The Kids are Alright
There is a lot going on right now: global pandemic, schools closing (again!), and more. As a parent, I often (okay, always) wonder if I’m doing enough for my kids. I worry that this will affect them negatively and long term.
You know what? The kids are alright. They are going to be okay. Here are four reasons our kids are going to be okay.
They will learn it eventually. Hybrid school, virtual school, masks, plexiglass. This is uncharted territory for everyone. You know what? Even if they don’t learn as much this year, they will make it up next year, or the year after. Or, they won’t, and it won’t matter too much.
They’re learning in other ways. Maybe they’re not learning trigonometry as much as you had hoped, but they are learning other important skills. Videoconferencing is an important skill in nearly every profession nowadays. Learning to troubleshoot internet issues and make use of the different features on Zoom will help them for college, graduate school, meetings, presentations, and trainings for the rest of their careers. They are also learning flexibility: things change without our control and we have to make the best of it.
It’s not forever. Sometimes I forget that, believe it or not, the pandemic will end one day. Vaccines and treatments are getting safety tested and approved at an unprecedented rate. While we may never return to “normal”, we will be able to return to the things that were most important to us.
You are keeping them safe. You are showing them they are valuable and worth protecting. That is a lesson that digs down deep and stays there. You’re showing them that you keep going, even when you’re not sure if you’re making the right decision. You’re also showing them that you wake up and keep working, even when it’s hard.
This meme has been making me smile lately (applies to all parents, grandparents, siblings, and supporters of children):
Comment or subscribe below!