As the whole country continues to fight a pandemic of epic proportions, many parents across it are already thinking—and worrying—about the season that's coming next: sending kids back to school. While the government is pushing for full school re-opening, parents are not necessarily feeling 100% comfortable with that.
Mama and blogger Nikki Pennington captured that feeling very eloquently in a Facebook post that has gone viral after being published a day ago. In her post, Pennington talks about how no decision she can make right now feels right, and that the only thing that would feel right is going back to how it was when school started last year when we weren't talking constantly about COVID-19.
The post has been shared over 52,000 times and has more than 1,500 comments. All share Pennington's feelings of doubt and fear about this school year. "I, too, just keep thinking that no option seems all that great at this point and I honestly don't know how to choose" reads one of the most liked comments. Another mom adds "I choked up reading this. It is what I feel. Am I messing them up socially and emotionally by not sending them? Am I endangering them by sending them back? Nothing feels right."
The viral Facebook post reads:
"Nothing I choose feels right.
School doesn't feel right.
Homeschool doesn't feel right.
Virtual school doesn't feel right.
Hybrid school doesn't feel right.
Delaying school doesn't feel right.
Starting school on time doesn't feel right.
Getting temperature checks doesn't feel right.
Having my child wear a mask in school doesn't feel right.
Having to choose between my children's health and education doesn't feel right.
Worrying if I send them to a school that not only looks different but feels different doesn't feel right.
Worrying that later on down the road, having sent them to a school and wearing a mask and getting their temperature checked constantly will somehow impact their mental health doesn't feel right.
Worrying that possibly seeing a classmate or teacher become sick and worrying if that person will ever come back doesn't feel right.
As parents we aren't just thinking about this upcoming school year, we are worrying about how this will impact our kid's health and mental health now and in the future because both of those things are equally as important.
Because the truth is this school year nothing I choose feels right and the only thing that would feel right is school back to how it was last year before all this came along."
Pennington's post is hitting home with some many parents because sending kids back to school, in any form, is a fraught decision, but it is our decision. It is an individual decision and every family's choice needs to be respected.