I thought it would take at least two months before we got there. But no. A month into the virtual 2020-2021 school year we got to the point of getting up max 15 minutes (if I was lucky) before my kids needed to be online. And after me nagging especially my 13-year-old multiple times, they’d get online in their pajamas (having brushed their teeth if I was lucky).

Remember reading about those schools that said they would not be allowing kids to be online in their pajamas? Yeah, I’m still laughing at that one! Virtual schooling. Oh what an experience it has been, and one of the most divisive issues in this year of COVID-19 (outside of wearing masks and taking social distancing and quarantine measures seriously, of course).

For many families like mine, soon we'll be coming upon one year of virtual schooling. (Any of these tips working out for you?) While there are schools across the country where in-person learning or a hybrid model is happening, many school districts and communities are still well ensconced in virtual learning. It’s been immensely challenging for educators, students and their families (and also beneficial for a segment of our communities) and has laid bare so many socio-economic inequities that have plagued our school systems for years.

Indeed, one of the principals of a school in my district recently said in his weekly “principal’s address” that the school has “lost touch” with several students (who are just not showing up online for school) and are instigating a program to try and connect with them. Every day, locally and nationally, I read about challenges, fears, worries, struggles and battles in our school systems.

But I also read a lot of funny stories, a lot of moments of just throwing your hands up in the air at the hilarity and absurdity of it all with immense appreciation for teachers and educators who are working so hard, students who are making it work and families HOLDING IT DOWN. (if you work from home while your kid is virtually learning, maybe this will help!) Ya’ll. If we don’t laugh, we’ll cry. Or worse, give up! And it’s in this spirit I want to share with you some funny virtual learning stories. So strap in, because we all need a laugh!

"Virtual learning with a kindergartener is a handful, and I know I'm not the only parent who finds her blood pressure on the rise! I have to sit next to my son to get him to pay attention and focus – more after winter break than before – and this is as I’m working full time. Lately, it's as if every single time I step away I hear his teacher calling on him to pay attention – especially when I'm in a meeting (they have perfect timing, don't they?)

"Sometimes, I'll walk by and find my son lounging on the couch holding the iPad to his face like it’s a phone while he’s attending class (I don't blame him ... the couch is more enticing ... but help me out here, kid!!). Also, I overheard his teacher the other day asking one kid to stop changing backgrounds. This kid is five! I’ve no clue how he learned to do it! Also, one time Malek drew his teacher as an alien and very clearly let her know it! He also forgets to mute often as do his classmates. So you can imagine what is heard!

"Liana, my two-year-old, sits in Malek’s chair whenever he gets up to do something else and pretends she is in class. It’s super cute! My friend’s three-year-old has also made herself part of her sister’s first grade class. She makes sure the teacher addresses her by name everyday, and the teacher does! It’s adorable!"

“I have a story from one of Ty's Zoom class sessions a few weeks ago. There is a young man on the Zoom, I will call him Derek for our purposes. Derek does have autism, but is quite a bit more verbal than the Tyler man. And he TOTALLY cracks me up. On the morning of which I speak, Derek's dad was in the background complaining about how loud Derek was, asking why Derek wasn't wearing his headphones, being generally grumpy. We've all been there.

"So the dad shuffled out of the picture and Derek looked straight at us and said "WOW," whilst raising his eyebrows.

“The teacher and I were dead in the cold hard ground laughing. Who in that situation actually was having social difficulties??!!

“Derek also at times suddenly declares, "SORRY, TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES!!!" in the midst of the more boring materials, and his screen suddenly goes black. Now don't you wish YOU could get away with that on your work Zooms?”

“I took a math class at a community college, but due to pandemic it was moved to online. My professor was young but very awkward. I might have been the oldest student in the class. Whoop tee doo! Nothing new. But, the guy was so boring that all my funny comments went over his head. Not even one chuckle. I swear I wanted to get in the computer screen and grab him by his collar and yell at him until he started laughing, even if it was a nervous, fake laugh, to save himself from a lunatic student like me. I sometimes still wonder if he has as many nightmares about me like I do about him. Virtual learning IS NOT fun. But, awkward professors make it even more boring and end up creating monsters like me.”

Shout outs, kudos and utmost respect for everyone trying to keep it together in this year of weird learning. I’ve come to the conclusion that everyone is trying, no one is fully happy, and it’s about the best we can do. God bless our teachers. Also, I’m so frustrated with some of my kids’ teachers. And, I can’t believe we’ve gotten this far – my three kids and I who are schooling and working from home together constantly – and we still like each other.

For the most part :)