Remote learning - the countless days of doing schoolwork in sleepwear.
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Sounds glorious and the former student in me says I probably would have loved being in an environment where there were no distractions.
But what if distractions were the very thing you enjoyed so much about school?
Many parents would have sat motionless on Sunday as premier Daniel Andrews shared the news with the state that we were headed back to home schooling. It was likely the whole country was watching.
I sat there, wondering how I would balance giving my grade six student the support she needed while I would be working from home.
"Easy", some parents would say who went through the first round of remote learning building dioramas with their children and submitting all work by lunchtime.
"You've only got one to worry about," said others, who juggle multiple children of different ages and levels of schooling.
Granted, remote learning with only one child and fantastic support from the school for the student doesn't have the challenges many other families would face.
It, however, certainly raises at least a big one - and not an easy one to overcome.
For the next six to eight weeks, my 11-year-old will have no face-to-face interaction with any other children.
So, while parenting can be hard, this week it's also heartbreaking.
As she is an only-child, we always talk through the benefits of being by yourself.
"You don't have to fight for your parent's attention," we say.
"Santa drops off an extra special treat at Christmas because he knows you spend most of the summer holidays by yourself.
"When your parents are old, you don't have to navigate any decisions made around siblings, you just get to make them all."
Being an only child certainly would have many, many perks that I'm sure every person with a sibling could tell you.
My child has only this year started to dream of a life with a sibling.
School can be a fantastic place for learning and education. For some children, it's also a place where their only other social interaction with age-appropriate children happens.
So while we battle against each other through the "lockdown 2.0 Skipbo challenge" I will sit across from the table, look at my child, and remind myself how lonely it must be not to be at school.
So to all the parents out there wondering how are we are all going to get through the next six weeks of home learning again - we'll get through this together.
Remain optimistic and be kind to not only each other but, more importantly, yourself so you can be the best version of you for your children.
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Cassandra Langley
Rural and regional story-telling is where my passion lies. Email: cassandra.langley@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Rural and regional story-telling is where my passion lies. Email: cassandra.langley@austcommunitymedia.com.au
