One of the hardest things this many months in is explaining differential behaviors by different families to my kids. We'll say something isn't safe and that's why we're not doing it, and then they'll hear that another family is getting to do that very same thing. It's confusing to them (and us!) and hard to explain that everyone is doing the best they can, but also not feel or convey some judgment about it all.
Thanks, I realized that I haven't sat my kids down to talk about the virus since literally March. At this point I think they're pretty unsure what value I'm adding at all to the family!
This is so helpful! I am realizing I have sort of just decided to say 'well we don't know' after any proclamation regarding the future or life as we know it. That has been the sum total of my conversations with my teenagers of late, and the truth is, they do have more to say. My 17 year-old however now HATES that everything gets tied back to the virus. The idea that everything that is challenging etc. is completely attached to this annoys her to no end. Some things would be hard anyway she says, everything is not 'because of the virus' (applying to college for example). I do know that when I remember to check in and let my 14 year-old son just talk about how hard it has been to start high school on line and how challenging it is to try to understand your Spanish teacher as he is cutting in and out, he seems relieved. Reminding him that this is not great, what he is doing is not expected nor necesarily anything but a complete gf he has to get through, he seems to appreciate it.
One of the hardest things this many months in is explaining differential behaviors by different families to my kids. We'll say something isn't safe and that's why we're not doing it, and then they'll hear that another family is getting to do that very same thing. It's confusing to them (and us!) and hard to explain that everyone is doing the best they can, but also not feel or convey some judgment about it all.
Thanks, I realized that I haven't sat my kids down to talk about the virus since literally March. At this point I think they're pretty unsure what value I'm adding at all to the family!
PS: what is K-W-L?
This is so helpful! I am realizing I have sort of just decided to say 'well we don't know' after any proclamation regarding the future or life as we know it. That has been the sum total of my conversations with my teenagers of late, and the truth is, they do have more to say. My 17 year-old however now HATES that everything gets tied back to the virus. The idea that everything that is challenging etc. is completely attached to this annoys her to no end. Some things would be hard anyway she says, everything is not 'because of the virus' (applying to college for example). I do know that when I remember to check in and let my 14 year-old son just talk about how hard it has been to start high school on line and how challenging it is to try to understand your Spanish teacher as he is cutting in and out, he seems relieved. Reminding him that this is not great, what he is doing is not expected nor necesarily anything but a complete gf he has to get through, he seems to appreciate it.