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BIT CHIN & MO ANING

#NOW YOU KNOW

By Carol Heath

here are over 1.5 million we are supposed to be able to
kids out of school in handle things, even things like
TCalifornia. I guess I don’t a complete lock down of our
have to tell you that, be honest, state. Some of us have lost jobs,
you only care about your kids some of us have lost businesses,
being out of school. It was okay the list is endless. We have never
for about 2 weeks, the whole faced anything like this virus,
family being together–then this virus that has closed down
crash the kumbaya moment the economy all over the world.
came to a screeching halt. How Don’t worry, I’m not going to get surprised at some of the answers loving way to answer her, “Hon-
long was this going to last? Is political, although I could. This you may get. ey, sometimes we need to put
there a light at the end of the piece is about kids, your kids Homeschooling can be problems in many ways to try to
tunnel? I cannot, no I really can’t and mine, our future. difficult, ah let’s face it and call help you understand the prob-
conjugate another damn verb. I I ask you to set aside your a spade a spade, it SUCKS! As lem in different ways.” Later she
can’t find the answer to that kid worries for just a minute, and I some of you may know from told me she knew why they just
that sold 5 lemons to his mother, know those worries are monu- my past articles, I am a teacher didn’t use numbers, her reason-
3 to his sister, 7 to his father, but mental, but think of our kids, and have been one for over 40 ing, “They just want to confuse
his mother said she only wanted what must they be thinking? years. I still teach English to us and make it a challenge for
3, so how many lemons does the How are they processing every- people from some 250 countries us.” Not a bad deduction, my
kid have left? I hate these critical thing that is going on around online. So, it was only natural little Sherlock Holmes.
thinking math problems. What them? They have been ripped when I told my nephew I would Just remember that kids are
you may ask am I doing figuring from everything they know, no help with the homeschooling. struggling just like we are. They
out critical math problems? school, can’t go outside, can’t vis- Our 7-year-old was given an are confused and want answers
Well, my nephew, who is a single it friends or family, the tv is full iPad and we download a booklet just like we do, and we can’t give
father, lives with me. Every other of doom and gloom about this every week for her to complete. them those answers because we
week we have his daughter, who virus. Have you tried to explain Now, you would think a 40-year- don’t know, and they get scared.
is 7. In order for this child to to your 7-year-old the ramifica- old Marine, he has trained well They may not tell you, but they
reach 8, I volunteered to help tions of this virus? At 7 they can as once a Marine, always a Ma- are scared, you are supposed
teach her, as her loving, wonder- reason things believe it or not, I rine. OOOORAH, but I digress. to know all the answers and
ful father was about to kill her. know they are your babies, but Back to our saga, you would when you seem confused,
I venture to say that there those babies have a rather good think a 40 yr. old that is quiet indecisive and quick-tempered
are a myriad of households just idea of what is going on and they adept at most things and has an they immediately think it must
like ours who have children that don’t like it, not one bit. impressive IQ, and an older than be something they have done
are now schooless, my word for My 7-year-old niece is dirt teacher, would have no trou- or didn’t do. Bottom line, they
the present situation. I don’t very intuitive, I think most ble teaching a second grader but are quick to take the blame so
think our household is that kids that are passed back and you would be wrong, not just a please remember next time you
different from hundreds of other forth between one home and little wrong, totally wrong. want to take that iPad and throw
household with single parents, another grow up a bit faster Since I work all morning it against the wall, because it
grandparents, moms and dads, than other children. We had a and part of the afternoon teach- crashed again, it is not your kid’s
a mixture of all types and sizes conversation the other day when ing online, my nephew usually fault, he’d rather be in school
that are trying to navigate their I was trying to explain a simple begins his lessons, mostly math learning.
way through the “H” word–ho- perfect sentence when she said, and science, then when I am In closing, I would like to
meschooling. Yes, I said it and it “Auntie, if kids don’t get this finished with work, I teach my give a big shout out to some
will most likely be bleeped out of virus then why do we have to lessons, English and reading. people that don’t get enough
this article, after all this is a PG stay home from school?” Out At times, the atmosphere gets credit sometimes–teachers. You
magazine. of the mouths of babes as they very heated as tempers flare. My have a slight taste as to what it
I don’t want to make light say. I didn’t have an answer, but nephew, like I, really doesn’t care is like to teach and I hope you
of the situation, but if we can’t I asked her how she was doing? about the kid and his lemons. have gained a new respect for
laugh at ourselves, then it’s “I miss my teacher, I miss my That is simplified, of course, teachers in general. We work
time to cash it in. I don’t know friends, I miss reading time, but but I think you get the message. hard at our craft and remem-
about you, but I am not ready I really miss my friends the most Again, my niece’s question was ber we are molding these little
to call it quits and just give up And mostest, I hate the corona profound, “Daddy, why can’t people, who are our future, so
on our kids. Make no mistake, virus.” When is the last time you we just add the numbers and say a little prayer tonight for that
they are the most affected by asked your kid how he or she then subtract?” That one floored teacher you know now or knew
this damn virus. We are adults; was doing? I think you may be my nephew, but he tried in his in the past.
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