The New Academic Year Has Started But…

Today April 1, marks the beginning of new academic year for my daughter.  She is in 9th grade now. She didn’t attend the physical school for a single day in 2020 thanks to corona. It has spread over in 2021 too. 

When I was in school, our academic year would start on June 13, every year. My parents would buy us new school uniform, new books , shoes, raincoats and stationary. I was  particularly interested in the stationary. It was compulsory for us to put brown covers on our text books and label them.  It was a family event with all three siblings and our dad sitting and put covers on text book and label.

What a joy it was to go back to school after summer holidays . It is monsoon time in India and it would invariably rain on our first day of the school. Getting wet on school reopening would add to the magic of the day. Meeting friends and enjoy their company was so exciting. We didn’t have mobile phones or WhatsApp so all the more excitement of meeting friends. 

I have absolutely enjoyed prepping for new academic session for my daughter. Moms get particularly excited at schools reopening as they run out of their patience with long summer holidays. Kids getting busy in their routine is much needed. 

Since last year moms are not getting that breather. I wasn’t really excited with schools reopening as she still continues being home and sitting in front of the computer.  The school has started classes with no text books. They simply said refer online books. I don’t need to buy new school stuff. No chance of meeting school friends, Sharing tiffins and having a laugh. 

Kids are really having it hard. These are their formative years and their interactions with their friends, teachers have huge impact on how they will turn out as adults and they are missing it. Some parents have done a great job keeping their child motivated and engage them in various things and their children have also responded positively.

My daughter has managed well. She has kept herself busy mostly in her room owing to her teenage need of  “privacy” and indulging in baking. She managed to do a successful bake sale too. However now she is feeling the boredom. She is craving for live group energy of her dance classes. The new normal doesn’t feel like normal for her. I am increasingly having frictions with her  on how she spends her day and organises herself.  She is clearly having hard time and missing normalcy of life. I cannot blame her. 

As a mom I am too running out of patience having to deal with all this. All I can do is pray for things to return to as carefree as it can get!