It is July 18th, 2020 on Saturday morning. We’re on the verge of another lockdown due to a spike in COVID cases. I myself am thinking more and more that I must have had COVID already as I’ve had a slight cough ever since February. Due to my job I did travel a lot and was in venues with a lot of people. Sometimes I also notice that the volume of air I take in is only so slightly less than before, I then ask myself if it isn’t just in my head but as we’re starting to realize that this infection has been around a while it does lend a bit of support to the thought.
The seriousness of COVID is becoming more apparent to me by the day and it is very difficult to get a pulse on how things are going to turn out. Since it is unprecedented, nobody really knows. The cases are spiking and even secure industries are having a hard time holding out. I’m reading about nurses getting laid off and even my own company may experience involuntary layoffs for the first time in its history. My Mom just told me about the death of the owner of a hometown restaurant that has been in business ever since I was born. He caught it and nine days later was gone.
This really infuriates me because he would have got it from all those Trump supporters who refuse to wear masks. They run around in their willful ignorance but this time it isn’t just politics, their decisions are leading to actual death. And since they don’t show any symptoms when dining out the blame is never laid on them. History will show that these are terrible people and I hope they are judged accordingly.
As for us, we’re now giving serious thought to having the kids attend school in Japan for the upcoming school year. It looks like full distance learning is the safest option and what any rational school board would take. But the school board isn’t operating on logic alone. They must consider that many parents want to dump their kids back off at school again. For many this is a hard choice as both parents must work since we have little social support in this country. But for many other parents they want to dump their kids because they are tired of spending all day with them and want to get back to status quo. Spending all day with their families is not what they signed up for under the American social contract. In America you’re only expected to spend the evenings with your spouse and children while having your own life at work most of the time. This is how things are although nobody would want to admit that.
For my family, I work from home and the wife does not work. So there really isn’t much change in the amount we see each other except for the kids being home and the kids being home is just fine with both of us. But since I’m pretty sure most of the next school year will be social distancing, even if they do try to get a few days at school in I think it would be in my kids best interest to have that school year in Japan. They’re already way ahead thanks to the Japanese school they attend so distance learning is, sad as it is to say, a waste of time. If they were actually going to school that would mean having the traditional experience, spending time with friends and all the other good things that come with a normal school year. But this is not normal and straight distance learning for them is really just remedial class they don’t really need.
It is an unspoken secret that distance learning is going to put the American child way behind. Make no mistake I think this is the path America should take as health of children and teachers is paramount. The White House doesn’t agree with this but they disagree because they want to remain in power, their idiotic blatherings are not in the interest of children or teachers. Spending a year in Japan where they do have the virus under control (thanks to everyone wearing masks) would put them not only ahead but WAY ahead in terms of school curriculum. In my opinion my eldest would probably be able to skip the fifth grade by attending fourth grade in Japan. Not only that but they would become fluent in Japanese which is the main reason I think they should attend school there.
This is such a depressing post to write as I wish America the best. I wish the President thought the same. But this is the situation we have to deal with and I need to consider the best course of action for my kids futures.
