“I believe that children are the future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside…”. That’s the tune I belt out at the start of each day of home-schooling!
Well, that’s not completely true. I begin each day before a creature is stirring (not even a kitten) in the house. Since I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis over 10 years ago, I don’t sleep well. I’m knackered by the time Sharon reads the 9 o’clock headlines but deep sleep is rudely interrupted by (sometimes literally) bathroom trips, tingling and leg spasms. My mind obsesses over the silliest of things and I worry about pretty much everything.
This is Joan Time…
I adore this early golden hour! I count out my meds, do my Duolingo, have a silent coffee and eat a healthy, solo breakfast. I select the tracksuit bottoms du jour. I turn on the washing machine in a sanguine bid to finally see the bottom of the permanently full washing basket.
Joan Time is over…
We all scurry to our spots. My husband is in the sitting room (no sneaky daytime TV for me). My son is in the kitchen (no sneaky cups of coffee for me) and my daughter is in her room, with a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door. I press the on button and my laptop teases me with a screensaver of an exotic global wonder. Will I ever get to see the Northern Lights? Do I even want to see the Northern Lights!? I work from the office. This is a very loose term for a desk in the corner of a seasonal junk room. The Christmas decorations have mostly gone and now, Easter eggs and stock from my daughters’ bath-bomb making business are strewn about. Getting to the office chair is a treacherous, obstacle course. I make sure that my web cam does not have anything embarrassing in shot, and start my work day. So, it has been since the start of 2021.
We have had the exciting addition of three felines into the mix. Previously a pet-free zone because of my husband’s allergies, cat teen-mom found us over the summer. When we got a chance to take her to the vets to see if she was chipped, we discovered that she was with kitten! Muffin and Marshmallow were born during the Bake-off final in November. My husband is still allergic.
I am happy that we have no state exams this year. My son is in first year and my daughter is in transition year. They are SO bored. We are all SO bored. Bored and scared. We don’t know when this will all be over and we don’t know what is going to happen next. We don’t know how to teach Spanish!
I’m not a bit fan of the “Things Could Be Worse” line of thinking. What is the good in that?
I do try to be kind and think of others. I do look forward to the weekend, simply because it is a respite from home schooling. I do worry that one of the kids will hurt themselves jumping down a flight of stairs and I will have to bring them to the emergency room in my immunocompromised state. Hang on- that has already happened! I do look forward to the exotic and wonderful things my husband buys when he does the weekly shop and I do look forward to my hour of me-time at the start of the day.
For your homework
Please submit a 500-word essay on how you feel about the video in this link? Remember, there are no right or wrong answers. Answers on a postcard in your best Spanish, por favor?!
Virtual hugs, Joan.
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