We
are creatures of habit. We like routine and knowing what is coming up next. This past few weeks (which feel like MUCH longer than a few weeks) has been stressful. I am usually a pretty laid-back person, meaning I am relatively tolerant of schedule changes and new things. However, that doesn't mean it hasn't been stressful. I'm usually good at looking calm on the outside, and for those of you who are like me that way, that means other people might not be able to tell how you really feel in the inside. People describe this as a stream that looks still on the top, but the water is still moving in the undercurrent.
As a teacher, this has completely upended how we usually run our classrooms and, honestly, our entire concept of school. Last year, I completed my George Mason graduate degree in (coincidentally) Designing Digital Learning in Schools. I feel like I'm comfortable with this idea of teaching remotely. However, in my classes, we had lots of time to design learning experiences. This has been a complete change for us, so we truly appreciate patience from everyone as your teachers figure out how we're going to make sure school still feels like a safe, comfortable place to come and learn each day. We're working on it and will definitely make mistakes as we go.
As a Mom, I am having to change my routines as well. Our normal bedtimes are pretty much out the window right now we we try to figure out how to best make sure we're getting in as much family time as we can while also getting our learning time and showering time and Girl Scout time and FaceTime with distant family time. We used to have a set schedule every day of the week, and that was busy with gymnastics, Girl Scouts, work, meetings, and homework, but it was comfortable, because we were used to it.
Now, our schedule kind of changes every day because Mr. Arnwine and I have different meeting schedules each day. Our daily schedule also changes depending on the weather! If it is nice outside, I tell my girls to pause and get some PE time in by riding bikes or playing in the yard. We can catch up on online work when it's cold, dark, or rainy, right? We need to embrace the flexibility a little bit more. It might be uncomfortable, but right now, it's healthier for us to roll with it than stay rigid and fixed in our expectations.
However we find our flexibility, it's something that we need to work on together. This requires us to recognize that our expectations of ourselves and of other people may need to loosen up a little bit. We're used to certain things, and when all of our routines change, we need to show our patience with ourselves and others. We can be sad about the changes. That's normal. It is normal to grieve (and miss) what used to be. My emotions come in waves: I feel sad. I feel happy. I am grateful. I'm still changing and growing - and I will continue to make mistakes. But mistakes are proof that we're trying, right? And you usually learn more from mistakes and hard work than if everything is easy. Let's grow together!
As a Mom, I am having to change my routines as well. Our normal bedtimes are pretty much out the window right now we we try to figure out how to best make sure we're getting in as much family time as we can while also getting our learning time and showering time and Girl Scout time and FaceTime with distant family time. We used to have a set schedule every day of the week, and that was busy with gymnastics, Girl Scouts, work, meetings, and homework, but it was comfortable, because we were used to it.
However we find our flexibility, it's something that we need to work on together. This requires us to recognize that our expectations of ourselves and of other people may need to loosen up a little bit. We're used to certain things, and when all of our routines change, we need to show our patience with ourselves and others. We can be sad about the changes. That's normal. It is normal to grieve (and miss) what used to be. My emotions come in waves: I feel sad. I feel happy. I am grateful. I'm still changing and growing - and I will continue to make mistakes. But mistakes are proof that we're trying, right? And you usually learn more from mistakes and hard work than if everything is easy. Let's grow together!
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