There once was a mother who had several kids.
She loved them to pieces but sometimes she hid.
She needed a break from the chorus of “moms?”
The bathroom gave solace, a place for some calm.
The pantry was also a spot for reprieve.
She’d lock herself in and eat combos with cheese.
If she was lucky there might be some wine.
She’d knock a glass back and then leave feeling fine.
While school days presented additional stress
like homework, bagged lunches, and getting them dressed,
the trade-off was worth it for Monday through Friday
the house was dead quiet and free from their horseplay.
Then one day in March without very much warning
they closed all the schools ‘cause a virus was swarming.
“If we want this to pass,” we were told of our fate,
“you must not go out; stay home; isolate!”
She worried the kids would lose smarts and get lonely.
But then they said parents would teach them remotely.
The mom lacked the skills and a teaching degree.
She didn’t know common core math or I.T.
She panicked and thought of the long days ahead.
But options were scarce so she rallied instead.
On day number one of her teaching debut
the internet crashed and then out of the blue
the kids turned against her, “you’re mean!” they all said.
And the mom said, "you haven’t seen anything yet!"
The next day was worse, the mom was perplexed;
Predicates, rhombuses, cause and effect...
It all had escaped her, long gone from her mind,
but thankfully Google could save her behind.
The days carried on and slowly she learned
how to get by and the tables they turned.
She still missed the days when she sat down in silence,
and wished there was an end to this on the horizon.
But the leaders they said that the rules would not slacken.
Home school would remain as the curve we must flatten.
She cried in her pillow remembering the days
when out of the house they would go their own ways
But then a small voice rose up to the surface,
‘for every conundrum there must be a purpose.’
She pondered this thought and that said, “By golly!”
There is a reward in these cards for this mommy.
'The moments are fleeting, from home they’ll soon wean
but I get more time thanks to Covid 19.'
Her new life felt better with this new insight
but still there were times she would cry in the night.
Cause looking ahead to the next day’s class lessons
filled her with knowledge that teachers are blessings.