“You’re #Winning in 2020!”

If you were able to have one superpower, what would it be?

I am 30 years old and hold two degrees – a bachelor’s degree and a law degree (and two minors; do those even count?!). I graduated high school in 2008, graduated college in 2011, and graduated law school in 2015. Out of ALL of those years of schooling (and let’s not forget student loans), I can only recall having to take 1 online class. One. Uno. That’s all.

Some may already know that I am a logical thinker. I am a hands-on learner. I work best with trial and error. I never got a hold of science and chemistry because I can’t see an atom or protons or electrons. If I can’t see them, how in the world do you expect me to grasp how they work? With law, on the other hand, and criminal defense to be exact, I can see (might not always understand) how it all works. My main goal is to get someone out of jail, and I can easily see how their lives are affected and impacted. In hindsight, I now understand why I never liked learning online.

The one online course I took was Computer Science like 101 or something during one of my summer sessions at WVU. I did not take that online course by choice; online was the only option and I needed to take this course to fulfill my class requirements in order to graduate. In that class we worked a lot with Microsoft Excel, and it somewhat made sense to have the course online. The classes were mostly the professor’s pre-recorded sessions of him walking us through the projects on his computer screen. It made sense.

But what I think all of us can agree on is that teaching K-12 online does NOT make sense. I know none of us were expecting Covid-19, let alone these shelter-in-place orders. So much of this year has been unexpected, and I know that those in leadership positions were doing the best they could to try to figure out how to get the kids an education while keeping the kids and families safe. I guess the best solution they had was virtual learning from the comfort (or not for some) of their own homes. This solution inevitably wasn’t going to be ideal for everyone. Some homes don’t have internet. Some homes don’t have loving parents. Some homes don’t have electricity. Some homes don’t have parents who have the patience.

I am the parent who does not have the patience! Lol, no, I do not have kids. I actually don’t even want kids. But, when I went home to visit my family for about 2 weeks, I offered to help my brother and his wife with their children. This was in September, so the children were still doing virtual schooling from home. My nieces and nephews are ages 12, 8, 6, and 4. They are all very beautiful and bright. However, Moni Jay does NOT have the patience or energy!

I offered to watch them a couple of days when I was home and to help them with their schooling so that their mom can get some rest while my brother was at work. Their mother is the one who usually assists during school. She works overnight so she will come home about 7am, get right to the kids, my brother leaves for work, she’s with the kids all day, he gets home around 6 or 7pm, she gets to sleep for about 3 hours, goes to work, gets home the next morning and repeats. Whew! So I was trying to be a great auntie, you know? I have not been able to be present with my nieces and nephews a lot. My first niece was born when I was in college, and since then I have not been living home in PA. So I see them on holidays or when I take trips home. So this time, I wanted to spend some time with them. Well, things didn’t go as planned over those couple of days…

Okay, let’s see, the first day I had to get there at 7:30am (that’s early when you’re supposed to be on vacation). I get there, and I quickly learn that they have a big dog! Lol, I forgot they had a dog and I love dogs, but I wasn’t ready. It was too early in the morning and I did not want to be jumped on. I also didn’t want to have to try to learn what commands their dog knew or didn’t know, and if I could talk to him normal like I can to my baby boy, or what. But luckily, they put him in his room while they were in school.

They all have different school day schedules and class times. The schools sent them home with a large, plastic bin of materials, a schedule, and some books. 3 of them have different class schedules (my youngest niece isn’t in a class since they canceled pre-k due to Covid, but her mom is so awesome she created a DIY learning binder with lamination and velcro and stuff so she could be “in school” too lol). One of the main things I had to do was make sure they were logged on for class at the right time. But when these kids are smart, they try to get one over on you! I would have to keep checking their color-coded class schedules to make sure no one was taking an extended “recess,” and I had to keep checking to make sure they were doing their work and weren’t playing a game on their tablet or something. I also had to keep praying that no one had a question or needed my help with anything. You know how they be teaching these kids that new math!

If getting them through the school day wasn’t already something I wasn’t used to doing, it was watching them after the school day was over. Luckily, their virtual school days ended earlier than usual. But when class was over, I didn’t want to bother their mom, so I tried my best at supervising them. They’re like 12, they’re grown, they can watch themselves, right? Nahhh. One of their friends lives right up the street from them. I think she is about 11. They wanted her to come down and play. (Well first she came down in the middle of the school day and asked to do her school work with them, and I told her no because “I’m babysitting today and I don’t really know you like that to be watching you,” and she said “that’s okay, I can watch myself” and toted her little self and her laptop into the house…. Mannnn…. she lucky I don’t know her (or her parents) like that lol…).

But anywho, it was after school and they were outside playing and riding their bikes. The oldest niece was apparently responsible for walking their dog when the school day was over. Cool. She walks him. Gives him a snack. Then… oh no, wait! “hurry up shut the door, before he gets out…!” Too late. The dog is running rampant around outside. Up the street. All in neighbors’ yards. The kids are hopping on their bikes trying to chase him. They’re calling his name but he being hardheaded. I am trying not to yell because their mom is still sleep. And all of these thoughts are running through my mind:

“the 4 year old is still in the house. Do I leave the front porch and run up the street to get the dog? but the door is unlocked and I don’t have a key. I can’t leave the house unlocked and unattended. But the mom is technically inside. But what if a burglar comes and the door is unlocked and she upstairs sleep?! Do I leave the 4 year old in the house? Do I go inside and force some shoes on her feet and take her with me? She playing on her mom’s phone, she’ll be good for a minute, right? Nahh, I ain’t trying to have CYS called on my brother for an unattended child. Omg, the kids are now too far up the street I can’t see them. Are they normally allowed that far up the street with no supervision? What these neighbors like? Will one of them go missing? Do I go and chase them and the dog?…”

Yes, I had to text my best friend about it!

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Haha, mannn, omg, I know if I was a parent I would have already had the instinct on what to do in that moment. At least that’s what people say. They say “it” comes naturally once you have a child, but I would have no way of knowing. I was trying so hard to not mess anything up when I was watching them. I am already super over-protective of my dog. I am the one at the dog park asking “whose dog is that that just took my son’s tennis ball?!” Lol, I only had to watch my nieces and nephews during school over two days (teachers are the ones really watching them). And I was doing my best. But over those couple of days, I didn’t mess anything up. They’re still alive. They’re now in school physically. They’re still getting good grades. Aunt Moni did good!

But this post isn’t entirely about my chaotic, dramatic, unexpected, comedic time spent watching them. It’s mostly to GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ALL OF THE PARENTS OUT THERE! No, seriously, parents are the true superheroes! Wear your cape proudly! 2020 has been nothing we expected, and I know there are single parents who work while their children are usually in school, parents in abusive situations, parents who have children who need academic support, and parents with kids who just simply thrive in social atmospheres. Yall didn’t quit. Yall put on your capes. Yall activated your superpowers. Yall adapted and made it happen. Hats off to yall and I pray that any parent reading this knows that you are awesome. You are #winning! I had to watch 4 children for 8 hours over 2 days, and I almost lost my mind. Yall make this look so effortless. You do it with a smile and so much grace. Even though many children are now back in school physically, I applaud you and this post is for you. We have no idea what 2021 has in store, but just know that whatever you are faced with, you will conquer it!

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” — Romans 8:37 NKJV.

Moni Jay, Off the Record