Written by Phyllis Stephenson | Executive Director

At this point, it seems the life associated with COVID 19 is never-ending. We are missing the closeness of our friends and even extended families.  Basic activities have changed and some do not exist in this pandemic.  As parents, we can feel overwhelmed, as we seek to navigate the challenges for school, safe boundaries, working from home, and community engagement.   It can be very easy to focus on the challenges, difficulties, and miss the opportunities.

As I think about this difficult time, I am reminded of the quote from Albert Einstein. “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity”.  This is a difficult and different time, but I challenge you to be the difference.  Be the parent who can show love, share a smile, or create a new adventure at home.  Build a tent, paint a rock garden, weed the flower garden for a neighbor who is struggling. There are endless opportunities to teach through living to be different in this season. Schools may not be opening, but our children continue learning.  Allow your children to witness you navigating the difficult and different times with grace, love, kindness, and compassion, they may mirror these gifts.

Then on the other side of the difficult and different time, you will have planted seeds in the lives of your children that will bloom for years to come.  Learning to be different in a difficult season is a great life skill – How will you teach it today?