Lifestyle

From The Confessional: How We Are Feeling About This Upcoming School Year

by Team Scary Mommy
Prostock-Studio/Getty

Just a few months ago, it felt like we might actually beat this thing. The COVID numbers were dropping drastically as vaccines rolled out nationwide and it felt like the sun was coming out for the first time in a long time. We all excitedly grabbed our appointments to get our shots, posted emotional selfies on our social media, and started planning our first visits with Grandma in over a year.

We felt hope and joy and could finally see the light at the end of a very long, dark tunnel.

Then it all came to a screeching halt, didn’t it? The stubborn unvaccinated caught up to the vaccinated. That, combined with states lifting mask mandates and re-opening all businesses as the Delta variant spread, became a recipe for disaster. Now the numbers in some parts of the U.S. are worse than ever and parents are worrying—again—if they can safely send their kids back to school.

Here are some Scary Mommy confessions from readers whose heads are about to explode because we are a year and a half into this nightmare, and we are back to being stuck in that seemingly endless tunnel.

Sick at the thought of sending kid back to school next week. Masks not required. I need to work! At least last yr school required mask. Do my kids die from covid or starvation and homelessness?

Confessional #25844180

No masks required in schools, Delta virus super contagious, anti mask mayors wishing that they took better care of kids this winter PRICELESS. Idiots!!!!!!!

Confessional #25843908

I wasn’t very thrilled about sending my masked kids to school (with masks voluntary), but now with the new findings from the CDC about the viral load, I REALLY don’t want to send them at all.

Confessional #25842918

Back-to-school fears are legit right now, especially with some asinine governors preventing schools from enforcing mask mandates. But can we do another year of virtual school? Ugggghhhh.

Crazy idea.. if you’d just shut up and get the vaccine we wouldn’t have to be wearing masks again, which you also bitch about having to do.

Confessional #25843893

Can't help but laugh at people being told to wear masks and they're freaking out. We've been wearing masks for over a year at school and work...it's not the end of the world. If my 9 year old can do it, so can you.

Confessional #25843845

Disappointed we Americans won't wear masks simply to keep fellow people safe. Embarrassed of what the world thinks of us.

Confessional #25843169

It bothers me when people are so anti-quarantining and wearing masks. Why do people have to complain so much and why can't they just wear a mask and STFU?

Confessional #25826360

And then there are the good old patriotic Americans who are still spouting their frustrations about their “rights” when all this country is trying to do is get past Covid, prevent shutdowns, keep the kids in school, and save lives.

scared of a covid spike here in texas. our leaders have buckled under pressure from right wing nuts here. scared for all who have work in public. already seeing more idiots w/o masks on my rare outings. want to lock my doors and stay in for good.

Confessional #25822487

I might have to quit my job to help kids with distance learning. We were sending them back in person until our dumb governor said it was against the law to require masks and quarantine

Confessional #25843126

Imagine how dumb you have to be to fight against mandatory masks if you have a kid under 12. It blow my mind. Yet schools are under a lot of pressure to do just that. How will we get over the stupidity?

Confessional #25842979

Powerful, influential politicians are making everything worse by fighting mask and vaccine mandates. How are we supposed to be this “great” country if our leaders won’t even listen to science and medical experts who built their careers on saving people?

H just said he is refusing to wear masks anymore and stop living his life. Sounds like a whiney toddler! So we did all this for a year for nothing?! If he catches it I'm not helping take care of him.. Gonna live MY life.

Confessional #25824928

Nobody in my area wears masks. We are an outbreak waiting to happen. Palm Beach County is going to be a shitshow. I am waiting for us to get called bc someone we know has COVID. DH and I are vaxxed but kids aren’t old enough. Come on people!

Confessional #25843046

Online grocery shopping didn't work, had to do in store shopping today for the first time in 15 months. Was SOOOOO disappointed in humanity. No masks on any shoppers. State is only 43% fully vaccinated, no way that means 100% of you shoppers are! A-holes!

Confessional #25837888

I'm glad Disney is requiring masks again. Hopefully this gives vax-hesitant folks another swift kick in the ass to stop ruining everything for everyone. Viruses can only mutate if they have a host to mutate in!

Confessional #25842807

So again, if we could collectively get our fucking shit together, that’d be great. We’re looking you, governors of certain states who are on Covid-fire right now. And at you, assholes who only care about yourselves. Take a page out of Disney’s playbook! They’re at least one bright spot in this cesspool of idiocy and selfishness that our country has become.

Hopefully we’ll get through it as we got through 2020. But it doesn’t look like we’ll do that without losing a lot more lives, and that’s devastating. In 2020, many of those losses were unpreventable, but today, there’s an effective vaccine out there. There are no excuses anymore. If, at this point, you’re refusing the vaccine, refusing to mask, refusing to stay home or social distance, and refusing to care about anyone but yourself, well, you’re a lost cause. And if this country shuts down again, that’s on you.