Musings on these Challenging Times

By Norrine Russell, Ph.D.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” I never did take to literature in school but I think that’s Dickens. I’m sure someone will tell me if it’s not.

Anyway, when we have the gift of perspective on this period in our families and schools and country, I think that’s what we will say. There’s no simplifying the current situation—many people are appreciating the slower pace and more time together with loved ones and at the same time, deeply concerned about health, finances, and well-being. And all of us as parents are concerned about education. We are seeing and experiencing a lot of extreme events and emotions right now, both good and bad. Our children are as well.

When we look back, I believe we will say things like, It was a terrible time...mom’s business suffered or dad got laid off. We might even lose a family member or loved one or another important person. There will be hundreds of thousands of people who know someone who dies from this virus. We will say, oh the stress of distance learning, of being without therapies or support at school or missing the joy of seeing the children off to school. We will be well aware of the toll this took on us, parents and children.

But I believe we will also say things like we grew stronger as a family and our children developed the most important life skills. They learned to tolerate being uncomfortable, to be flexible, to give up what was merely wanted for what was needed, to be more independent, to be more thankful. Our school community pulled together and we practiced a growth mindset. We made mistakes and learned from them in real-time. We stopped going and doing and were forced to just be. And in that just being, we found peace. And we will say, with the gift of perspective, it was the worst of times and it was also somehow the best of times.

About the Author Dr. Norrine Russell, Ph.D. is the founder and owner of Russell Coaching. With twenty years of experience creating positive youth development and parenting education programs, Dr. Russell has extensive knowledge of child development, learning styles, special needs, and positive parenting philosophies. She blends this knowledge to provide students and parents with comprehensive support and the tools they need to grow and thrive. You can read her full bio HERE.