September 2020

First Day of Kindergarten

Yes, with us just passing by labour day weekend the first day of school has occurred for students across Canada and the USA. It has been a very surreal start up as everyone is dealing with Covid 19 issues and concerns. Alisha and Josh have obviously been dealing with those very same issues that are obviously complicated by a little one who is medically fragile. This complication is magnified because they were really anticipating the greater social interaction with other kids. Obviously, even in prior years in our imperfect world that would introduce a range of health issues into Emmett's environment and with Covid that seems like a quick black and white 'No' to school participation. And yet over the months that this pandemic has gripped the world there have been talk of drastically limited class sizes, reduced number of school days per week, and obviously greatly enhanced awareness on the part of most individuals of the need to sanitize, stay home if ill, wear masks, social distancing, and wash your hands! However, as the school year got closer and closer it became more obvious that the school system across Canadian provinces was going to proceed without any significant changes. These health and school challenges meant looking for other options.

The network supporting this family is amazing and one of these partners is Canuck Place. The teacher their has met and been working with Emmett in person (while he's there) and virtually though online video conferences. She made several great observations and recommended some distance education programs that other families had accessed. Long story short, Emmett is now enrolled in the Oak and Orca Bioregional School and has started Kindergarten. Distance Learning education - where he will be at home while supported in his education by Oak and Orca.

On Tuesday Emmett was so excited for his first day of school photo shoot. You may not realize this, as Emmett is in a lot of photos, but he does not appreciate posed photos. Candid shots are by far the best. Yet on Tuesday he was ready to pose and get his photo taken. He was also ready to show off his sole front baby tooth. Months ago Emmett lost his bottom front teeth and just last week his first extremely wobbly top front tooth came out. He's very protective of the last very wobbly tooth that is barely hanging in there - which is making tooth brush time quite an ordeal - but that's just another part of growing up.