Back To Physical Classes

August 22 of this year when face-to-face classes officially resumed. I could see the mix emotions my children feel as they prepare for school that day. On the other hand, I feel anxious in thinking how would their first day be like. Would they be shy with their new classmates and how would their teachers welcome and introduce them to the class as new student of the school since they are new to this school?

Fortunately, the kids only need a little adjustment because it's just the same barangay just a new environment. They attend church services here that's why they already were acquinted to other kids especially my first born whom I can tell is an extrovert. His little sister, on the other hand is a bit introvert who doesn't like crowd very much. As I have observed, she would leave her playmates when they're already more than four and come home to read her story books.

So back with school. On the very first day, I let my kids go to school on their own. I want them to feel confident to face their teachers and classmates. My first born named Ryleon is in grade 1V while his little sister, Zion is in first grade. The third one is only three years old and is a pre-schooler. However, their daycare class only started on September 5.

From day 1 to present, I always asked the kids how their day went, how are they doing in school. I don't expect much of them as I don't want to pressure them also because they're only slowly getting back the traditional way of learning after the pandemic.

Ryleon who is in fourth grade should already know how to take down notes. But as I go through his notebooks I was a li'l bit disappointed to see only few words written. But as the days progress, I noticed there are some improvement. I keep reminding him to learn to jot down notes so that he has something to read at home. Sometimes they bring home some modules which I can help him with.

Zion, the shy girl of mine is the one who loves to go over her notes after we're done eating dinner. Just like any typical first grader her writing pad is full of "I can't understand things." Her notebooks were jumbled with mix subjects which I have to keep reminding her that 1 subject for each notebook. And the only thing she keeps in one notebook is mathematics. Nonetheless as weeks go by, she started to keep her notes to which notebook it should be. I noticed that some of her papers weren't checked which I feel a little bad. Why? Since, they're only starting classes that I think every work they do should be checked by the teacher to motivate them. Because tell me, everyone of us started as a child and seeing your work with a check mark is a heavenly feeling already.

However, I still encourage my daughter to listen to the teacher and asked what she didn't understand. But I know her as the shy type and won't dare ask her teacher. So whenever, they get home I need to pay attention especially to her. I have to encourage and motivate her more to bring her confidence out.

On one of their father's visits he asked our daughter how was school. Zion told him that her teacher knocked her head with his fingers which made me puzzled. Then he asked her why but my daughter just smilingly said she don't know. I get in to their conversation and told her that if her teacher again would do it she must tell me. I assured her that I won't get mad at her. This made me think "why does my girl hide something from me especially that it was from her teacher?"

This made me compare the teachers from the other school they previously attended and here. As this sitio or purok is a small one that the number of pupils is only half or a quarter compared to the number of pupils on the other school. They should be more accomodated.

In fact, my daughter is more studious than her brother. She loves to go over her notes that's why I also love to join her. There are things she doesn't understand at first but when we go through it, she will.

Honestly, many times I lost control of my temper that I just burst out like a thunder. If you read like it just seems so easy for me to handle little kids semi-singly, it's the contrary. Sometimes, I can't sleep at night thinking over what, how and why I just yell or got mad at the kids. I am even gaining weight due to lack of sleep, less physical activities and sometimes eating more often, it's stress eating.

I am hoping that as the days go by I will have more patience because the kids are growing, they won't be kids forever. I won't blame my temper on our situation but to myself alone. I don't want the kids' feelings go farther due to my losing control of my temper. I want them to be my friends and someone they can talk to especially their problems in school and other stuffs.

Closing thought

Thanking that we are already getting back to normal gradually. The face-to-face classes is already being enjoyed by our kids and hopefully other extracurricular activities will be back soon so that they will have other things to learn and get busy with instead of playing their mobile phones during their free time. My kids though have no gadgets but the other kids does that's why there should be something to distract them from mobile phones.

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This was drafted some weeks ago together with my last article and I have to do some editing today. The first grading period examination was done and the kids were looking forward to the holidays. They deserve some break also.

Unfortunately, the holiday was spent indoors due to the inclement weather.

It is already the second grading period and the kids are fully adjusted.

11-9-22

Z_Graeden