Missing Kita

Advisory: If you are a parent whose kids have been doing school since March at home, you might not want to read this blog post.  Jokes. I am very aware how much easier we have it here in Germany. 

Schools are closed here until the 10th of January*. I think it is wishful thinking that our numbers are going to be in a safe zone after friends and family meet for Christmas. Thus, I am mentally preparing myself for kids to be home all of January.

The first lockdown was manageable for Team Biggs. The first month (mid-March to mid-April) Paul was home on paternity leave. The second month, we found our rhythm with Paul working from home. Then, we got lucky that Kindergarteners and their siblings were the first to go back to Kita in late May.

This lockdown is different because Crosby is now in school. The school is adamant that this is not an extended winter break and that school children are supposed to be learning. But, the learning is currently not with any online instruction. So, we have a bunch of spreadsheets that I need to supervise. While I can do some multitasking - ie cooking while kids are awake. Teaching your kid how to spell in German while keeping Hugo away from Carmen is impossible. 

My priorities during this lockdown are safety (ie Carmen and Hugo's) and sanity (mine).  The current plan is I will do homework with Crosby in the morning before Paul starts work, during Carmen and Hugo's naps (if they happen to be napping at the same time), and when we have a babysitter to take Carmen and Hugo. The babysitter is subsidized by Paul's work. We're trying one out as I type. ;) If we're lucky it will be 2-3 hours of school a day. I'm also working with the teacher to see if some online offering will be available in the New Year. Germans would admit they are behind in the digitalization front.

Yesterday I almost went crazy. Today is a little easier. It's like AA, one day at a time. 

With that, I'm sharing a few photos of Hugo from Kita. He only goes to Kita without a fuss on field trip days which is surprising because they do lots of fun stuff there that we do not do at home - like messy art. 

The puppy planning his mischief.

Cooking is about as messy as we're going to get around here. ha!