And that's a wrap.
From tomorrow, our schools will be pupil-free for the last two weeks of term, while schools prepare to deliver leaning online. Our PM says school remain open, our Chief Minister says that's right, but no kids. A survey from the education directorate asks if there's any reason I can't continue to work from home or school? I have three.
Our introvert eldest is quietly cheering at the prospect of no school. She'd be perfectly happy just being left to mooch around the house, reading or listening to music, so happily wrapped up in her own space. Barely a thought is given to the bigger picture consequences, for now at least. She's got her guitar lesson via Skype this afternoon, she knows there's no school from tomorrow. I suspect that's about as far as she's projected, all in black and white, no detail.
Master Ten's concerns aren't easy to pinpoint. I suspect he hopes the days will be like when he is home sick - more TV time and staying in PJs all day. He's a kid who deal with nerves and stress in unusual ways, with talking things through not being a go-to method. I have to remind myself of this regularly to avoid losing my calm over one thing or another with his repertoire of reactions. As he rode in the back of the car to school this morning, he asked what it feels like to have the virus. "Am I going to die?", comes the next almost-whispered question.
Our youngest burst - or rather exploded - into tears last night upon hearing about school. She launched into a tirade of a thousand questions about her teacher, her friends, her class, her school, my school, my class, even the librarian. She wasn't taking answers though, pushing us away and refusing our attempts to sooth. I heed her request to not talk about it, and we manage to pull ourselves together to read before bed as usual. There were sad, quieter tears this morning, now thankfully alongside some talk.
So much up in the air for all of us, but feeling like we need to ground ourselves however we can. It's our turn now to sit down and work through a schedule to get us through these next few weeks, and then months. It's scary and new and uncharted territory for sure, but it's not all bad. The sky is wide and blue, the sun shining. I've a stack of great books on hand, plenty to do in the garden and three very capable helpers, an audible account with credit...
There's a start.
