Agonizing decision to send kids back to school

Palm Coast Observer
Opinion

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As we come into the middle of July, there are many stressors on our working mama hearts. None of which is more consuming than the battle of "What do I do about school for my child(ren) come August 10?" I personally cannot fathom many more days trying to find the delicate balance of toddler and growing a business, but the thought of sending him to school also makes me uneasy. I think I missed the Global Pandemic chapter in the Book on Parenting.

This week, Colleen Conklin, working mama and longtime Flagler County School Board member, posted a long piece on Facebook that addressed and acknowledged the thoughts that many of our local mamas are battling with right now.

The thing that resonated with me was that the only constant is change. We receive updates from the national, state and local levels almost daily, and changes come at us so fast we hardly have time to adjust.

Below is an excerpt from her post:

"With all that said, remember there is one thing that is a constant in all of this and its CHANGE. Ugh. I know consistency makes everyone feel more secure but unfortunately, it is not a luxury we have right now. Things will continue to change which will modify our plans.

I know many of you continue to have additional questions and concerns. I share those concerns. I am beyond grateful to our administrators who made thousands of phone calls last week to gather additional input. I am grateful for the emails and conversations I have had with multiple parents, teachers, and community members. I don’t have additional information to share with you at the moment but wanted to reassure you staff is exploring all available options under the Commissioners Innovative Plan released last week to provide you with additional options as you consider the upcoming school year."

She finished her letter with:

"I know some of you are worried and concerned. And some are ready to start the year. It is my hope we can all come together and support our students and staff as we move forward. I am grateful for such a caring and giving community. I have no doubt we will get through this together."

I agree. I'm grateful for our community as well. We have some of the best educators, students, support staff, school board members, and parents in the state! We will get through this challenging time with our children loving us just like they did before!

And always remember, you're doing a great job, Mama!