Apparently the Universe knew I was running low on gas. Because I got a reprieve.

Tuck had virtual office hours this morning, but when he was done I begged: “Play D&D with them.” The kids were starting to look so glassy-eyed, and trying so hard to do their regular curricula, but everyone’s tank is so empty.

I know what D&D sounds like here, whether friends are over or it’s just Tuck and the kids. It is energizing and gets them out of their heads. And yep, it worked. It was the reset button they needed.

Then something else interesting, but not unpredictable, happened. Within an hour I had an e-mail from our District’s homeschool coordinator. The standardized testing Béla is doing currently? Waived.

We are doing it anyway. Why?

Because we told him he would have reason to be proud of his results, regardless of what they were. Even if they’d come at an easier time for him.

I’m NOT going to tell him “They say you don’t have to answer to them now, so the effort you’ve put in so far is just trash. Yay!”

Have I said “fuck” on this blog yet? Well, fuck that.

Also, in the e-mail: our yearly evaluation (for which I looked for, and interviewed, new evaluators, just so I would get a little more feedback on the work I put into this job other than that of a social contact who happens to be certified with the District, signing off saying, “They’re the best kids ever, how couldn’t they be with you as their mother?”… I really have wanted to spend time with my evaluator. Maybe someone whose field was actually EDUCATION?

I found one. Love ‘im.)

Signed evaluation? Waived.

Number of days/hours necessary to complete year? Also waived, although I am double-checking that as we always go by hours and Béla is in a VERY tight position there (due to sleep issues and inability to concentrate). (Tight enough that we were counting fifteen minute increments on days he had trouble concentrating or staying awake.)

They both know better than to think they are “done” for the year — they are far from done. Because they switched math curricula mid-year, Claudia in particular is vested in finishing her math book, and her spelling book. Frankly, we aren’t changing anything, we just aren’t under threat of consequence if we didn’t do the things we were going to do anyway.

Would that it were always thus.

And right now they are more animated and chattery than they have been in days — it benefitted them to get Tuck that new D&D book for his birthday. We finally got around to watching the SNL At-Home episode and we watched the music video made in Zoom by Thao and the Get Down Stay Down.

Both kids have a video project coming up and an invitation to do another live open mike night online.

We have not been doing anything very photogenic or if we have it’s been kind of secret, so here are Claudia’s hands with the nails that were in her Easter basket.