We are having an adventure!

We are having an adventure!

That has become my new tagline. COVID-19 has us all on our toes, and I am choosing to embrace taking life one day at a time. 

Last Thursday, we got the word that the kids' schools would be closing starting today. The next two weeks they will be doing school work at home, and the third week was our already scheduled spring break. Hopefully, we will be headed back to school on April 6.

Friday, Brad and I spent the entire day at the elementary. I am always proud to be a teacher, but those folks raised the bar on Friday. In less that 24 hours, they sent every child home with differentiated work, books to read, and managed to have school on Friday. Brad and I helped make copies and assemble packets, and I am still marveling at the quality of the work that went home.

When your mom is a teacher, school from home looks a lot like school at school. Brad and I spent part of Friday night making a plan for what the days will look like, and then I helped each kid make a learning plan for the week. Our front door is now is our school bulletin board:

We are a family that thrives on routine, so we set some general guidelines for the days:

 I wanted the kids to feel like they had plenty of choice and voice, but I also don't want them to turn into sloths.

Evan's teacher sent home brilliant work and overall instructions. We just turned that into a daily checklist:

 All of Issa's teachers had separate assignments, and Issa was a little overwhelmed at first. When we actually got it in a table, though, it wasn't so bad:

 The silver lining in this is that we will get plenty of family time! Instead of Mom going to Chicago last weekend, Shannon came here for the next three weeks while her office is working remotely. The kids are learning the kind of self-pacing and self-management they will need in college. I am learning to be more flexible and calm. These are all good things.

Let the adventure continue...