I have to believe any parent with school-age children is living in a world of confusion and self-doubt right now.

We have massive decisions to make, and I am constantly second-guessing what my intuition is telling me to do every single day.

Since the moment RPS 205 revealed that 5-day in-person learning would be available for my soon-to-be-first-grade-daughter, my husband and I were sure that was the option we would choose. We strongly feel that her social and intellectual development will greatly suffer from continued isolation from her school peers, and until yesterday, my confidence in that decision never wavered.

I filled out RPS 205's Back-To-School Survey yesterday making our in-person learning choice official...and now I feel a bit sick to my stomach.

Do I not fully understand the risks that go with my child returning to the classroom?

Am I a selfish parent for not wanting to fight the daily e-learning struggle that we faced at the end of the previous school year?

Will my daughter begin to hate going to school because of the weirdness and changes she is faced with every day?

Will the choice that is best for my family put someone else at risk?

It's HEAVY stuff for any parent to think about, and it SUCKS.

RPS 205 is doing everything they can to answer the questions of overwhelmed parents in the face of so much uncertainty, but many parents feel they simply need more time to decide.

An online petition has been started by a concerned parent asking RPS 205 to give us more time to make our back-to-school decisions. The petition in part states;

We need time. We need time to navigate childcare, transportation, employment, and healthcare needs. Additionally, social services, childcare facilities, community partners, and faith organizations need time to create the support programs necessary for families to even know what their options and resources are.

The petition states a good point, and as I write this, over 100 people have signed it, but it doesn't sound like RPS 205 has the advantage of granting these concerns. Primarily, they can't figure out how to manage class loads until surveys are completed and they know how many students plan on returning to classrooms.

WTVO spoke to RPS 205 Superintendant Dr. Ehren Jarrett about the petition and he said; "it is not possible to push back the deadline because the district needs the time to plan before school starts in September".

No matter what choice you make in regards to your kids going back to school in the Fall, don't beat yourself up about it. (Obviously, that is easier said than done, but I need to keep saying that to myself as well). You know what's best for your children and your family, nobody else's opinions should matter. YOU ARE A GOOD PARENT.

Catch Lil Zim on ‘Q98.5 Mornings with Lil Zim & JB’ on Q98.5 from 6:00 a.m. to 10 a.m. Follow her on TwitterInstagram, and Facebook

 

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