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So, my kid wrote this letter that I sent to our school board, state board, and superintendent reps. And she wrote something in there that is haunting me. She said she wanted lawmakers to think more about the teachers than the kids because they are the most vulnerable.
At first I was surprised because I thought she'd be worried about getting sick. Then I realized that we've had a variation of this conversation before.
When she had a mass shooter drill at school she came home so upset because her teacher told the class she would die for them.
When she had a mass shooter drill at school she came home so upset because her teacher told the class she would die for them.
And she felt so guilty and anxious about the fact that if her teacher died it might be while protecting her and then somehow her fault.
And now she's worried about getting her teacher sick and possibly sick enough to kill them. And my stomach dropped down to my feet.
And now she's worried about getting her teacher sick and possibly sick enough to kill them. And my stomach dropped down to my feet.
I don't think I'd fully appreciated just how traumatic it would be to have her experience a teacher falling seriously ill or dying. What a burden for our kids.
She also wrote how badly she wants to swing on the swings and hear her bff's voice again (her little friend doesn't have reliable internet access so they've been cut off since March) and listen to her teacher talk to the class. And that made me cry.
One takeaway here: parents, ask your kids how they're feeling about all this. For older kids and teens, consider having them write a letter to their elected leaders (state board, school board, superintendent).
It's easy to forget how little control they have in this.
It's easy to forget how little control they have in this.
