldn’t Work for Us

Our son’s school did offer a completely online option, and at first, we were interested in pursuing this.  However, we learned that teachers will be in class teaching their classes with the students in person, and the online students will watch the class and try to participate that way.

I can’t imagine sitting through an entire school day online, every day.  That means our son would be sitting in front of the computer for roughly 35 to 40 hours a week.  Then, he’d get off the computer and do his homework.  Quite frankly, doing this sounds exhausting.

What We Ultimately Chose

Why the Pandemic Affected Our School Choice

We ultimately decided to enroll our son in a completely online school.  The teachers at this school only teach online, so they’re very familiar with this type of educational delivery.  Just to make sure this option is right for him, we enrolled him in summer school.

The teachers are attentive, calling him to ask if he has questions and encouraging students to text them if they have issues.  Students do most of the work independently, but they are required to go to one class a week per class.  (The teacher only offers one class per week.)

Using this system, our child can do his work in flexible, safe, comfortable environment.  He still engages with the teacher and other students during the online class, but he’s not required to sit at a computer for hours every day.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are several reasons why the pandemic affected our school choice.  We’re still hopeful that the pandemic will no longer impact the 2021-2022 school year and that our son can go back to his public school then.  But for now, we think we’ve made the best decision giving the unique circumstances we are all facing this upcoming academic year.

Easing the Transition of Changing Schools

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If you're child will be attending a new school this year there's a lot you can do to prepare. Here's how to eat the transition of changing schools.In just a week schools will be full of kids running the halls. Though I always remember it being an exciting time of year, for some kids it can be an incredibly stressful time, especially if they’re moving to new school for the first time.

Whether you’ve moved and starting fresh or you’re a brand new kiddo getting ready to embark for the first time, certain things can certainly ease the stress of starting a new school.

Ease Their Minds

Young children will be placed in an entirely new environment for the first time.

It is important to ease their mind in as many ways as you can. Read books about school and reinforce that it is a safe and exciting place to go. There are a lot of great books (The Kissing Hand and the Berenstain bear stories come to mind) that will give the child a good idea about what to expect.

Visit the School Ahead of Time

If you’re able to get into the school a few days before classes start it may be a good idea to walk the halls and give them a layout of where things like the principal’s office is, for reassurance. Make sure they have any medication they may need (especially something like an epipen) and a list of phone numbers where you can be reached (though the office will also have these numbers in case something happens its nice knowing your child has access themselves).

Prepare Them for Emergencies

Older kids moving forward in grade school may already have the safety net of a group of friends moving on with them. This alone may be enough to make the transition easier for them. If they’re old enough to have their own cell phone makes sure they know when to use it (no playing with it in class!) and make sure their contact list is again updated with all important numbers.

Though having mom and dad’s work number isn’t the top contact priority for a young teenager, if there was even an emergency that they needed to get in touch with you they will need it.

Easing the Transition to College

My biggest transition period was definitely moving onto university. Moving from the comforts of four walls to a huge campus was a big adjustment. Just like I did on a tour when starting primary school, my mom, an alma matter to my university, spent a day with me walking on campus and point out where everything was.

I already had my class schedule so was able to walk up to each classroom and know exactly where it was so I didn’t waste any time getting lost in those first few days. I also located other important things like library, student union, student services and university security, covering all my bases. I was much more comfortable on my first day of classes given I had some basic knowledge of the campus before-hand.

Change is scaring especially when totally leaving your comfort zone. Though kids get the hang if things pretty quickly it’s always nice to prepare them in any way we can. They’ll thank us later.