Learning and Growing

Our official "home school" day runs from 10-3:45pm. We have two periods before lunch, and three in the afternoon. Each periods has a designated subject but there is lots of flexibility. First period runs from 10-10:45 am, and for Ava and Ezra it is either self-directed Research, or a Writing session with me. Meanwhile, Aiden will do his online math class. After recess, second period runs from 11-11:45, and Ava and Ezra generally do their online math class while I do English and writing with Aiden. Then, it's lunch time

For the past couple weeks, I've been working on essay writing with Ava and Ezra. They haven't really learned how to write an essay, and I am teaching them using a fantastic step by step guide I bought online. Meanwhile, I'm working on writing paragraphs with Aiden. Today we started to writing opinion paragraphs, and its so interesting to see how he thinks and what goes on behind his shining eyes and sweet, mischievous smile.

Poor Abigail sometimes gets the raw end of the deal. I am so focused on trying to ensure that my bigger kids stay on track academically, and Abigail is only four so just doesn't have such a rigorous curriculum that I need to follow. I have bought lots of fun activities and she has been very interested in tracing numbers and letters. But sometimes she ends up doing educational games on the computer. She really enjoys listening to books online, the kind that require her to tap the screen in order to turn the virtual page.

Overall it was a lovely day, all things considered. I had better go to bed so that I'm refreshed for a call that I have tomorrow with a chief executive. There just aren't enough hours in the day!

How is this Passover different than all other Passovers?

COVID-19. What do I say that has not already been said? How do I feel that is different than others feel? How is this Passover different than all other Passovers?

This year, each quarantined family unit will have its own two seders. There will be no larger family gatherings, no conversations with friends about where they are going each night, about which night they are heading to their in-laws, and which night they are hosting for their own side. Each family unit will be having their matzoh ball soup and finding the Afikoman on their own.

Which reminds me: I need to prepare for our seders; both nights for our family of six. It's an odd thought, especially when I planned to host two very large seders and have out of towners stay with us.

I am still aiming to make our little seders special. We bought brisket meat, which I will be making myself for the first time. My mother passed along her tender brisket recipe, which turns out is made using a bottle of Mikee brand sauce. My children are in the process of grasping that it will only be us at our seders. I see the confusion in their eyes, the sense of disappointment at missing the vibrant family gatherings to which they are accustomed. This year, our little seders will have to do. 

How Did This Happen?

We are in isolation in our own homes, condos and apartments.

How did this happen?

It started slowly, gradually, and then almost overnight, everything changed. Exactly two weeks ago, on Saturday, March 14th, it was still up to each family to calibrate the risks, assess for themselves whether it was really necessary to drastically change the way that they and all of humanity has lived since the beginning of time. 

Some families, like ours, had stocked up on toilet paper and preferred keeping playdates outdoors. Others felt this was all a bit overboard, and marched into restaurants and clothing stores, deliberately carrying on with life as we had always known it, purposefully washing their hands of the hysteria that the media had conjured up. 

At that time, HR departments in Ontario still sent managers guidance on how they should approach staff that preferred to work from home, barely masking a sense of reproach for those apocalyptic doomsdayers who wouldn't keep calm and come to work.

On Monday, the leaders still went to work, setting an example for the rest of us. By Tuesday, governments started to tell everyone to stay home and isolate. More and more provinces called states of emergency, and we all retreated into our own little worlds.