I am not shy in my distain for distance learning. I am running in three directions, beholden to the school district’s schedule and rules, only they’re happening in my house! I mean, ok, I do bend/ignore their rules whenever I can, I won’t lie. And I take satisfaction in yelling about did you flush the toilet during science class. But I’m typically stressed out and exhausted by noon and that’s before I’ve done anything to manage the house.

Yes, I get way more hugs from my fellas now that they’re home, but I sorely miss the freedom of an empty house, something I had barely begun to enjoy due to one child’s school struggles and the youngest having only entered preschool.

When at least a couple kids were in school, the weekend felt like more work. No breaks and a heightened expectation on everyone’s part that we’d be “doing” something or going on an elaborate adventure.

The pandemic has actually made me enjoy the weekends again! No zoom, looser schedules, the kids spend more time playing with each other, and since we can’t really go anywhere, the pressure is off to have any fancy plans! It’s like weekends from my own 80s childhood.

“Go play outside!” or

“If I hear any fighting, you’re doing chores!”

We embrace the path less traveled these days.

Here’s a sweet picture of my Littlest on our random adventure to the local cemetery! We have no relatives there. The boys wanted to put flowers on the graves. And now the youngest is obsessed with the Stations of the Cross, something, as an atheist, I am ill-equipped to explain. We’ll dedicate a separate blog post to that!