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The end is in sight. We preview the country’s long-awaited Return to Normal.
At long last, Americans are able to see the relief on the horizon, and the end of the outbreak that’s cost the country more than 500,000 lives.
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Here’s the most likely timeline for life to return to normal. The short version, from our staff writer Joe Pinsker: “Life this spring will not be substantially different from the past year; summer could, miraculously, be close to normal; and next fall and winter could bring either continued improvement or a moderate backslide, followed by a near-certain return to something like pre-pandemic life.”
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Experts propose a simple rule of thumb for knowing when the outbreak is over. Alexis C. Madrigal explains the “flu test”: When the virus is killing as many Americans as the annual flu, we can start to move away from our emergency posture.
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Prepare yourself emotionally for the end. Pandemic-spurred anxieties won’t go away overnight. The writer Lily Meyer is turning to the work of one late philosopher to tackle such fears.
One question, answered: A reader named Jessica asks, “How can I teach my kid to love reading?”
[“Tess” would] rather play dress-up. I feel like we did right by her sister but failed her!
Abby Freireich and Brian Platzer respond in our latest “Homeroom” column:
When kids falter as readers, parents often feel a double frustration: one born of concern for their child, and another stemming from a sense of failure as a parent. But getting Tess more interested in reading will require fighting this kind of thinking, and avoiding telegraphing your concern to her unintentionally. Instead, try to view Tess’s learning to read as an opportunity to delve into her interests in a way you can both enjoy.
Keep reading. Every Tuesday, Abby and Brian take questions from readers about their kids’ education. Have one? Email them at homeroom@theatlantic.com.
Tonight’s Atlantic-approved isolation activity:
Lower your expectations. You’ll be happier if you grade reality on a curve, our staff writer James Parker argues
Today’s break from the news:
The prices on your Monopoly board hold a dark secret.
