I hope families and teachers are rested up and ready for the last few weeks of this journey! There’s a few things I want to share as we move ahead. One of our staff uses a quote occasionally that came from her grandmother. She says “Only the spoon knows what is in the pot”. It’s a quote I have reminded myself of often as we maneuver these roads that no one has been down before. It reminds me that we don’t know what all is going on inside your house. These are exhausting days for all of us but what is in each of our pots is a little different. Maybe at your house there are several kids with different levels of expectation placed on you and them for academics. Maybe in your home there is someone dealing with anxiety or illness of some sort. Maybe you have older family members that your heart is homesick to see but you have to refrain right now. Maybe the financial impact of this quarantine has hit your home and you are worried for the future. Maybe this quarantine has felt like a breath of fresh air and you feel a lot of guilt about that! For me, I have enjoyed working in my office with the cat on the windowsill and the dog at my feet, most often i am in my pajamas...my daytime pajamas. I had envisioned getting so much done at home because at school I find chatting with kids so much more fulfilling than paperwork. It turns out that most of the people I need to call and interact with are also working from home and it is hard to reach them. Phones often aren’t answered and calls sometimes aren’t responded to in a timely way. And at the end of the day, I just miss my kids and my regular ole’ boring life. I found myself on the phone with “John Smith” (I’m certain that is his real name) last week who couldn’t help me really because my problem didn’t match anything written on his handy dandy FAQ list. Eventually, in frustration, I talked to John Smith about transparency in our relationship and gave him some tips to help him in his career in customer service. I don’t think he was appreciative of my advice as he quickly handed me over to his supervisor which worked out fine because she had the answers I needed. I hung up thinking “only the spoon knows what is in his pot” and wished I had shown more kindness. So I am asking you to remember the following things: 1. Choose kindness. Always. 2. You know the rhythm of your home. Most likely you ARE the spoon that knows everything that is in your pot. Guide your children through the work and activities in a way that reflects both their needs and your needs. 3. Make memories. Have fun and just be silly there is much good to be had in these trying days. Find the good and build days around that. Think, “What do I want my kids to remember about these days?” 4. Take care of you. In a plane you are instructed to put in your oxygen mask before trying to fit one on your child. Take a minute to breathe when you need it. On Easter I was thinking about how precious it is to have a God who knew all the details of my life long before I was even born. When He saw your kids come home to learn for a time, I know He didn’t say, “Oh no! She sure is gonna mess this up!” He knows us, both our strengths and weaknesses. That is extremely comforting to me. We aren’t judging your pot. You are the only one who knows all the ingredients. It is not a cook-off. But it is a recipe for success in your hands because you know what it needs. Please know our staff is available to you even if you need to talk or laugh or cry. We are all in this together for the best kids around. I love you fiercely! #TBOGstrong.
PS. If you talk to John Smith please tell him to forget everything I said. He is doing just fine
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