Monday, March 23, 2020

Homeschool Highlights - Social Distancing Edition

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Late Saturday evening, I got to thinking it might be a good time to do a little update for Homeschool Highlights. After all, like almost everybody else, our schedule has changed quite a bit, and we are spending a lot more time at home, and all of our schoolwork is being done at home again.

By the way, if you're a new homeschooler, or a temporary homeschooler thanks to the coronavirus school closings, or even an experienced homeschooler who's making adjustments because your regular support networks or co-ops are closed, welcome! You might want to start here: Suddenly Homeschooling - Pro Tips - Establishing a New Normal or browse my How Do You Homeschool? series. Take a look at the sidebar for my posts written for homeschool blog hop series that focus on some basics and essentials for homeschooling.

 Please leave a comment and let me know if there's anything I can help with!


 Grab a cup of coffee and let's get started!


That's a stroopwaffel warming on top of my coffee cup - such a treat!


Recent news  . . . A lot has happened since I last shared in Homeschool Highlights! Not for our family so much as in the world around us, but it affects us all.

The first weekend of March was interesting because the hubster was sick for a couple of days - sick enough that he stayed home from church and from hockey on Sunday! So our worship team played without a bass player (the other team's bass player would have filled in, but he had to stay home with his little kids that were sick). Of course, now we have been tossing around the hypothesis that hubby actually had the coronavirus that weekend. It's actually not a crazy theory, except that no one else in our household or circles was sick. Who knows. At this time, we are doing our best to stay home and limit our contacts and pray.

We enjoyed a couple of very normal weeks to start the month, with everyone working and all our usual school and church activities. Things were changing rapidly though, and although Kennady was attending her college classes, the college (along with most other colleges and universities in our area) had started sending out communications preparing students for the possibility of classes moving to an online format after spring break.  

Landon and Meaghan with their kids class



Kennady's last day of on-site classes was March 12th. She was originally going to be singing in a recital that day, but due to some sniffles early in the week her instructor cancelled that. 

Our homeschool co-op held regular classes on March 12th, which was also our Open House, but our Board was also preparing for the likelihood that we'd cancel classes if public schools were closed. So it turned out that was our last on-site day of classes. I picked up Meaghan from work and we stopped at the store to pick up a few things - it was insane. There was no toilet paper, no meat, no bread, and I think we might have been the only shoppers that did not purchase paper towels that day. Crazy. I was so glad we were pretty well stocked with most everything we needed, because if we HAD been low on toilet paper we would have been out of luck. I continue to be amazed that people really are buying everything up and causing these shortages.

At least Friday the 13th wasn't particularly unlucky!

On Pi Day, I did bake a pie, but only one. Landon and Meaghan were gone most of the day, and in the evening the hubster and I met friends at a new local micro-brewery and pub for drinks. It was a very fun place and it was nice to see something cool open up that will probably be a big boost for that little town's economy. Hope they are doing okay with all the restaurants and bars closed except for carry-out now. We plan to go back when things open up again. 


And by that time, our state had prohibited public gatherings of more than 250 people, so our churches had made the decision to not hold services. Well, we did have a service, but it was a much abbreviated service that was offered on video. So that was an interesting new experience - our family was the worship team that Sunday, so we showed up along with the pastors and a few sound and video tech people, and we recorded the service at about 8am, and it was available on Facebook and YouTube by 10am. At which time we were back home and in our pajamas! A very long afternoon and evening followed. I did allow Kennady to go to a small Bible study group with her friends in the afternoon, and the hubster and I took a walk down to the creek near our place, so there were a few out of the ordinary things we were finding to do.




This past week has been the beginning of our new "normal", as there were no college classes, and we're all learning how to practice Social Distancing. Spencer's work is under a county government authority, so they were laid off on Monday. Meaghan has been working part time at a clothing store in the mall, and she was laid off on Tuesday, and the malls were ordered closed on Wednesday anyway. Kennady probably won't be working until things start opening again. The hubster and I are still working as usual, since our companies fall under the "essential" definition. Landon still worked this past week and will have work for a little while to come, but he works for a contractor and they will run out of things they can do if the county offices that do inspections and permits remain closed. No other social activities are happening, so we are all spending more time at home. 

With all the closures in our state and the general fear and uncertainty, a simple stop to pick up a few groceries turns into a game of "how many places will I need to stop before I find what I need". We are in good shape, and I've been able to restock on the items we do need, but let me just say I sure hope that there is toilet paper available on Monday!

Since our co-op classes are cancelled for now, this past Thursday I figured out how to teach my high school writing class online. I don't even own a webcam and I am not okay with being onscreen anyway, so I made do with a group document and chat session. At this point it looks like we're unlikely to be back onsite for classes this semester so I'll be fine-tuning that, I suppose.

The weekend was quiet, once again. The whole family gathered in the living room to have church remotely. It's different, but it's fine. And in a way, I think it helps us to focus on what church is really about. It's so much more than the place where we hang out together a couple times a week, so much more than socializing with other believers. Maybe we'll see how much we really need to hear from the Lord, understand that the responsibility to dig into God's Word is on us and our families, and we'll be faithful in living like the Church (God's called-out people) was always supposed to be.

Sunday afternoon the hubster and I headed to a nearby park space and went for a walk. It was good to be outside and in the fresh air. Maybe, ironically, the corona diet and fitness plan will help me develop some better habits?





What's New . . .  A newer link-up that I'm trying to get going here is Twenty-Six Lists.  The current list prompt is "Best Compliments". You can find my list and a place to link up yours at Twenty-Six Lists - You're Doing a Good Job!



More recently, I took on the Five Minute Friday writing challenge, and kicked it off by taking a Ten Day Writing Challenge.



And also new, and just in time to provide me with reading material during quarantine - my copy of the newest Veronica Speedwell mystery arrived earlier this week! I've got a couple of review books I need to finish, but I'm so excited about starting this one!




On my blogs recently . . .

And on my book blog, Just A Second:


A parting shot . . .





This post is linked at Homeschool Highlights hosted by Megan at My Full Heart.



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Posted by Kym at 8:00 AM
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2 comments:

Megan Russell said...

Our lives have changed quite a bit, as well, with COVID-19 and all of the closures. My oldest two public schooled kiddos are home for the remainder of the school year. It's quite a change. Sounds like you are making the best of things! I need to get out and walk more as well, but it has been raining down here in Louisiana!

March 23, 2020 at 1:48 PM
Joanne said...

My husband's job is considered essential too so we're keeping a somewhat normal routine minus all the homeschooling meet-ups. I was relieved to see our grocery store somewhat re-stocked last night though still no paper goods of any kind. I was hoping to find some napkins but told my husband we'll just start using cloth napkins. They don't just need to be save for fancy occasions! :) We're trying to get out and hike/walk whenever we can and that is definitely keeping me sane. I sure hope it has warmed up since yesterday's snow because I want to get outside today and breathe deep.

March 24, 2020 at 6:26 AM

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