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“Will today be the same as yesterday?” Pierre, my 7-year-old, asked me as he crawled out of bed.
It was only the second day of closed doors at school. We had survived one day of homeschool, but could we survive another, and another, and another . . . ?
“Hmmm . . . ,” I thought to myself. “Will today be the same as yesterday? Will today be another same ‘ole day, stuck inside these same four walls, with these same people, doing the same ‘ole things?”
Compassion
I looked at my son, Pierre, with compassion. This situation was hard enough for me, as a grown adult. It was even more challenging for my youngest son. He is an energetic, 7-year-old boy who loves to be outside. He loves to run, jump, ride his bike, bounce balls, and play soccer. This boy also loves school and loves people.
Boredom had set in. Social distancing was torture. Our small Spanish courtyard, with no grass and no yard, was getting smaller and smaller by the hour.
I could hear running feet throughout our neighbor’s house. They had two little boys—ages 4 and 7. It was tough for these little
These side-by-side, attached houses are called “chalets” in Spanish. The word “chalet” means “castle” in French. A “false friend” for sure. Our house is no castle. It’s a 4-story, tall, and skinny house without a lot of room to run around inside.
I’m just thankful to not be in an apartment during this challenging time of lockdown in Spain.
I felt sorry for my son. This was hard.
Same or Different?
“There are some things that will be the same today, but there are some things that will be different,” I said to Pierre with a smile.
We would have to find some creative ways to make things different. I needed my creative juices to flow quickly!
Schoolwork First!
Yes, we would have to do our homeschool work today, and every day, until the school doors reopened. The boys’ school had put together a rigorous, online program that we needed to follow diligently.
Thankfully, David, our 14-year-old 9th grader was disciplined and self-motivated. He was in school from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. His bedroom desk and school-loaned computer were going to get a lot of use these days.
He had to join a virtual call at the beginning of every class period—the exact same class times as he had in face-to-face school. He interacted each hour with his teachers and his fellow classmates. Long days, but well organized.
On the other hand, Pierre’s 1st grade program relied heavily on me—Mom. The teacher supplied the step-by-step, daily program with worksheets and online videos. However, a parent can’t just leave a 7-year-old on his own and expect him to complete his schoolwork. I had to be very present, and it required more time and energy than I had.
I was dreading this new day of homeschool as much as Pierre—maybe even more.
Recess?
“I have an idea!” Pierre chimed in. “Let’s read for 10 minutes. Then, I can play games on your phone. We will need a break. It will be time for recess.”
I started laughing hysterically.
“I like your idea of recess, and you’re right, we’ll both need a break,” I answered with a chuckle. “However, let’s find something fun to do during recess that we can do together.”
I knew, then, that I better have a good idea up my sleeve.
I suddenly remembered what the girls from David’s church youth group loved to do together after our gatherings. They loved to dance, and I enjoyed joining in their fun and folly!
We would often turn on a “Just Dance” video on YouTube, connect it to the TV, and dance our little hearts out. It was hysterical to try to follow the rapid movements of the virtual dancer on the screen. I was always lagging behind by several seconds. But, I didn’t care. We always had fun and got in lots of good laughter. I always felt free and happy after our “Just Dance” sessions.
‘I Have an Idea!’
“I have an idea!” I told Pierre. “Let’s work together on one subject, math, for example, and then take a short recess break.”
He agreed, and we got busy tackling his math assignments.
At the end of the math video and worksheet, I pulled out my computer. I typed in “Just Dance.”
When Pierre saw the words, he got super excited. He loves to dance!
I scrolled quickly through the options. There were a million. My eyes quickly landed on “Happy” by William
“How about this one?” I asked Pierre. “Happy!”
He knew the song well and readily agreed.
We pushed back some furniture to make room for our crazy dance movements, and away we went. The fun, the laughter, the energy, the craziness released a lot of pent-up stress and anxiety that I’d been carrying in my mind, my body, my emotions. For Pierre, it released a lot of pent-up energy that his little body had been carrying. It screamed to find an outlet and escape.
Only 4 Minutes!
The song lasted 4 minutes. It didn’t take long to feel good.
“Well, that was 4 minutes long. Let’s get back to work,” I said to Pierre, a bit out of breath from my obvious lack of physical activity.
“Mom, recess lasts 15 minutes, not 4!” he exclaimed.
“Ugh oh!” I thought to myself. “I better find a few more “Just Dance” videos and whip myself into shape!”
Ready to try it?! “Just Dance” with us, and let’s get “Happy!”
—THE CULTURAL STORY-WEAVER
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LET’S WEAVE CULTURES!
What about you? What are you doing to make your “same” days a little “different”? If you are stuck inside your house, like us, try to “Just Dance.” See if it makes a difference in how you feel?
We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures!” Write about them in the comment box below.
