This situation is horrible, but there are quite a few things I am very thankful for as we begin our likely VERY LONG stretch of quarantine and social distancing (Governor Newsom said yesterday that he thinks schools will be closed through the end of the school year. I absolutely cannot wrap my head around that possibility, but I appreciate him planting the seed so that I don’t totally lose my mind when the announcement does come).
So what am I thankful for when it’s only Day 3 of Distance Learning (both as an educator and a parent)?
Well, for one thing, I’m SO F***ING THANKFUL that we got rid of our tenant before all this hit. Our original agreement required he vacate by March 15. That date just passed. Who knows if he would have been able to leave if he were still here in early March. I was so surprised that he left in mid-January and now I’m even more thankful that he is gone.
I’m glad he’s gone because he was a hoarder who didn’t maintain adequate levels of cleanliness during the best of the times. If he had been quarantined in our unit it would have gotten very bad. Also our electricity and heating bills would have been through the rough (because it was impossible to separate those bills out by unit, we just included those costs in the rent. So stupid.) And if the bed bugs had returned? I shudder to think…
I’m also glad because now that he’s gone, we have that space for ourselves. My mom and I painted it during the February break and we’ve set up a little table and chair down there for the parent who is “working” to utilize. We’re also going to put our bed down there tonight. For at least a month one of us needs to sleep down there, with the bed in the middle of the room in interceptors so we can watch for possible bed bug activity. I’ve steam cleaned the floors and baseboards and blown Diatomaceous Earth into most of the cracks (I want to say all the cracks, but man are there a lot of cracks). I feel hopeful that, without all his furniture and belongings, the bed bugs are gone. But I certainly don’t expect that and we’re going to be very careful moving forward. (more on this in a later post).
We also have the refrigerator and I can’t tell you how awesome it is to have an entire extra refrigerator right now. Plus all the storage space in that kitchen. Oh my god the cabinet space. SO. MUCH. CABINET. SPACE.
And another bathroom. A big bathroom! It’s only 400 square down there feet but it feels like a cavern of treasures.
And of course, as we move pieces of our bedroom downstairs (we will ONLY be moving the bed for at least a month), our old room will provide more space for the family. Before that didn’t feel so important, but now that we’re confined to our house it feels like the most precious gift.
So yes, our tenant being gone is something I thank my lucky stars for each and every day (more like every hour).
We’re also lucky that we had no travel plans for spring break. We didn’t even buy our tickets for St. Louis yet and those are our only summer travel plans. We expect that our week at Camp Mather will be cancelled, and the kids will be devastated by that, but it could be so much worse. (I personally, will not be that sad to miss out on Camp Mather, but I feel for my family.)I know so many people who had amazing trips cancelled because of this. My poor friend (a single mom) hasn’t been on a vacation in four years and was supposed to take her kids to Hawaii in a week. She cried for a whole day when she finally cancelled the trip. My sister was supposed to come home from London for the first time in 1.5 years and her trip was cancelled. My mom is devastated. I am also really sad, but there is so much more stressing me out right now that I haven’t had time to be upset by it. So many people missed out on much anticipated travel plans. I know that is very disappointing.
Usually at this time of year we’re doing our final push for the Spring Carnival, which usually takes place in the first week of April. Luckily for me I was so burned out that I refused to attempt any of our regular spring events, so nothing is cancelled, no hard work has been for nothing, and no money was spent on an event that can’t happen. I am so, so, SO GLAD we did not try to put on the carnival this year. Cancelling that would have been a disaster.
I am also very fortunate that I attended that professional development about utilizing EdTech this summer. Almost every tool I’m using to provide distance learning to my students I learned about this summer. I would be way more stressed out about this, as a teacher, than I am now because of that class. It’s a very happy coincidence that I learned so much more about using tech tools to teach during the one year that I HAVE to use tech tools to teach.
And of course, the biggest thing I’m thankful for is that, for the time being, my job, and my husband’s job, are safe. I feel very confident that my job will be there for me when we eventually resume classes. My husband does not feel very confident about his job in the long term (he worries that six or twelve months from now, when the recession hits, and the city is aware of just how hard its budget was hit, he will be let go). I feel more confident that they will keep him, because he is incredibly well respected and I think they would find a position for him even if his current position disappeared, but he doubts that. He believes this is an economic apocalypse and that they won’t be able to keep him even if they want to.
So yes, his job is not guaranteed, but my job is still very secure. Even if my position disappears (I do teach a middle school elective and those are not generally as secure), they have to offer me another position and I keep my Multiple Subject Credential renewed in case of that possibly eventuality (it also gives me more flexibility in my current position). I have been in my district a LONG time and I have tenure and seniority so I feel pretty good.
I know that so many people who will be financially devastated by all this. And I know that the economy is going to take a long time to recover. I think my parents’ retirement is okay and my in-laws is similarly secure (there is a pensioner in both sets), so we’re very lucky this isn’t devastating our parents financially either. So many will be hit so hard.
So yes everything is horrible, and the day to day feels downright torturous (an ADHD mom managing the distance learning of her ADHD daughter, and her emotionally volatile son is NOT pretty, let me tell you), but every hour I am reminded of how lucky we have it right now. And I thought I’d put that out there, in case it brightened someone else’s day.
The aftermath with our economy and recovery worldwide is going to be insane I am sure. I work in animal research and right now I feel very confident in my career. With all of the groups that try and push us out every year. They gain a little ground and then fall back (see ebola outbreak in 2018) this will surely push them back some and give reason for research to continue. The job security is one of things I am most grateful for right now.
I’m so glad you guys got rid of your tenant and fortuitously have this extra space available at this time as well!
I’m grateful that we have a large enough house (1800 sq. ft) that now that my husband and daughter will also be at home during the day (I already worked from home) we’ll have space to spread out. I’m also grateful that we live in the country on a couple acres so we’ll easily be able to go outside without having to worry about distancing.
On the job front, my husband’s is secure for the time being since he works for a large, private company that is very stable; on the other hand my contract work had already slowed down a lot so we’ll see if this causes it to entirely dry up – but maybe that will be the nudge I need to pursue some other things.
I can totally see why you’d be glad to have your tenant gone at a time like this! That’s a blessing.
I also have a lot to be grateful for. We had to cancel our trip planned for spring break, and our planned trip to meet up with my sister and her family in Seattle in July is up in the air. . . but both my husband and I have jobs that are relatively secure (his especially so), and the ability to work mostly remotely. I’m also glad that our sons are 8 years old, not 2 or 3 years, because as hard as it is to work remotely with them home, it would’ve been darn near impossible when they were younger.
Wow! Great work on using the additional space now open to you!!! I join you in relief that ex-tenant is GONE! The trouble and costs and problems you went through are not compensated for but at least a silver lining sliver is seen! The treasure chest of bathroom, cabinets, and a quiet removed area for at least one parent at a time for working effectively from home is immense.
No PTA financial losses are also great, I had wondered. I am reminding myself to look at the change in trip plans as enforced savings and while there are some huge disappointments for now, IF we flatten the curve hard now, those trips can happen later if still important. Hardest will be not getting to see those who do not reach the flip side of this disease.
Staying employed will be really wonderful. Thought about your husband and, while not knowing what he really does, it sounds like he is lawyer and will have MASSIVE experience in crises management of contracts. Contracts and crises management will be ongoing in many companies even if the City cuts staff. He ought to be employable in a way many others will not be. At least that is my hope and perhaps a different perspective. Not really knowing what he does I could be off base but sometimes seeing from a different rock helps people to not fall into the river of despair from their rock.
I think a clear view of what teachers do and the issues that will be exposed with on-line teaching and learning will be lessons learned by both parents and districts. This actually could translate into better pay and flat refusals on the public’s parts to trim budgets by not returning to on-site schools. There may be more teaching done on-line in some subjects but teachers who interact with students will be clearly seen as providing an integral necessary part of learning.
How fabulous and timely that you were in that program this past summer and can be a resource and expert for your school in using those tools. Could really make your value rise at the school and that is a lovely side benefit.
This will be brutal on MANY MANY people. Maybe that will change outcomes and views for later in the year … if you claimed responsibility for good outcomes you get responsibility for the other times too. When lies hurt other people they remember.
I am no longer doing caretaking for son in city; spouse is now home and child, very small space, two adults working from home, child on line …. required medical appointments so no real isolation and if I got sick no physical place (no real bed even) for me to recover. I will say that home alone now is WAY different from living alone was in October. I have lived alone for over 25 years ~~ this is a growth opportunity of the type I dislike. AND I AM SO LUCKY at the same time.
Hanging in and holding on.
PS: Thank you so much to all posting here. You are helping me and you are making a positive difference today.