encouragement
Dear Moms
An open letter to all moms everywhere.
Dear Moms,
These past couple of weeks have brought change that would bring a piggy bank to its knees. I’ve been scrambling, along with every other mom I know, to figure out not only a new schedule for myself, but for my kids, too.
I’ve seen amazingly helpful posts like THIS ONE by Patricia Bailey. I’ve seen lists of great activities to keep kids reading like THIS ONE put together by Kate Messner. And wow, there have been so many people jump in to offer advice and schedules. And basically, people are good and helpful. I’ve loved seeing all the helpers jumping in.
But moms, just a little reminder that we are only human. If you are plowing through, and feeling great about how it’s going, that’s wonderful! But if you are struggling, and ready to tear your hair out, and on the verge of tears . . . you know what? You are not alone.
My kids and I had some really great moments this last week, but we also had some really bad ones. In between the laughs, and the hikes, and the movie nights, we had raised voices. We had tears. We had breakdowns.
Please, cut yourselves a little slack. Remember that we are going through a global crisis that no one could have forseen (well, except those dystopian authors. They saw it all). If watching TV and eating cookies is what works for you, do it! If letting your kids play Minecraft for a few hours is what you need to maintain your sanity, do it! So what if Karen is plowing through her color-coded chart? Karen is not you. That is Karen’s way of coping. You do you.
These are tough times. But know I’m rooting for you! I’m rooting for us all. We will get through this, and we will be stronger.
All the air hugs to you and yours. And remember . . . you’re doing great!
Take care,
Me
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coronavirus, encouragement, homeschooling, moms, parentingConquering Fears
Over the holiday break, my boys and I had a chance to do some rock climbing on a climbing wall. You pull on the harness. They clip you in. You choose “Easy,” “Medium,” or “Hard.” And off you go.
It sounds so simple, and really, the wall isn’t that high. But about halfway up, I caught a glimpse of the down. I had to refocus myself on simply finding the next handhold. Conquering my fears one step at a time.
My 13-yo got to just about the same point when he called down, “I think I have to come down!” He’d hit that same wall. But he didn’t know how to get past it.
Now, I knew he was safe. He was buckled in. The rope and mechanisms would catch him if he fell. I’d already done it myself, and I knew he could do it.
So I called to him, “Keep going! You’re almost there. You can do this!”
That is too hard for you.
You should stick to what you know.
But those are lies. If we refocus ourselves, take things one step at a time, and stop thinking about those fears, we can conquer them! Maybe not on our first try, but if we keep trying, it will happen.
Sometimes we need outside support, and that’s okay! That’s why you should surround yourself with people who build you up. People who believe in you. People who can see things from a different perspective. Find those people! Search them out, then hold them close. I know it’s made a huge difference in my life.
Conquering fears is hard. It can be scary. It can take time. LOTS of it! But I tell you what, that feeling you get when you finally make it is worth it.
Remember.
You ARE good enough!
Nothing is too hard if you’re determined.
Learning new things is amazing!
What fears are you hoping to conquer?