I’m Sending My Kids to School This Fall. There, I Said It.

Maybe you’ve been waiting for someone else to say it first. I am saying it, and I am saying it without apology: I’m planning to send my kids to school this fall if they reopen.

I get that we’re in a pandemic, but there are still a few things that stick out to me—most of all, mental health. My opinion: they need to socialize; the teachers are better equipped at teaching than I am; and, we need our sanity.

My kids love being at school!

They love seeing their friends and they need the socialization. I personally don’t feel like I can give them enough socialization from home. They wouldn’t be the cheerful, happy-go-lucky kids they are without all the friends and adults they see throughout the day. At church, they’re shaking hands, saying hello to everyone and so happy to be around others. I cannot imagine taking that away from them. They want and need to see people.

At school, they can do that. It was a daily routine for them five days a week. It’s good for their mental health, not to mention mine. Let me just say how much I love seeing them happy, outgoing, and overall enjoying life with other people. Especially now, during this pandemic—we want this more than ever.

My two need breaks from each other.

Do you know how hard it is to separate your kids during a pandemic? Hard. They need space—from each other, from me, and from being in the house. They need it badly. We used to take one to the grocery store while the other stayed home, or one would be at school while the other was home, etc. My kids need the break from me just as much as I need it from them. It’s all about our family’s overall mental health.

We are not all made to be teachers.

Now let me just say, teachers are way more equipped to be teaching my kids than I am. Yes, we have resources. Yes, we have Pinterest. Yes, we can Google. But, guess what? We don’t all have the patience to be doing at-home programs with our kids. Don’t get me wrong—if that’s what it comes down to, I will do everything in my being to be the best dang at-home teacher I can be!

I want the best education possible for my kids. I think most of us do. There are a few things teachers do and know that I just don’t—and I am totally fine admitting that. I am grateful for their knowledge, patience, and overall success. Again, they are helping with mental health both for these kiddos and for us adults. It’s a huge balance.

SANITY!!!

Ya’ll, I can’t say this enough! Especially right now. Whoa! Do I need some sanity? Y-E-S. I mean, I love my kids. I. Love. My. Kids. More than anything. I am so grateful to be at home with them and enjoying these once-in-a-lifetime moments with them…but man, I would really enjoy some time to shop by myself, grab a bagel and coffee, and enjoy the little things again. I think we are all seeking some sort of normalcy.

I’m going a little stir crazy and need to get out and take a few moments by myself. It would be so much easier if they were in school. Not to mention, they are getting benefits from being at school and not with us 24/7. They could use a bit of sanity themselves.

I’m doing my best to make all the right decisions for my kids, for my family, and for the life that’s ahead of us.

It’s not easy, but I do feel that sending my kids to school in the fall is the best decision we can make—for our family—at this time. I want what’s best for all of our mental health. I want my kids to socialize and have friends. I want them to get the best education possible. I want sanity in our household. I do not feel this is a selfish decision. It is a decision made with great thought and consideration for what works within our family dynamic and our household.

Parents, we are all in this together and no decision is wrong. Please, weigh this decision carefully and with the most emphasis on what you feel—what you honestly believe—is the best decision for your own household. Family is what matters. Sticking through this pandemic together—no matter what choice we make—will be the ultimate win for all of us.

I want my family to say at the end of all this, “We made it.”

How about you? What are you planning for school this fall? We’d love to discuss! But, also…don’t worry if you’re feeling a little Self-Quarantined From the Weirdness of the Internet. There’s still time to make your choice. And, it will be the right one.