I don’t know how you’re doing *waves arms wildly at ALL THIS* other than doing what parents do, which is take a deep breath and go, “Fuck it, I guess we’re doing this.”

If I had kids, I suspect I’d be completely losing my shit. “Oh, you want to play with your friends? No problem, LET’S JUST GET YOU INTO YOUR SPACESUIT!”

If you live somewhere with low vaccination rates and schools that aren’t stepping up with safety measures – I am so sorry. I don’t know how to convince people to get vaccinated and mask up for little kids if they don’t just do it on their own. And I don’t know what you do about the leadership that is utterly failing you right now.

While I am definitely one of those, “OK, not *everything* has to be for the kids” single-childless people but this, right now? THIS NEEDS TO BE FOR THE KIDS.

Even in my county, our vaccination rates are fairly good (but could be better) and there is a school mask mandate – I’d still be worried and pissed about that unvaccinated folks that might be wandering around the schools.

At least we can get teens vaccinated, and I’ve been reading that it sounds like we’ll at least have an EUA for kids 5-11 here soon. And when we have full approval for the vaccines for adults, I think there are going to be a lot more employer mandates for vaccination, so your kids will have more and more vaccinated people around them.

If you’ve had to cut unvaccinated people out of your life – good for you. It sucks, but with everything going on right now, it’s not a bad idea and you’re not a monster. And maybe it convinces a few more people to get vaccinated, and every last one counts.

Hang in there and don’t be afraid to ask for help.