Let's go to the beach
*Let's go to the beach*
The beach is that place where children and adults want to go, well maybe there will be some exceptions with some people who don't like it. For now I don't know any of them, because that immensity of the sea with its depths, waves and sounds, with a particular smell and taste of its salty water. That breeze that roses your face and lifts your hair, all that for me means is the beach, simply unforgettable.
There are those who need to travel from far away to see it, bathe and enjoy it, they choose a time off as a vacation or dates like carnival or Easter. Because they like it among one of their favorite destinations.
My family and I missed a dip in the beach too much, of course we did. I won't give too much explanation about the pandemic we live in, but it is one of the main reasons that had not allowed us to go. Today we woke up very early, so happy this team of four left for the beach, with their bathing suits on and all the necessary luggage to spend a fun and relaxed day.
Of course it is close to us, it was not a trip, but a walk. It is in Lechería "Playa Lido" in the state of Anzoátegui, we decided to go early and although it may sound strange to many people, Monday was our best option and not the weekend as we usually go. A friend who lives in front of that beach, recommended us to go from Monday to Thursday because it is alone or with few people, on the other hand from Friday to Sunday is full and then with this virus I am very cautious of crowds and take into account the social distancing that we must do or maybe I'm crazy.
Well we arrived early at about 9 am, there was not much sun because this is the rainy season. We decided to jog to get active because with this confinement we hardly do physical activities, I love walking or jogging on the beach, we all needed it, so it was a very good choice of both the place and the day Monday.
Then yes to the water, we enjoyed a world although at first it was a little cold, but we know from habit that once you get in that happens and you like it you adapt to the water. As I can not forget my role and I am a mom at last, it was inevitable for me to tell my daughters already teenagers to put their heads in the water that the sea is a healer of any virus, submerged please and they laugh at me.
Well past noon everything began to change drastically, the sky became dark and announced that rain was coming, in the photos you can clearly see what I mean, so suddenly it started to rain, then I ran with my husband to put everything in the car. Then I turned around to tell the girls to hurry up and I see Victoria and Sofia jumping with joy in that rain that was starting, I tried to shout and tell them as when they were younger:
"don't get wet, you might get the flu."
But I saw them so happy and I put up with it, I left them but only for a little while. I didn't take a picture of that moment of happiness, I just kept looking at them and besides I could get my phone wet.
It seems that it is a voice that I always have active in my mind, that does not allow me to forget to be a mom and I always want to protect them from the rain, the virus, bacteria and everything, even though they are already grown up.
So I started my first week of August on the right foot, so that the rest of the days will be even better.
Online Classes: The Reality
Online classes: the reality that enveloped us all in Venezuela due to the pandemic.
**Last Friday, March 13, 2020, a national and even international quarantine was declared due to the COVID-19 pandemic that was already wreaking havoc in some countries.**
**I remember that day because at that time we were at school in a geography expo of Venezuela of my daughter who was in her first year of high school, it was about 11 in the morning when through social networks and Whatsapp groups it became news that in the national chain they had said that the quarantine began in the country and therefore suspended classes at all educational levels.**
We were all dismayed we could not believe it, how to assimilate the news was the confusion of the moment and at the same time the chaos because it was almost time for preschool and elementary school dismissal, the central courtyard was full of representatives and everyone wanted to take their children. Over the microphone, the coordinator announced the suspension of classes until further notice and that the quarantine was beginning, many took out the account and said that in 40 days we would be back in May. And we did not return.
My daughters were my priority, the four of us were inside the car and they asked a thousand questions, they did not understand anything, we turned on the radio to know more and they only repeated the same thing that the quarantine was starting and we all went home; the main question was: will we not have more classes? Will, we not go back to school? It was up to us parents to answer and we did not know what to say.
Thus, in an untimely manner, classes were suspended and to this day that was the last normal day of classes at the school, more than a year has passed. The school was not prepared for that, neither were the students and neither were we parents, imagine the shock, we will never forget this moment in our memory, it will go down in history.
We started this unknown path of online classes, at least for our country Venezuela, where classes are always held in schools. In the first week, there were no activities because the directors and staff of the school began to coordinate how to give the classes, they had no plan, there was nothing prepared and I understand them. But there was no turning back, the classes would be from home, it sounded easy but the reality was different.
Here patience, skills, abilities and ideas to face this without panicking were put to the test, because it was not only the mortification of the pandemic but now who will teach the girls, us parents but mainly the mom. We know that every human being reacts differently and the Whatsapp group of the school exploded on the part of the moms, it was terrible because tolerance and patience had disappeared.
I took courage because the situation warranted it, I have two girls in different grades and there were only a few days left to finish the second term and start the third and last of that school year. First of all, my husband and I documented ourselves about the pandemic and what the quarantine meant because the girls were waiting for an explanation, then we assumed that the classes were at home and the main guide was going to be mom and dad because the teacher would be through the computer or the phone, it was no longer face-to-face, it was virtual.
There is something particular with my daughters and I am not going to generalize because I do not know if it happens to other children, is that teachers and professors for them are like their heroes and what they say is done; then I am not the teacher but their mother and as such, they saw me, the first situation that had to be faced at the beginning of classes at home, because although I teach at the university to older children, it is not at all the same to be a fourth-grade teacher and a first-year high school teacher.
So the first thing I did was to be clear that the adult was me, that just as it was not the school's fault this situation was not the girls' fault either. Patience, as I already mentioned, it required a lot of patience and empathy, yes a lot of understanding because the girls were also anxious about the virus and what the quarantine meant, a real radical change in our lives. So we started this new journey for everyone, the house became a classroom, and everywhere there were sheets, books, notebooks, materials, phones that did not stop ringing, the use of the internet, emails, pdfs, in short, unexpected classes at home.
It was not easy at the beginning, but after a year I make an evaluation of all this time and we have learned a lot, we are more organized and each one has her own space for study, we had to make some necessary investments to adapt to this new mode of classes, the school has improved communication channels and implemented a virtual classroom system, thanks to technological means such as zoom, meet google, classroom google, classes and communication with their teachers is productive, my daughters are defending themselves with all these tools by themselves, they know how to convert work into PDF, send emails, upload tasks to the virtual classroom..
It has been hard, they need to go back to school, of course, they do. This is a different way of studying and perhaps they will never forget this experience, and I will always be by their side guiding them so that they always feel and know that they can count on me.
My admiration to all the teachers for the hard and praiseworthy work they do.
Adolescents at home.
**Adolescence is a stage of changes that occurs between child and adult, normally to speak of age can be said to be from 10 years to 18 years approximately, according to each country and its laws when a person is of age and that has some variation.**
**It is then when physically they begin to experience changes in the first place and emotional changes that trigger a somewhat irritating behavior, incomprehensible because it emerges a bad mood in them quite difficult. All this happens because they observe these changes in their body and mind they feel dismayed, insecure, afraid, of course here also begin to develop their personality that highlights differences in the way they assume adolescence.**
**All people go through this situation and here the most important thing is to have a lot of understanding on the part of the closest people such as parents, siblings and the rest of the family. Without forgetting that we all go through that although in different times, but the changes happen to you the same, although in the past there was probably less communication and it could be considered a disadvantage compared to today.**
**Speaking then of this century, technological period and more loaded with the information where currently in schools there is enough preparation through different subjects, there are the search engines on the web, social networks, books, programs, and friends, yes friends in the life of a teenager today mean a lot. So we parents need to be very careful and be attentive to our teenagers to be the main educational channel for them and not be displaced by this vast information available through these different media and much less by friends.**
**Something that we parents of today's teenagers should be clear about is that we have to adapt to this era and not continue in the past, it is not our life but theirs. Taking into account that it is not easy at all.**
**What does it mean to have a teenager at home?**
**In my real life, I have two at different ages, my daughters are 13 and 10 years old. Yes, I am honest I have felt panic at this stage because they are no longer babies scientifically although in my mind they are my little girls, but there is a reality, hard but the first thing is to accept it, they passed to another stage, they are growing up and I as a mom am the one who must prepare myself a lot. I like to read, ask and clarify doubts with your pediatrician regarding these changes, especially the physical ones because the emotional ones are another story.**
**But even though I get a lot of information to face this period it has been difficult and I am not ashamed to say it because in practice things are different so I focus on my own techniques and the main one is "communication" that I have implemented since I became a mom which has helped me to make my daughters have confidence in me, so I talked to them a lot about the changes that were beginning to happen with their body, what it meant what they had already heard that puberty was. But with the responsibility that I assumed since I brought them into the world, which was to educate them, I did it with patience and love, the results were good because they already knew everything from what a sanitary napkin meant and how to use it to what happened with their reproductive system and apparatus once they developed, in that aspect there was no problem with the explanations and I was able to answer their questions.**
**But I can't say the same about their mood swings, this has been a real uphill battle. You can't imagine how my patience began to prevail more than ever and the "inhale and exhale" to take a deep breath gentlemen because the bad answers or even worse the total silence, don't look at me, don't talk to me, I don't leave my room.**
**I imagine many identify with me. Well, then I resorted to my love to the conviction I have that a hug can alleviate and remove many discomforts, say "I love you" and ask Do you want to talk? Of course, I am not going to lie, sometimes it had an effect and sometimes nothing happened, but in no way I resort to physical or verbal aggressions because I firmly believe that this does not help anything, in fact, my oldest daughter is 13 years old and has never been punished with blows, she has always had discipline from talking about what she did wrong and assuming the consequences.**
**But if we are talking about a teenager where for the simplest things they think the world is ending for them, it is the moment where I speak for the girls where they feel one day the ugliest in the world and another day the fattest, where one day they don't want to go out because none of their clothes they like. That terrible moment when they wake up and have a pimple or pimple on their face and don't want anyone to see them is the stage where they are super dreamers and in love too.**
**Today I wanted to share that facing my teenage daughter's bad mood has been difficult, little by little she has been improving a little bit, but she no longer talks back to me badly, we talk a lot and that is important, I keep her alert about the use of social networks and what this world implies because I don't forbid them, I just guide her and give her confidence but I don't neglect her. This time is nothing like mine, that's why I live in this reality that of my daughter, and well, my 10-year-old daughter is no longer the sweetest thing to have an unfriendly mood.**
**In the end, I firmly believe in the importance of educating with firmness and love, talking a lot, and creating bonds of trust.**
**Do you have a teenager at home?**
When you are the new one in a place. -/- Cuando eres el nuevo en un lugar.
Something common among so many things in the human being is when he arrives at a place for the first time, without knowing anyone and you must start from scratch to relate, set yourself up and know both the environment and those who are in it. Taking into account that people are different, it will be the case that some relate very quickly and others find it more difficult.
*Algo común entre tantas cosas en el ser humano es cuando llega a un lugar por primera vez, sin conocer a nadie y debes comenzar de cero a relacionarte, ambientarte y conocer tanto el entorno como a los que estén en el. Tomando en cuenta que las personas son diferentes, se va dar el caso de que algunos se relacionan muy rápido y a otros les cuesta más.*
Today I will talk from the point of view of children and what it means for them to arrive at a place for the first time, totally unknown and where they do not know anyone. I will tell a true story that my daughter and I also lived with her.
My eldest daughter Victoria when she was 4 years old she entered a new school to attend her second level of preschool. She came from a nursery-preschool where she had entered since she was 5 and a half months old, why did she enter the nursery at that age? Good because I am a mother who works outside the home and had no one to take care of her at home, no grandmothers, no aunts. In short, with a lot of pain, because it hurts a world, I took my girl to that maternal, a very homely, beautiful place full of colors and toys with attentive, loving and pampering teachers.
*Hoy hablare desde el punto de vista de los niños y de lo que significa para ellos llegar a un lugar por primera vez, totalmente desconocido y donde no conocen a nadie. Contare una historia real que vivió mi hija y yo también junto con ella.*
*Mi hija mayor Victoria cuando tenía 4 años de edad entro nueva a un colegio a cursar su segundo nivel de preescolar. Ella venia de un maternal-preescolar donde había entrado desde que tenia 5 meses y medio de nacida, ¿Por qué entro a esa edad al maternal? Bueno porque soy una mamá que trabaja fuera de casa y no tenía quien me la cuidara en casa, ni abuelas, ni tías. En fin con mucho dolor, porque duele un mundo lleve a mi niña a ese maternal, un lugar muy hogareño, hermoso lleno de colores y juguetes con unas maestras atentas, amorosas y consentidoras.*
So imagine the change she went through when I changed her from that cozy little place to a huge school that contained preschool, elementary school and high school in the same place. She arrived as the new one because she did not know anyone and by that time the groups were already formed each one had their friends, so it was not easy to get involved, that was her case, of course the teacher introduces her and all that but it is not the same to treat of having friends that fast just arriving.
*Entonces imaginen el cambio por el que paso cuando la cambie de ese lugar pequeño acogedor a un colegio inmenso que contenía preescolar, primaria y bachillerato en el mismo lugar. Ella llego como la nueva porque no conocía a nadie y para ese momento ya los grupos estaban formados cada quien tenia sus amigos, entonces nada fácil involucrarse, ese fue su caso, claro que la maestra la presenta y todo eso pero no es lo mismo tratar de tener amigos así de rápido acabando de llegar.*
As a mother, I watched her and I realized immediately that she was alone, somewhat shocked, shocked, nervous but she didn't tell me anything, when I returned home I asked her what was normal. How was your first day? Do you like school? What's your teacher's name? And she answered yes to everything, she did not cry or reject school, on the contrary, she was enthusiastic about wanting to continue going, honestly I noticed in her a lot of courage at that moment because others in her case cry and say that they do not want to go anymore, that they do not have friends Well, surprisingly, she wanted to go back to her new school.
*Yo como mamá la observaba y me di cuenta inmediatamente de que estaba sola, algo impactada, conmocionada, nerviosa pero no me decía nada, al regresar a casa le pregunte lo normal ¿Cómo fue tu primer día? ¿Te gusta el colegio? ¿Cómo se llama tu maestra? Y ella a todo respondió si, no manifestó llanto ni rechazo al colegio al contrario se entusiasmo por querer seguir yendo, honestamente note en ella mucha valentía en ese momento porque otros en su caso lloran y dicen que no quieren ir mas, que no tienen amigos, pues sorpresivamente ella quería volver a ir a su colegio nuevo.*
I supported her, hugged her and always trying not to convey to her my concern of knowing her alone without friends, she continued like this day after day, trying in many ways to enter a group and nothing; So she encouraged her to talk to girls who in a way I also saw that they were alone and she did it but nothing else happened. I remained attentive, conversing with her teacher, she did not show low grades, nor was she a distracted girl in class, she maintained her discipline but as a mother I did not feel happy and I know that was what she lacked playing, feeling that she had friends. I do not blame the children, they are not obliged to be friends with everyone and they can choose her groups, they were sad days for me and for her too, although she was so brave that she did not tell me and she never really told me.
*La apoye, la abrace y siempre tratando de no trasmitirle mi preocupación de saberla sólita sin amigos, ella siguió día tras días así, intento de muchas maneras de entrar a algún grupo y nada; entonces la anime a que le hablara a niñas que en cierta manera también vi que estaban solas y lo hizo pero no pasaba mas nada. Seguí atenta conversaba con su maestra, no mostró bajas calificaciones, ni ser una niña distraída en clases, mantuvo su disciplina pero yo como mamá no la sentía feliz y se que era eso le faltaba jugar, sentir que tenia amigos. A los niños no los culpo no están obligados a ser amigos de todos y pueden elegir sus grupos, fueron días tristes para mi y para ella también aunque fue tan valiente que no me lo decía y realmente no me lo dijo nunca.*
So it happened to the following year, it was integrated only a little. He changed the area because he went to first grade, he continued to second grade, 3 years had already passed, imagine how strong the groups of children did not admit a new one, it was there in second grade that a change occurred because I decided to raise this situation with the teacher of Back then and until today I thank her because she applied techniques and games where I managed to integrate Victoria into the groups and from then on she began to have a few friends, one, two, but it was a great start because from that moment on she had more and more each year. Believe me, her face changed from her.
For many, it may be insignificant whether children have friends or not, but my opinion is that it is worth it, they need to socialize with others, talk and play with children of their age that is very important, I never showed disinterest in On the contrary, I took care of that situation without tormenting my daughter and without trying to force girls to be her friends, I just had a lot of patience.
*Así paso al siguiente año, se integro solo un poco. Cambio de área porque paso al primer grado siguió al segundo grado ya habían pasado 3 años imaginen lo fuerte de los grupos de niños que no admitían a un nuevo, fue allí en segundo grado donde ocurrió un cambio porque decidí plantear esa situación a la maestra de ese entonces y hasta hoy le agradezco porque aplico técnicas y juegos donde logro integrar a Victoria a los grupos y a partir de allí empezó a tener amigas pocas una, dos pero fue un gran comienzo porque desde ese momento cada año tenia mas y mas. Créanme su rostro cambio.*
*Para muchos tal vez resulte insignificante el hecho de que los niños tengan amigos o no, pero mi opinión es que sí vale la pena, ellos necesitan socializar con otros, conversar y jugar con niños de su edad eso es importantísimo, yo nunca mostré desinterés por esa situación al contrario me ocupe sin atormentar a mi hija y sin intentar obligar a niñas para que fueran sus amigas, solo tuve mucha paciencia.*
I firmly believe that a child apart from being healthy should be happy, that a loved child will be a confident person in the future. Friendship must be cultivated, there is always someone who can be your friend that is why I have always taught my daughters that when a new child arrives at school to greet him, to welcome him and not make him feel alone.
Today Victoria is a 13-year-old girl, she is immensely happy, she does not have self-esteem problems, or feeling alone and it turns out that she has not only friends but also friends, she is very dear and if she is happy, I am too.
*Creo firmemente que un niño aparte de estar sano debe ser feliz, que un niño amado será una persona segura de sí mismo en un futuro. La amistad hay que cultivarla, siempre hay alguien que puede ser tu amigo por eso desde siempre le he enseñado a mis hijas que cuando llegue un niño nuevo al colegio que lo saluden, que le den la bienvenida y no lo hagan sentir solo.*
*Victoria hoy es una niña de 13 años es inmensamente feliz, no tiene problemas de autoestima, ni de sentirse sola y resulta que tiene no solo amigas sino amigos también, es muy querida y si ella esta feliz yo también .*
I am a mother of two girls who continue to grow and learn every day to be better.
Soy una mamá de dos niñas que sigo creciendo y aprendiendo cada día para ser mejor.
@layac13
