Back To School?

Someone reached out to talk about the return to school for our children. Wanting to know my perspective and how I felt about it all. And I had to take some time to think about it.

My first thought is how amazing. How amazing that my children can get back to some element of normalcy. To be back in the classroom with their peers, learning things that I can’t teach them from someone excited to share their knowledge.

But then there’s the rule about wearing a mask. And it just changed (at least in our district), to include my daughter Reese, who’ll be in grade 2 this year. And that gives her immense anxiety. We talked about it just this morning through tears. And so I shifted the focus to how there will be pockets of time through the day where she’ll be able to take it off for a break. But that it doesn’t have to be stressful or scary. Personally I wish it wasn’t enforced for her grade. And maybe you disagree with me, and that’s okay. But friends who’ve returned to work with this new normal complain of headaches and breathing restrictions, which seems a lot for our littles to handle.

But….children are so resilient. And they trust us to lead by example. And so, we’re going to focus on the positive. Which is our health and being grateful to be able to see our friends and get back to being social again. And I know if I can stay calm and accept what is, my daughter will be okay. Her anxiety will fade with my confidence.

Now the rule for kindergarten is different. And so my youngest daughter, Quinn, isn’t feeling the same anxiousness. But we’ve talked about her wearing a mask also. With the freedom to take it off when it doesn’t feel good. I want her to trust the situation and her body and again come from a place of gratitude for her health and not worry. I do really like that she has a choice.

This pandemic has created a giant shift that we didn’t see coming. Who knew that back in March when this all started that it would continue this long. So many changes are happening. The rule about parents not coming into the school doesn’t sit well with me. Quinn is diabetic and this could be an issue. But I won’t give that any energy. I’ll remain trusting and patient with this new process and breathe through it as I need to.

And so, if you’re a parent with concerns about the return to school for your children, first know it’s okay to feel this way. But try shifting your focus to the positive. Try not to worry about the things you can’t control. Be confident that you made this decision to send them back from a place of trust. So many measures have been created to keep our children safe and happy. Teachers and faculty have been working diligently behind the scenes to ensure a safe return. So let’s trust this new process with peace in our hearts and gratitude for our health.

Wishing you more peace, balance, happiness, vibrant health and lasting love.

Sandy xo

"What we think, we become." -Buddha