For a time the shops were all closed, playgrounds, even the beaches were restricted. We were relegated to the woods and neighborhood for walks to get time outside. A bunch of businesses started giving out free printables for kids, or free subscriptions to their learning apps. People bought all of the toilet paper in hordes. I still don't understand why.
When the virus started exploding in America, we were all encouraged to wash hands, wear masks and stay away from crowds. So many people complied readily, because, of course! It's for the greater good! But a lot of people also decided not to. They claimed mandating masks was taking away freedom. Because of that, the virus got a foothold in America.
We are about 4 months in and the numbers continue to rise. At the beginning of the pandemic I took screenshots of the ticker to watch it grow and remember this time. I began screen-capping at 218k cases on March 18th. On April 1st we reached 932,605 cases worldwide. As of today, August 11, 2020 the world has 20 million cases and still grows. 736,254 people have died from the coronavirus known as Covid19. I cannot fathom how we have let it get this bad, but a lot of people hold our president accountable for the state of things. He has done a lot to make things worse when given options to make things better.
We are currently in Phase Three of our reopening plan. Most of the businesses have returned to normal operating hours, though some have senior or immuno-compromised hours. Masks are mandated inside all businesses. Some stores are giving single-use masks out, but plenty of shops are selling them as well. The sewing guild in the area took to the task of making several hundred, if not thousands of cloth masks, buying up almost all of the cotton cloth from the local fabric store! Dad brought home a bunch of masks for us and you and Mabel did not put up much of a fight to wear them. I'm so proud of you guys. Mabel also has really gotten into hand-washing as well.
Schools here in Norfolk are going virtual for the 2020-2021 school year, but we have decided that all of that screentime would do you no favors so we have joined with one other family to take turns homeschooling you and their 5 year old son. I have had way too much fun planning the curriculum and setting up our classroom. I am excited to give you some semblance of normal in a time where everything feels so out of whack.
I mentioned that screen time would not be beneficial to you, but in complete honesty, most days you are getting more than a couple of hours of screen time anyway, and none of it is educational. Unless Captain Underpants actually relays some sort of education that I haven't noticed (and that is entirely possible because I pay zero attention while its on). I have struggled a lot with this transition and all the changes we have had to our lives. Where we used to go thrifting often, we no longer do so. The museums, aquariums, zoos, etc all have scheduled visits now and I don't typically operate well by planning ahead. I'm hoping that schooling with another mom will help keep me on track.
At the beginning of the pandemic I signed on to found a local chapter of the Free Forest School. I got so excited to do this. I was eager to get you out to the woods and among other children and set you free to explore. Covid put that plan on hold indefinitely. I still bring you to the woods often, but it just isn't the same as what I had envisioned for you. The FFS is going through a lot of change itself, with some focus on how they are creating an inclusive environment for people from all backgrounds.
Around the end of May, a Black man named George Floyd was killed by police over a counterfeit twenty-dollar bill. They knelt on his neck for over 8 minutes as he cried out, eventually suffocating him to death. Protests erupted around the country, and then the world. The Black Lives Matter movement that started after the shooting of Trayvon Martin by a man named George Zimmerman in July 2013 and has repeatedly resurfaced with each murdered Black man, woman or child, reemerged once again. While we did not go to any of the protests, we supported the movement financially and through our actions. You and I had a talk about Trayvon Martin and ever since, whenever you want to talk about him again, you ask about "the boy in the hoodie with the skittles". We have had many conversations about race, privilege, our duty to bring equity to the world and hold others accountable as well. It's a work in progress and I hope that you do a better job than I have done so far, though I'm trying.
The police murdered more than George Floyd this year and like Covid, the numbers continue to rise. Breonna Taylor was sleeping when her apartment was sprayed with bullets, killing her. Looking back through the news reports, several Black folks have been murdered over the years without ever committing a crime, but those who were committing a crime still deserved justice to be applied through the system and not dealt by a bullet. My heart aches for the families of those who have laid their loved ones to rest knowing that the police may never be held accountable for their crimes.
2020 has handed us a big pile of steaming poop, but at least the year seems to be flying by. Normally I would not be so excited, but it's been an awful year for our country and it is election year! There is a whole can of worms I could open on how that may be handled with Covid going on, but maybe I'll save that for a different post. Suffice it to say that our president has already hinted that he may try to delay the election. That should tell you enough about who he is. I'm almost glad that you probably wont remember this time too in-depth because it might horrify you to know what we are dealing with. I can only hope that by the time you read this, things have gotten much better.
I haven't yet written about you, which is really the point of these letters, so lets get down to it. You are a magical kid. You are still very much into fairies and ask me regularly whether you are a fairy. You wear a fairy costume with a dress and wings, receive fairy mail and read fairy books. You are also into playing cafe and often ask me what I'd like to order. You got a bike a few weeks ago and though it's been too hot to really take it for rides, you do roll around on it inside and I think when fall arrives we will have a lot of fun taking it out on the sidewalks.
You're a really good eater. It took forever to get here, but you're willing to at least try a bite of pretty much everything we put in front of you. And sometimes you surprise yourself by liking it!
I'm doing everything I can to promote curiosity and an adventurous spirit within you and Mabel. When we find small things outside, we bring them in to check them out under the microscope. When you have a question, we search together for answers. You're really into experimenting right now, so I've been working on teaching you the scientific method. It makes my heart so happy to see you immerse yourself in a project. You say "experience" instead of "experiment" too, which is super cute.
You are really into picking your own clothes these days, so 99% of the time you end up in a dress. Probably 30% of the time it's a black and white striped dress that you lovingly refer to as your "zebra dress" and you never want to take it off. I don't blame you, because it looks so comfy. Mabel, your constant companion and wannabe understudy also prefers dresses and is much more opinionated about it too!
You both watch a lot of TV these days. Sometimes its because I'm just not up to momming but most of the time its because its too dang hot outside to try to do anything entertaining. You like Captain Underpants, Oddbots, Masha and the Bear, a few others of which I can't remember the names. You're still into Jurassic Park and at least once a week you and Mabel duet the title song. It's still as cute as ever.
Music-wise you are into Elizabeth Mitchell, Caspar Babypants, Disney songs, plus a bunch of songs Dad puts on the Alexa for you to dance to. Every night you and Mabel ask for music to fall asleep to, but you always end up staying up late enough that the music turns off. Maybe that's for the best. I loved listening to music at night as a kid, but we always listening to classical and I cannot imagine hearing "Under The Sea" while trying to sleep would result in rest.
You lost two teeth at the beginning of the pandemic. Yesterday you showed me that you might possibly be getting ready to lose a third. Little things like this are enough to throw me for a loop, but just before you lost those teeth, you made the decision to chop your hair off! You went from butt-length hair to a much more manageable pixie cut. You loved it at first, though you've lamented often that you miss your long hair. I miss it too, but I will always encourage you to have autonomy over your appearance and I suppose I don't miss the daily fights over brushing it either.
While I've been working on this for an hour and a half, I've had The Office playing in the background. You and Mabel are so tired of this show, but for most of America, it's a staple. I laugh when you groan about me turning it on. Secretly you both know you enjoy it as well. Why else would you have bothered to learn the names of the characters? :P
I should wrap this up now as it is almost 5am and Dad or Mabel will be waking up soon. I love you more than ever and I am so proud of who you are. Every mistake you make teaches you a lesson and you carry that knowledge forth. I am ready to see what the future holds for you.
Love,
Mom
