Not All Parents Can Afford A Home School Plan : The Saturday Weekend Review #309

To Home School Or Send Your Child Back To School

What once was a struggle to budget and pay the bills has become a situation far more dreadful for parents.

Deciding whether to home school your child or send them back to school proves to be an obstacle of yes, no, and maybe.

For many parents, the only back to school plan they can afford is sending their children back to school.

A home school education plan sounds divine however it’s not the case for some parents.

Today, I want to discuss why some parents can’t afford a home school plan more specifically the two topics.

1. Those Who Can’t Afford It
2. Kids with an IEP (Individual Education Plan)

Related: Bullying To Homeschooling Our Two Kids On One Income Part 1

It’s a feeling of do I work to pay the bills and hope our child does not get the virus or do we struggle financially and keep our child home?

• Can we even afford to keep our child home?
• Will our child learn anything or have the ability to participate in online learning?

I think every parent is trying to get their head around a back to school plan for September, well at least we are.

There are people out there that believe Covid-19 is a hoax, bla bla, and the government and other agencies have taken this too far.

Fair enough, however with so many people dying we are taking this seriously.

Back To School Plan Ontario September 2020

Last week the province rolled out the back to school plan for Fall 2020 and not all parents are happy about it.

Ontario elementary students can return to school in September 5 days a week where high school students will attend part-time.

Students in Grades 4 to 12 will be required to wear cloth masks indoors at school and younger children will be encouraged to do so. All staff at the province’s 4,800 schools will be required to wear medical masks, which will be provided to them. – Ottawa Citizen

For parents who are uncomfortable with sending their child back, they have the option of homeschooling their child.

The province of Ontario has pledged 309 million dollars to make our schools safe for the kids but fighting something you can’t see is a tough fight.

Home School Plan or Back To School Plan

Great, if you don’t have to work to earn an income to pay the bills.

If your child is in high school or the older grades in elementary school a home school plan may be ideal.

However, not all children learn best without a teacher, and distance learning or online learning can be challenging.

Parents all over Canada are trying to make sense of a back to school plan and for many, that’s hoping for the best.

Parent, Teacher, and Student Anxiety

If you’re an anxious parent or educator your child will pick up on this so it may be best to try and control your emotions.

The last thing we need is our child to panic at school that they are going to die or something bad will happen to them.

What every parent whose back to school plan involves a return to class is to educate their child about protocols.

• Handwashing
• Mask wearing
• Self-distancing
• Preparation for a different type of school year if it’s not their first year in JK.

Even an explanation of the “bug” along with positive optimism that things will be fine goes a long way.

Either way, it’s going to be an overload of information and change for the children who don’t understand.

Our son asks us often if the bug is still at the school and when he can go back.

Parents Feeling Defeated and Left Out

Over the past several days Mrs. CBB and I have been talking about what our back to school plan will be for our son.

At the beginning of the school year, our little guy will be turning 6 years old and heading into grade one.

Currently, Mrs. CBB is a stay at home mum although she is not physically well enough to homeschool our son.

Another concern is that she suffers from anxiety so to be a home school mum is not in the cards for her.

Since being off work in March I was the one who homeschooled our son via his classroom teacher online.

Did it go well?

Well, we had our good days and bad days.

On the days that his teacher, education assistant, and classmates were online he went silent.

Not all children are comfortable in front of a computer especially when they are young and don’t understand what is happening.

What once was a mad race to the school before the bell rang was a slow pace drag to the kitchen table for morning classes.

Related: The Pros and Cons Of Homeschooling In Canada Part 2

During the remainder of the school year, I would print the homework his teacher would send and we’d complete it.

Sometimes that might have been an outdoor scavenger hunt or simple math and learning to read and write.

After that was done we started into the Grade 1 and Grade 2 Canadian Curriculum Books that we bought at Value Village.

Even still it’s not easy to teach the younger kids unless you the patience as a parent to do so.

Kids tend to think they can fluff around when they are at home and not in the school setting.

Even with rules put in place, it was still a struggle as our son suffers from anxiety and has a sensory processing disorder and eyesight issues.

That means going into grade one he has an IEP or individual education plan to help him thrive and learn.

I’m not trained nor is Mrs. CBB to deal with this type of education plan as you can imagine it’s not easy.

Parents Who Home School

Our son tends to listen to how I explain things far better than Mrs. CBB because she’s afraid she’s going to mess it up.

She’s not alone.

Lots of parents out there struggled to homeschool their children once the school system shut down.

Children that should have been in school learning didn’t learn much if anything at all while they were at home.

For some parents sending their child back to school in Fall 2020 under the back to school plan with Covid-19 restrictions is a no-brainer.

They just don’t have what it takes to homeschool their children at home and feel the best place for them is in the classroom.

For other parents, the dilemma of what to do in September is a nightmare because they know what Covid-19 has done.

Not only that back teachers are scared to go back into the classroom and some are plagued with anxiety over their career.

They struggle with creating a classroom that offers self-distancing for their kids to keep them safe.

One teacher came up with an idea for her back to school plan classroom design that has been well received on Facebook.

Another amazing Kindergarten classroom idea! (Credit and classroom of: Lacy Jenkins) Life’s a Beach! (Made with clear shower curtains and PVC)

We have a friend who has family members who are elementary school teachers and both of them are scared to go back.

They are suffering from nausea and anxiety about preparing a back to school plan under Covid-19 provisions.

Not only are they scared for themselves but for the children they have to teach.

This is not one-sided as some parents think Covid-19 is no big deal and has been inflated by the government.

It’s a disaster on both sides of the fence especially since the province of Ontario has rolled out their back to school plan.

Ontario elementary students will return to school full time, while some high schoolers will attend part-time.

The biggest problem with the province’s back to school plan is that classroom sizes are too big.

Had they come up with a reduced plan size or alternate education days for students some parents would send them back.

Since this is not the case parents who can afford to stay home and home school their children are taking that option.

On Facebook, every community has a page for their school where parents chat, and for our son’s school, it’s been chaotic.

Below are some of the comments we’ve read and copied to share with you and talk about today.

• I’m not sending my child back to school so he can die.
• Our children are gifted and don’t need to return to school.
  
• My wife quit her job to homeschool our daughter.
• Teachers are scared to go back to school under Covid-19 precautions.
• My child will not step foot into the school.
• They can’t possibly contain the kids the way they want to
• Our daughter has an IEP (Education Plan) and must go back but we’re worried
• We can’t afford to home school our children
• Why are the class sizes so big?

As you can imagine as a parent reading these types of comments it can get depressing especially when your options are limited.

Are We Making The Right Decision?

One mother told my wife that she won’t judge other parents who send their children to school although some will.

What I have to say to those parents who do, don’t even worry about what anyone else thinks.

Do what’s best for your child and family based on your situation.

You don’t have to explain anything to anyone about your decision if you don’t feel comfortable doing so.

We are weeks away from the start of the school year and parents are not even sure what they are doing.

Back To School Shopping Stares

While shopping at Costco two days ago we bought our son a Roots backpack and lunch bag.

I don’t know why but we were getting stares from a few people while we were picking it out.

No, I wasn’t imagining it either. It was the, “I can’t believe you are sending your kid to school” stare.

Only The Rich Kids Get A Home School Plan

Will there be a divide now?

The kids that go to school don’t have rich enough parents so they can have a home school plan?

This isn’t always the case but for kids, they don’t think as adults do.

Maybe that’s overthinking the situation however I won’t lie and say it didn’t cross my mind.

School Changes For Children

All I know is that our son will thrive in a school setting however we don’t know how he will react to the changes.

He has no issue wearing a mask to go shopping but certainly won’t be able to keep it on all day to learn at school.

Even though he is not in a grade where it’s mandatory it has to be difficult for parents of children who won’t or can’t wear one.

The transition for the children of 2020 will be challenging and parents need to be strong and be with them along the way.

As we enter into the new school year we just hope our son gets through this healthy and with a smile.

Discussion: Are you sending your children back to school? Does your back to school plan include a parent who has quit their job or taken a leave of absence? Do you have a child with an IEP? Are you keeping them home or sending them to school? Any tips for parents from teachers or educators even words of encouragement please drop them below.

Mr.CBB

Leave your comments or experiences below.

Mr.CBB

Blog Posts You May Have Missed

Below is a recap of the blog posts I’ve published over the past two weeks.

If you haven’t subscribed to the blog make sure to add your email to my list so you get my weekly blog posts and access to my Free Budget Resources Library.

Plus, now I also release a bi-weekly newsletter that comes straight to your email only for subscribers.

You’ll find exclusive updates about the blog and CBB home life including photos and exclusive contests.

• The Harsh Consequences Of Dying With No Will In Canada
• How Much Does It Cost To Own A Dog In Canada?
• Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Roll-Ups (Keto)
• Is The Capital One Costco Credit Card Worth It?
• Ampli Cash Back Review For Canadians

Seasonal Frugal Recipe Box

Over at the Best Recipe Box, I found these baked parmesan zucchini fries that I wanted to share because it’s zucchini harvest time.

Those of you who grow zucchini likely have lots of it to consume and want to learn new ways to use cook with it.

Ingredients

If you are on a keto or gluten-free diet this recipe works equally well as the zucchini is breaded with parmesan and not breadcrumbs.

I like my zucchini fries baked crispy and judging by the 5-star review these zucchini fries will be on our menu plan.

Frugal Gardening Tips

Stephanie Rose at Garden Therapy has some excellent tips about How To Save Garden Seeds so you never have to buy them again.

I’ve always wanted to learn how to do this although I have successfully saved tomato and pepper seeds.

It’s an art that I want to learn more about as we continue our gardening journey.

I think you’ll like Stephanie’s simple approach to teaching 3 methods of saving garden vegetable seeds.

CBB Motivational Corner

We are all fighting battles that nobody needs to know about unless you tell them.

Do what is right for you and your family and nevermind what anyone thinks.

Home Update

The other day Mrs. CBB and I both were sitting on the front porch having our morning coffee and chit-chat.

We were talking about how we haven’t really done anything this summer as a family apart from neighbourhood walks and grocery shopping.

Exciting stuff.

I think next year if we can fly again we’ll all getaway to the UK and perhaps Paris, France as I’ve never been before.

Lately we’ve been going back and forth to see Mrs. CBB’s mum who is not doing so well.

It has been hard on her trying to deal with this especially with Covid-19 and having to get tested every 2 weeks.

She knows it’s for the good and she enjoys visiting her mom indoors rather than outdoors.

I’m not even sure what all of these businesses are going to do come winter because I don’t think many customers will enjoy the cold porch dinner.

Harvest Time In Our Garden

In the last two weeks, we’ve been harvesting cherry tomatoes and pretty much our basil and dill are done for the season.

I’ve made some walnut basil pesto which is absolutely amazing if I do say so myself, ha!

The strawberries are still producing but I’m sure they won’t be far behind the death of the Fall season.

This is the time of year I hate as we have the summer clean-up into the Fall season coming our way.

Well, that’s all for now. Thanks for listening to my everyday ramble on CBB.

I don’t try to be someone I’m not like some other bloggers.

Family and Fans first!!

Take care,

Mr.CBB

Blog Update

P. S- Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog if you want my bi-weekly newsletter where I share behind the scenes photos from the CBB house and blog not show on the blog.

You’ll also get access to insider contests and info before it is released on the blog.

Not much has happened on the front-end of the blog recently apart from the new subscriber box at the bottom of every page.

Right now I seem to be seeing a “link won’t open” message when using the mobile phone to access CBB.

I’m not sure if any of you are seeing it but if you could please respond below and let me know that will help us out.

I’ll be working on splitting up the Free Downloads Page this week so you will see a Deals and Discount Codes Page too.

Don’t worry, I’ll keep you all updated.

Mr.CBB x

Reader Mailbag Series

I’d love to start a reader mailbag series where you the readers send me a question and I’ll post it right here.

This will allow CBB readers to comment below to help solve your problem or give you some tips.

It can be anything from finance to gardening, relationships to parenting.

Keep your question short but with as much detail as needed to describe your problem.

If you have a photo you want me to share you can send that into my email canadianbudgetbinder@yahoo.ca

Perhaps you have a garden plant that needs help and wants to share a photo of the issue it’s having.

Send it to me.

Mr.CBB

I had a question I responded to but I can’t find the question and answer so I guess I don’t have one this week. Sorry!

Saturday Search Term Giggles

These are keywords that readers typed into their search engine and landed on this blog.

So whatever you type in a search engine and then click on a CBB post or my actual blog URL I can see that.

I get thousands of these every single day and pick some of the best to feature right here.

• Will the police come to a store if there is a theft? – They sure will especially if the store is pressing charges
• Hoarded Car- I’m not even sure what that means? Did they fill their car up with stuff?
• Do rental scams work? – Seriously, I’m not even going to go there.
• Maxi puts shoplifting in jail – Haha, bad shoplifting. Go to your jail cell right now.
• Should you sell iced tea at garage sales? – Hey, don’t forget my beer! jk.

Thanks for your continued support of CBB and for listening to me ramble about our financial journey.

I’ll see you back here in two weeks for the next edition of The Saturday Weekend Review.

Be well,

Mr.CBB x

 

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