Covid-19 has been tough on so many of us. Economically, socially, physically and mentally.
I have greater respect for my children’s teachers than ever before. Trying to help my youngest daughter and son through distance learning for the last marking period of the school year was excruciating.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my children with all my heart. I would lay down my life for them in a milliseconds notice. But trying to help them stay on task was a Herculean feat.
My son Acroboy
Acroboy has ADHD in addition to PDD-NOS. Every day I gave him his medication, but he didn’t take the importance and deadlines seriously. About a month before school ended we discovered he had barely turned in any assignments and was failing four classes and had dropped down to a C in a fifth class.
From that day forward we were doing all we could to keep him focused and working. It really came down to the wire, but in the end he raised his grades.
It was exhausting.
My Daughter BabyGirl
My youngest daughter BabyGirl hasn’t been evaluated for anything since she was four. Back then received a diagnosis of generalized anxiety and sensory processing disorder.
I began to suspect that she might have ADD or ADHD last fall when I went to parent observation week at her dance class. I noticed in all of her classes she had a difficult time following the teacher and staying on task. Her school teacher let me know BabyGirl had been sneaking toys into class and I had increased lapse in concentration and distractability. Her math tutors had to constantly reward her with tokens to keep her focused.
We had started the process to get her evaluated for ADD/ADHD, but then Covid hit. The world went crazy, and everything got turned on its head.
How She Reacted
BabyGirl is at that tricky age of 7/8 when children think they know what they are doing, and get frustrated if you try to correct them. Conversely there are also times she (like other children) would claim she is too little to do a hard task and want a parent to do it for them.
Between lack of focus and her widely swinging opinion of her abilities, we really struggled a lot to get her work done. There were times it would take all day long. I was unable to get a lot of my own work done.
To be honest, there were days I let her schoolwork slide because I desperately needed to catch up.
School finally ended and I honestly don’t know how much she learned. We were all exhausted by it. I couldn’t go back to my tutoring job right away because it was going to be distance tutoring and I needed time to recover mentally.
The Impact Upon Me
Last week our school board announced we would have distance learning in the fall, and I broke down in tears. literally.
Covid cases across the United States are rising. Studies suggest that those of us who have had mild cases may only keep our immunity for 73 days. There have been shortages on toilet paper, meat, sanitizing cleaners and even popcorn and soda (we seriously could not find popcorn for two months).
I read news stories predicting further shortages and disruptions to supply lines. My niece was planning a fall wedding, but has since cancelled it. Some states have paused or reversed their reopening so of the economy. You can see a current map HERE
None of us are sure when this will abate. We don’t when and if they will get a vaccine. Nor do we know if any of the vaccine options being developed will a) work and b) give long-term immunity. We realize now how fragile our lives and economy can be.
We’ve seen great heroes protecting us, and we’ve seen some who should be heroes fail large portions of our community.
How I’m Holding on to Hope
I’m going to paraphrase a professor I once heard. He said that hopelessness and despair is essentially forgetting we have a Savior.
Christ came, not to just atone for our sins, but to help us through our afflictions and infirmities. He knows each one of us on an individual basis.
Between my own depression, health challenges, depression of family members, the rigors of coping with special needs, and other trials we’ve faced, it definitely seems overwhelming at times. I have been driven to my knees with the weight of it all.
My challenges are far from over, but I know as I turn to my Father in Heaven and my Savior, I will continue to be helped to do more than I ever thought I could. Truly “I can do all things through Christ who strenghteneth me.” (Philippians 4:3)
Our Savior lives, and in Him I can find strength and hope and joy.
I know our Heavenly Father and Savior live. They love us. I have felt aid and comfort as I have striven to be closer to them through my trials. I have been blessed by the grace of our Savior whose atonement bridged the gap for me. My Savior’s atonement and resurrection makes it possible for me to return to our Heavenly Father someday if I repent each and every day.
So even though this world seems to be upside down and uncertain, and I find the prospect of more distance learning daunting, I have hope that with prayer, contemplation, planning and preparation we will be okay.
Have hope my friends. We have a God who loves us and cares for us, and a Savior who will redeem us when we turn to him in humility. They will help us overcome.
Stay safe and have a “bee-utiful” day.
How to Escape a Metaphorical Riptide
Catching Up After a Very Difficult Year—Part 1