What Independence? Day

I recently removed some old posts and photos from posts due to an overabundance of caution having to do with potentially copyrighted material. I heard about a friend of mine getting involved in a predatory lawsuit due to a very old photo she posted on a blog years and years ago. So, if you look at any of the old posts and it seems like something referenced might be missing, that's why. The pandemic continues onward with no end in sight. We are at the stage where everyone around the world seems to be trying to live with it. However, everyone is still getting it, seemingly in higher numbers than ever before because the general public is taking fewer precautions. Every household takes their turn here and there. Almost everyone I know who has travelled recently has gotten COVID. Luckily, because of vaccines and other precautions, it seems that nobody I know is getting seriuosly ill. It's still no picnic, but it's manageable. It is still very disruptive to families and schools, but we feel like we have no choice. We can't go back to fully locking down anymore. It's been a game-changer mentally for the youngest kids to now become elligible for vaccines. It's unfortunate many are going to "wait and see", because that further extends the pandemic for all of us. You know what can have proven effects on children's development? COVID. So sick of people not trusting basic science and medicine, and dabbling in conspiracies and fear. I still do not go many indoor public places, other than the grocery store though. We don't eat out at restaurants really, except on rare occasions. As someone who has been back working in-person since August of last year, it seems like a great privilege for those who can work remotely or hybrid. I relish the times now when I am able to temporarily work remotely. The kids are alright. Mostly. The biggest difference I've noticed in Early Childhood Education is that many children have come to school physically unprepared. Socially, some are a little behind, but that's not the biggest difference. The physical core strength, gross and fine motore skills, are lacking in most of the children who began attended preschool late and didn't attend other structured daycare. Some have closed the gap throughout the year, but others are still very behind, and are literally constantly hurting themselves when falling because they are often off-balance when sitting/walking/running/etc. And some don't seem to have the ability to brace themselves when they do fall, and literally fall on their faces. Normal 3 and 4 year-olds pre-pandemic usually had no difficulty pedaling tricycles; in this group, we started with no children who could. Over the year, a few have worked up to the ability, while many still struggle. Pre-pandemic, many kids could easily pull one or two friends in a wagon; this group has really had to work up to that, and many still can't. Most cannot physically dress themselves or remove their own clothing, among other personal independence skills. This is all anecdotal evidence, from a particular socioeconomic demographic in a particular city, but it is a noticeable difference to pre-pandemic times. So, we truck on. We make travel plans here and there with a grain of salt. Sometimes they happen, sometimes they need to be altered or canceled. Michael was lucky to be able to travel to the WMUCC ultimate frisbee tournament in Ireland this year, but of course COVID spread rapidly there and affected many teams. I'm glad they were able to hold the tournament, but it was not without its hardships for teams. The fall of Roe vs. Wade has had major consequences around the country. I fear for all American women now. Even though some states will seem to fare better than others, in terms of health outcomes, we all lose and we are all being treated as though our status as sentient beings is now in question. I fear for my daughter's future in this capacity, and I am grateful we have an additional citizenship elsewhere if we ever needed something to fall back on. There are numerous medical reasons a person might need an abortion, aside from the fact that they might just want to have control over their own body. In a country where a person cannot be forced to donate their organs AFTER THEY DIE, it sees ridiculous that a living person cannot make a decision that will affect their body and all their future life opportunities. I'm disgusted by people who claim to be "pro-life", but constantly try to take healthcare and paid parental leave from others, and make schooling and daycare unaffordable, and refuse to reduce gun violence by using proven solutions. It's so hypocritical. Not to mention the idea of forcing young victims of rape or incest to carry their abuser's child to term, with less accountability for the abusers themselves. It's absurd and absolutely disgusting. I am concerned for the future of our country when a right that has been guaranteed for 50 years has been suddenly stripped away. None of our rights are safe. The Jan. 6 hearings continue on, but they just seem to continue on. OK. Where's the consequence for the people who broke the law and were traitors to our country? It just seems bonkers that T**** could run again in the next presidential election cycle - how is even still elligible?! It's like the upside-down. I recently enjoyed the newest season of Umbrella Academy. And we saw Top Gun: Maverick in the theater. The first movie I saw since the pandemic began - during the day when it wouldn't be busy. And that's the big rundown of a million things. We are all still trying to get back to "normal", or finding whatever the new normal will be. While we have fun moments here and there, it still seems like everyday life is more work than it used to be, with less fun. I hope that will change within the next year, but after almost 2.5 years of the unending pandemic, I know better than to expect things to be better. It was hard to celebrate Independence Day this year. I watched fireworks, but there wasn't much to celebrate. It's really amazing that each year we don't think it can get worse, and then it somehow does. Moving back to Australia might have to be in the works at some point if things don't start to get better. Australia isn't perfect, but goodness, the quality of life is definitely better there than it is here right now.