If you're keeping up, masks will no longer be required in schools as of March 7, but kids will still to wear them on the bus, another of the myriad quirks of life with COVID today.

Hello Valentines,

I find myself with a lot of colleagues right now who have little kids at home. And since I know of readers here are past the early parenting years, I think it's important for us to acknowledge something: These parents are struggling.

What's that, you say you struggled too? Maybe it was years ago as a young Mom marooned at home with babies while your husband went out to work, maybe your spouse was deployed in the aughts, or maybe you spent the '90s dropping the kids off at full-time daycare every day. Maybe you were a single parent and never had a partner to at least try to split the work with.

None of that compares with what parents have gone through in the last two years.

The lack of vaccines for the youngest, the day care struggles, the constant fear of illness, or even death. And oh yeah, holding down a job and avoiding COVID.

The mask issue, maybe because it's a jarring thing to see your sweet baby's face covered, became a political flash point. But it wasn't the kids who made it political. It hasn't been them showing up to yell at school boards, or make dumb Gestapo references to public health measures, or Tweeting their discontent.

Adults like Gov. Murphy and State Sen. Declan O'Scanlon made it political.

But if the masks are going away, things are simple now, right?

Wrong. Kids still have to wear a mask on the school bus, contact tracing is wholly off the rails, and who knows if another variant will come along and set us back again? Some schools are opting to continue requiring masks.

Murphy may think we're doing the best we can to manage the pandemic, but nothing seems to be making life any easier for those struggling parents. And that's political.

Also this week, I'm with Kiki, good wings if you can get 'em, what the hell was that boom, a big bust, and our Jersey house:

TEAM DUNST: In this house we are pro-Kirsten Dunst, the New Jersey-raised actress who's been turning in scenery-chewing, scene-stealing performances since she was 12 and is finally nominated for an Oscar. Go Kiki!

Mmm, WINGS: Anyone else noticed how hard it is to get chicken wings in the supermarket lately? Is it because the takeout places are using them all up, or are we eating more whole chickens, or is it just the good 'ol supply chain? Anyway, here are Jersey's best wings, just in time for the Super Bowl. Tell 'em Pete Genovese sent you.

SJ GO BOOM: Folks down in coastal South Jersey reported hearing a loud, rumbling boom -- louder and more rumbly than the jet-induced sonic booms you'll hear now and again over the Delaware Bay. Authorities are still investigating. Did you hear it? Let me know where you are.

BIG BUST: Even as New Jersey adults can legally possess weed, it's still not legal to traffic and sell. Undercover Bergen County detectives made a bunch of buys at shops selling weed over the counter, then announced a major bust.

MAMMA MIA: Over on Instagram, our social team does a terrific job blending informative content and fun stuff, like this hysterical "Things in my Jersey House that just make sense" video. That's our Video Manager, Natalie Paterson, with the good bread. She's a star, right?

Finally, have a beautiful Valentine’s Day. Tell someone you love them and mean it today, especially if that someone is you.

Finally,

P.S.: Rest in peace, Kyle Mullen.