COVID-19 e-Learning, help please, and thank you

Hello, is there anyone out there to help me?

I am a mother of a child with ADHD and High Function Autism.

As we are all collectively facing COVID-19 and quarantine, I often wonder how other parents with children who have the same or similar challenges are surviving.

Between the multiple areas to see if the homework in updated and which lesson belongs to which teacher, do I need to search in Seesaw or Google Classroom or look on YouTube to learn how to read music, which by the way I have no clue how to read. So today, we are going to learn by listening.

Now I must admit we are receiving multiple emails and zoom support. Virtual birthday wishes, continuous IEP updates.

A weekly syllabus of assignments arrives on Monday afternoons.

All homework should be submitted Sunday by 11:50 pm.

I can see how strategically these things were put in place to aid us, parents. However, spoiler alert the movie does not play out the same at home, or in my mind.

Mommy's New Anthem

When a child deals with certain neurological disorders, it goes a bit differently. Let me explain in terms that it may make more sense to the readers. I like to call it "Stop that, Sit down, Focus, and You're hungry again, We've been on one assignment for two hours?" Anthem.

We do have a daily routine, ok well most days we try very hard to keep a daily routine.

We work on the break reward system. That's when you turn in an assignment, and you can have fifteen minutes to choose what you would like to do. Yep, that has not worked out too well. There's the breaking the new 18 assignments for this week alone and divide them into five days routines and a reward. See how I am working on math. Yes, this has proven to be an Epic fail.

Let us not forget the writing on the makeshift chalkboard, the subjects your child would like to do first. That gets to be challenging when you find out lunch and gym are their favorite subjects.

Ok, let us tackle the old assignments you are missing approach, well wait a damn minute when, and how did these assignments get added to the list.

I feel horrible when I have to explain to my son, so mom forgot to check the one hundred and twelve different areas for designated work to be completed.

Breathe, This too shall past.

I try not to let my son see my frustration and disappointment in myself.

When you find yourself looking at the assignments and scratching your head wondering, what do I do now?

Parents with special needs children have to find very creative ways to break the instructions down into one step at a time. So it does not become overwhelming for the child. But most time, I have to Google what they are asking because frankly, its more complicated than it needs to be.

Google has become my tutor, my best friend, my companion, and I think I have a new man in my life. Google better put a ring on it because Google and I are spending a lot of quality time together here lately.

As, I am trying not to panic, and not allow my anxiety to kick into overdrive. Because let us all be brutally honest who wants the parent who contributes to their children failing the 5th grade, I am not so sure anymore if I am smarter than a fifth-grader?

Our relief is on the horizon.

One more week, hip hip hooray summer. Well, at least for my son, summer break is welcomed right now. In the last few months, while in quarantine, it has and continues to be a mental strain, and attempting to add a full-time teacher to the list has been anything shy of a miracle.

I continue to learn more about my son and my self, the dedication of his teachers, the real love for my kiddo. I realized even more teachers should be earning six figures period. Also, fifth-grade homework is more robust than I thought. Personally, single parenting, parenting, in general, is hard, a complete understatement of an enormous portion, not to mention children with special needs. This journey had me questioned my mental health at times, and the need for school, I mean, is it essential?

Finding humor in this has been a lifesaver. So, When my son asked about a flying object in the sky. Of course, my answer was it's a UFO.

Creative projects, we found on YouTube. Sidewalk chalk drawings. The days we did no work at all, and we spent the day watching all his favorite movies. The moments were, you learn as a parent how to forgive your self, and taking time to self-care is not being selfish, it is a requirement to sustain for your family.

Long walks, of course, with your mask and gloves, and to have the sunshine on your face and the wind blowing ever so gently providing the hugs you need is vital to our survival.

The sheer joy that you experience laughing out loud and reminisce about all the crazy things you did to get through the days of eLearning. I put my earbuds in and turn on the music and walk and dance down the street.

I find my happy place again, waving at the passers-by as I see them laughing with me, honking their horns, and for a moment in time all in well in the world. I guess I choose to believe that I am giving them a little hope as well—that relief is on the horizon for us all.