Isolation
But it wasn’t just school-related stressors that made a negative mark on Assal’s kids last year, it was the social isolation they faced as the family worked to adhere to COVID protocols of social distancing.
“They missed play dates, sports, clubs, and normal face-to-face interactions with their peers. When the three youngest were able to return to school in person in the spring they were elated. Their learning and mood improved significantly,” she said.
Azzedine Boukhlal, who is father to three children, said he and his wife’s decisions as to in-person learning for their children last year was individualized based on their ages. They decided to send their youngest, who was in first grade last year, back to school but keep the middle schooler and high schooler home.
“We sent the youngest because we didn’t feel there was much risk to very young children and everyone at the school had to wear masks,” he said. “With the older two we were a little bit more concerned.”
He and his wife, like Assal, were able to stay home with their remote learners to assist them. He said this helped keep his children on track and accountable for their work.
Though there were stressful situations, particularly when his middle schooler fell far behind on his assignments and had to work overtime to catch up, but that overall he said the experience was valuable in teaching his children time management and helping them to focus better away from the distractions of classmates.
As for Assal, she said she worries what the time away from the classroom has meant for her brood’s education.
“I do think their education suffered because of last year’s sporadic and imperfect education, but all the kids are in the same boat,” she said. “It’s up to us adults to be patient and to be realistic about how much they actually learned and retained during a stressful global pandemic.”
Now with his oldest two vaccinated, Boukhlal said the decision to send them back to campus this year was easy.
“We just make sure they wear their masks every day to protect their younger sister who can’t get vaccinated,” he said.
Masks On
So far, both Assal and Boukhlal reported their children have no problems wearing a mask to school.
To our surprise our kids don’t complain at all about wearing masks,” Assal said. “They’re used to them now and understand it’s necessary to stay healthy.”
For these families, everyone who is able to be vaccinated is and both parents plan on doing the same for their younger children once the US government gives approval for their age group.
Despite their comfort with getting the vaccine for themselves and their families, both Assal and Boukhlal understand that not all their fellow Muslims feel the same. Boukhlal said he’s witnessed some Muslims failing to adhere to social distancing in the mosque or espousing conspiracy theories about the vaccine.
Assal worries about the information some Muslims post online. She’s seen people refer to the vaccine as “dangerous, unnecessary, and done solely for financial gain by the world’s elite.”
She said she’s also frustrated by people who believe in doing their own research to decide whether or not to take it, arguing unless they have relevant medical degrees they are not qualified to determine whether or not a vaccine is safe and/or effective.
Still, she stops short of arguing with them and instead urges her brothers and sisters to take their cues from the doctors and their faith.
“We are supposed to trust Allah and tie our camel,” she said. “Wearing a mask and getting vaccinated are the ways to protect ourselves and the most vulnerable members of society from this dangerous virus.”
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