Try motivating and teaching a third grader at home with all of its distractions and no classmates or teacher to build relationships with and make school more fun and meaningful.

Luckily, I’m retired and can do it, but many kids are not so lucky. And then there are the technical challenges and skills that are expected of these kids. Online school doesn’t feel real to them or me either. The kids feel lonely and isolated. Many kids will fall behind and learn far less, being at home with this distance learning.

I hear that private schools are open and some public are not. What is that about?

We hear “follow the science” and then it’s ignored. There is no such thing as zero risk but, for four weeks in November, they did it and only had three cases, which they managed.

We are in our 19th week of instruction with a few more weeks to go before a break. Then maybe they will be in person, but we the people have no real say in that at all. Mask up, Arizona, get vaccinated and pray hard for this nightmare to be over soon. Our kids are counting on our leaders to do the right thing for them, the future of this country.

P.S. I do love spending time with my grandson, as we are building a lifetime relationship. I've learned a lot about him and of myself!