It all comes together

The ants are disturbing me a little. They seem to have blocked up all three entrances between the top area and the bottom sand. There are about 9 on the bottom and 6 up top. It seems the top ones are excavating the entrance hole to get back to the rest of the colony. But while three are moving pieces of sand around, there's an ant 1.5 centimeters below continuing to pile up sand to block the hole. I could use a skewer to unblock the hole, but I don't know that that's what they need.

Unfortunately this relates both to students and to my mother. My mother has been in the hospital since June 1. Last night she got put on a respirator again and intubated so she has a tube down her throat to her lungs, I think. She can't talk. Tonight she signaled that she wanted to write something. But my wife and I visiting was also stimulating or overstimulating her. She was also too tired to try to write. Basically a helpless feeling about how I can help her.

Then going to students: how long to wait while they are trying to solve a problem before trying to help. I think there's a Superman concept, of swooping in to the rescue. Teachers want to help students, but sometimes the best help is not giving any and letting their brains work. Maybe even not sometimes, but most of the time?