“What did you learn today?”
That is the age old question we parents have asked our young students as they walk through the door at 3:00 or at the dinner table on school nights. Some things have changed though, amirite? For parents of school aged kids, the classroom is now our dining room, and we have the office next to it. We now know almost instantly what our kiddos are learning, sometimes, as they learn it. I am not in this situation myself, but I can certainly imagine the challenges it presents. Here is what I know to be true…
...School is in session for all of us right now, and we have so much to learn.
My years as a caregiver taught me something I believe might be useful right now. The word CANCER can be a dominating force in one’s life once it enters. For a time, there aren’t many sentences it doesn’t reside in. It can threaten to drag patient and family into the depths if allowed. Our family didn’t let that happen then, and none of us can allow it to happen now.
The stark difference is that we are all feeling the same way at the same time. There is literally no place on the planet to escape it, yet we must, for our sanity resist. So here is what I know to do.
Yes, we are separated by this virus, but like the aforementioned student, we are linked by technology. That is a good thing, right? Yesterday we had three video chats in a row, and the virus, or CANCER, dominated the conversations. It was nobody's fault, we all want to know.
“What are you eating?”
“How are you feeling?”
“Do you know anyone who is sick?”
“Are you being careful enough?”
These questions can lead us to even more dark conversations, and I’m not saying we shouldn’t talk about it, but how much is too much?
So, here is what I propose…
Now is the time to learn, really learn, about our families and friends.
Before a call or video chat, write down three questions about that person you really want to ask, not related to today’s events. Use common sense in determining how “probing” they might be. The object of this exercise isn’t to get upset, it is to learn. Like it or not, we are living through an era of change. It is unavoidable. It is our reality. Change has always been a demanding teacher. Let’s take this moment in time to learn more about each other, and not dwell too much on COVID-19.
“So, what did you learn today?”
Toy family smiles!
Our Family is separated by miles, but we long to connect via Messenger and Skype.