So hands up, how many heard The Prodigy’s song ‘Breathe’ when Louie was trying to get you to relax? If not then you might have only been cooped up with your kids for a little while, or you might have an essential job that keeps you out of the house more often. Otherwise, Sesame Street notwithstanding, a lot of parents are right now feeling the stress of having their kids at home all the time and having to keep them on a learning schedule that’s kind of grueling given that they’ve never had to do it before. Be honest, we drop our kids off at school and hope like hell that they’re going to learn something by the end of the day when we pick them up or the bus ferries them home, right? Having them at home all day and all night thanks to social distancing is becoming something of a chore, and no PSA is quite enough to get everyone to calm down at this time since the reality of it is that there’s no real end in sight. Some folks definitely want to say that they can see the end and that it might be coming close, but as of now the news is a confusing morass of opinions that haven’t come together in one decisive yes or no answer that people can rely on, and it’s driving some people nuts. That’s okay though, going a little batty is to be expected. The unfortunate suicides that have apparently resulted from social distancing are also unfortunate since the hype that they’re being given by the media is only making things worse as people continue to gripe that we’re social creatures, we need to mingle, and we need to be near one another.
Calm down, and just breathe.
It’s true, human beings are very social creatures and we do need contact with each other most times to feel normal in some regards. But with the advent of technology and the ability to purchase devices being what it is now there’s no reason that a lot of people can’t connect with others or help others to connect so as to at least have someone to talk to and possibly someone to see. Social distancing isn’t meant as a punishment and having your kids at home isn’t an attempt by the school system to slack off and give teachers more free time. In fact, a lot of teachers are lamenting not being in the classroom at the moment since a good number of them happen to love their job and miss the kids horribly. Some might say they just miss getting paid, but that type of cynicism is less than useful at this point since it does nothing but cast doubt on people and their devotion to the lives that have been disrupted at this point. People want to get back to work, don’t doubt that, since having a little free time here and there is great, but not getting paid for it is a reality that a lot of people quickly realize isn’t tenable for their lifestyle. Yes, teachers are being paid now since a lot of schools, if not all of them by now, have gone to online learning, which means the teachers still have to set up lesson plans and be available for students that need their assistance via chat. Matt Barnum of ChalkBeat has more on this.
The PSA’s are definitely meant to help and to let people know that they’re doing their best, but there are moments when they’re not quite as appreciated if only because they tend to say the same things, over and over and over. It’s great, not everyone hears them at the same time and not everyone is aware they’re out there, so griping about them is less than effective really, but there are moments when they’re saying things we already know and are acting more like the friend that tries to help but is really being something of an annoyance. If they work for you, then great, if not, then disregard them and keep doing what you’re doing. Everyone is feeling the pinch at this point thanks to social distancing and the world is unfortunately getting its butt kicked on a day to day basis as we try to figure out how to react, what to do, and which way to turn. The help that’s being given is appreciated, the advice that’s being doled out is valuable to some in its own way, and those that are just trying to get by are advised to do what works for them, provided it’s nothing illegal or harmful to others. At this point, just getting by is often enough, and doing anything more is considered to be an effort that sets the heroes apart from everyone else. William Arruda of Forbes has a few ways to stay positive during these times.
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