Here we are, on the verge of another transition.
While I never want to waste summer thinking ahead instead of living in the moment, this fall demands we approach it with some intention.
After a summer that has felt gloriously and surprisingly back to normal at times, the new school year hovers on the horizon, the next big question mark to tackle.
I’ve always appreciated the fresh start of a new school year, geeked out about pencils and folders and books, whether I was the student or getting my kids packed and prepped for the classroom. But this year is different, yet again, and there are so many unknowns.
And so here is what I hope:
We don’t make things harder than they need to be. I know that personally, after weeks of fun and floating, my family is going to have a tough time getting out the door at a specific time in the morning. If teeth are brushed and shoes are in feet and we haven’t forgotten lunches, I will consider that success.
We allow ourselves grace. Everything will not go smoothly — that’s basically a fact. We will need to shift and pivot and start over and try things differently. But aren’t we really good at that by now? Yes, we are, and we can keep it up.
We model imperfection. Our kids are watching us, and we can use this weird and uncertain time to show that conditions don’t have to be just right for things to be okay, that we can move through the murkiness and make mistakes and learn and grow and keep doing our best. Because, really, things are never perfect and predictable and figuring out how to navigate in that reality is a lesson that will serve our kids well for life.
We keep perspective. We are collectively living through a life-and-death situation, and if this is not a reason to stop sweating the small stuff, I don’t know what is. The piddly and petty things are not worth our energy or brain space. Let them go. Or better yet, don’t let them in at all.
We cheer each other on. Our kids, their teachers, the school staff, their classmates, our fellow parents — and everyone just trying to get through. We are all doing so much, and it’s pretty amazing if you stop and look at it. Let’s build each other up and acknowledge the good that’s going on around us.
We feel it all. I’m having a huge mix of emotions thinking about my kids heading back to school, and they must be too. Actually, I know they are because we talk about it. A lot. And I’m adamant about holding space for all their feelings, the good, the bad, the conflicting, the ambivalent. I want them to know it’s okay to feel however they do, and that sometimes it’s hard to put words to feelings but I’m here if they want help sorting it out or someone simply to listen.
We find the bright spots. What a great moment for finding silver linings and unexpected good. I don’t mean blanketing every situation with orders to “look on the bright side,” but rather knowing that joy can exist within adversity, and one doesn’t negate the other. Both are real, both are true. But focusing on the light can help us through the dark.
What about you? What are your hopes for navigating this upcoming season?
– Katie Vaughn
Katie Vaughn is the editor and co-founder of Northerly. She is a University of Wisconsin-Madison and Stanford University-trained journalist with experience as a writer, reporter, editor, blogger and author. She lives in Madison with her husband, daughter and son, and is always up for an adventure.