5 Siblings In Different Grades Brave Education System, Separately But Together

A Tulsa family said this year has been a struggle for everyone and presents unique challenges for different age groups. Russell and Jenny Brown said their little athlete wears a mask playing soccer, their first-grader was just quarantined for 14 days, and their college kids are completely isolated.

"Meeting new people, you know you can't see their faces. You can't tell their facial expressions, and then Miley plays sports, and she practices in her mask and that was an adjustment,” said Jenny Brown, mother. “Probably the hardest adjustment was for my two in college. Just the isolation.”

She said one of her girls is stuck in her dorm room and the other is at home on her computer. Jenny says that her college daughters are very social and aren’t getting the socialization they desperately need.

“At times they were like, ‘I can see how people can get depressed,’" Jenny said.

Jenny and Russell Brown have five kids in different grades enduring the education system during the pandemic. The Brown siblings said the word challenging comes to mind.

Zeke is a first-grader at a private Christian school in Tulsa and said he’s not completely sold on this new way of learning and school supplies lists that contain hand sanitizer and masks.

"I don't know but it just, it's just weird this school year,” said Zeke. "When you're inside you're like [holds a hand over mouth] and they're like, ‘What are you saying,’ and then they're like [holds a hand over mouth], so they can barely hear you."

Miley is a seventh-grader and said it’s difficult as an athlete to have your head in the game with a mask on your face. She said it’s also hard to communicate.

"It's harder during the pandemic to make new friends," Miley said.

Miley’s sister Haven is a sophomore in high school and said it’s been even more difficult since she and her younger siblings transferred schools.

"First we moved towns, and then houses and then schools,” said Haven. “I remember like talking to like people at the beginning of the school year and then like seeing them without their mask on, and I totally didn't even know what they looked like.”

Haven said, even so, she is just glad she doesn’t have to face these challenges on her own.

"All my siblings and I are still trying to adjust, but everyone's going through the same thing we are,” said Haven. “Like this year's been new for everyone, especially us moving to a different school, but everyone's had to acclimate to social distancing and masks and like not being able to sit together at lunch."

Makenzi Brown graduated from high school this year and is a college freshman out of state. She said being a 2020 senior was tough.

“Just like going back to my senior year in high school, everybody looks forward to all these things. Graduation, prom, like the last of everything,” said Makenzi. “I was really heartbroken and really sad. I even cried about it, but then I was like super excited. I was like ‘college is going to be great.’”

She said college hasn’t been quite what she’d expected.

“At first I was like really upset. Like, ‘This is terrible. I hate this. Like my parents are paying for nothing,’ And then I thought ‘I have to suck it up,’” said Makenzi. “This is what it is, and I can either sit here and be sad about it or make the best of it,’ so that's just what I've done."

Makenzi said she joined a sorority and has gotten very creative with how she’s managed to make friends.

“There's no functions, like they have no events, like no way for us to make friends, and so I was like you know I'm going to take this upon myself like I'm going to make friends because I want to have all these experiences that every other person has had going into college,” said Makenzi. “I started messaging girls that were in my pledge class and I was like you know ‘let's go get coffee.’ I would just message people and go get coffee with them and get to know them and get to know their heart."

Annie is the oldest and a junior at an out of state university. She said she can’t help but compare her time in college pre-pandemic to post-pandemic.

"I think it can be depressing and hard because you know what the typical college life, college scene is, where you know you get to go [out] and hang out with your friends or even just going to class and getting to meet your professors and being around people that really you'd never thought of as making a difference to your mental health, but it really is,” said Annie. “It's just all stripped away from you, and I mean now I can do class from my home in Tulsa and it's just weird but in a way, there's been blessings in that, too."

Annie says after this semester she’s considering graduating at least a semester early.

"I thought that this next spring we would see somewhat of a more, you know, hybrid-based class, somewhat where we would be in person two days a week and online the other, but it's not looking any different for me come the spring semester. I don't, I don't think it's ever going to end," Annie said.

Annie said it's weird for her, but she believes what's even weirder is her six-year-old brother Zeke will never know any different.

"There are these little dots around the room that we sit on and they're spread six feet apart,” said Zeke. “My teacher has this little light and then she turns it on when you need to put your mask on.”

Russell said he’s proud of his kids for adapting so quickly. He said being an adult, though, presents its own challenges.

“For me, I think it's the fear of giving it to our parents. Trying to run a business and determine, you know, when is the right time to bring your employees back. If they test positive, then you bring that home and just the business travel,” said Russell. “Just the dynamics of everyday life. When you're in a new neighborhood and you walk up to meet somebody, and everybody steps back three steps.”

Russell and Jenny said it'll always be something, but it's their job to lead by example.

“There will be something else tomorrow and next year,” said Russell. “I think, you know, being faithful as a family and trying to stay grounded with your thoughts and not forgetting what your ultimate goal is."

Jenny said she tries to keep a positive outlook and encourages her kids to do the same.

"Life is how you react to the hard things and you have to make the best of the circumstances that you have,” said Jenny. “No matter if it's school if it's going to a new city, whatever it is, you have to make the best of it.”