IT.IS.FINISHED.

 Twelve years ago, I started this blog as a way to process my spiritual journey, and as a repository for all the truths I hoped to pass down to my children.  It was always my intention to turn these blog posts into a book, to be given to each child on their confirmation.  Well, two young men will be having their confirmation in the very near future, which means... the mama had to get busy!  SO, after twelve years of writing/compiling, and three months of turning it all into one book... here is the result.  I hope they read it.  If not, at least I tried!  

https://www.blurb.com/bookstore/invited/8806278/175f8922c967bb7510ea7252ea17b6bdab53b5fc

Why I'm not afraid to send my children back to school, based on SCIENCE.

"Fear is a reaction.  Courage is a decision."  Sir Winston Churchill

I did a little research this morning.  School is looming, and there is SO MUCH FEAR AND ANXIETY floating around out there, I just thought I needed to understand the risks for myself.  I love my children, I want no harm to come to them.  But the way some people talk, I am being irresponsible by letting my children return to face-to face instruction (if that's an option), and I just needed to wrap my brain around why this decision is right for our family.  This is what I found, from the American Association of Pediatrics.

https://services.aap.org/en/pages/2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-infections/children-and-covid-19-state-level-data-report/ 

Summarized, for those of you who won't click the link:

8.8% of all confirmed COVID cases in the US are from children.(338,000 children by July 30, 2020, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics).  The CDC reports an infection rate among children at 1.7%.  But we'll go with the higher number to err on the side of caution.  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-in-babies-and-children/art-20484405

Of that 8.8%,  .6% to 8% ended up hospitalized.  Doing the math, that's .000528% of all positive COVID 19 cases ending up as a child hospitalized. The vast majority (77%) of those were children with underlying health conditions like asthma, cardiovascular disease, or were immunocompromised due to chronic health issues, according to the CDC.  https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6914e4.htm 

Of ALL COVID deaths in the US,  0%- .3% ended in mortality for children.  The CDC only reports deaths for children AND adults, aged 0-24 years old, which is probably where the .3% statistic comes from.   At least 20 states have had not a single child death from COVID.  I could find absolutely no information on the interwebs for ACTUAL numbers of children who have died in the US from COVID19.   My assumption is zero, or nearly zero, for the under 18 crowd.

The incidence of severe response and mortality for children is EXTREMELY RARE.  Extremely.  Now compare that to 100% chance of lifelong consequences from lost education, social isolation, depression, anxiety, lost family wages.  Not to mention increased suicide rates, increased domestic violence rates.  https://academic.oup.com/qjmed/article/doi/10.1093/qjmed/hcaa202/5857612

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7152912/#:~:text=Covid%2D19%20pandemic.-,Increasing%20reports%20of%20domestic%20violence%20during%20the%20Covid%2D19%20pandemic,their%20shelter%20in%2Dplace%20mandate. 

These are all reputable sources (American Academy of Pediatrics, the Mayo Clinic, the CDC, etc.), not anecdotal evidence.  This is SCIENCE, which all the shrill people keep claiming is what they're relying on.  

I am not afraid for my children!  I AM terrified of the lack of structure, lack of quality education, and mental/social health consequences of online schooling, like we did in the spring.  It did not work for us AT ALL.  It was awful.  I will not do it again, and I have no reservations at all with allowing my children to return to school face to face.  

I will not feel guilty for this decision.  It is based on SCIENCE.

The Wise And Prophetic Fulton Sheen

I discovered Fulton Sheen late in the game (like, in my mid to late 40s).  I'm too young to have seen him on television.  His "Life is Worth Living" broadcast from 1952-1957.  There's not a lot I can say I'm too young for, but there IS that!  For the past several years, though,  I've been seeing his quotes hanging around the internet, and I am floored by their clarity of thought, wisdom, logic, and beauty.  The world needs more Archbishop Fulton Sheens!!!

A few examples:

I could go on all day and never get to the end of it.  It's a good rabbit hole to fall down!