Never Take A Hug For Granted

By the time this issue of Life @ Greenwood comes out today, the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States should be complete. This will mark the commencement of the four-year term of Biden as president and Kamala Harris as vice-president. This is another historical event that our students are talking and thinking about as 2021 continues to unfold as an extraordinary year.

 

A year ago, news of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China, seemed like a far-away problem for those of us living in Canada. I, for one, could not have predicted the way 2020 unfolded. My tolerance for the unpredictable grew over the past year, better preparing me for 2021. We’ve got another challenging year ahead, but we are readier for it; our mindset has shifted, we are more resilient, and it’s reasonable to expect this year to be better than last year.

 

I had the pleasure of briefly joining our parent group, the Roundtable, for their meeting on Monday. At the meeting, I mentioned that I will never take a hug for granted again. This resonated with our Roundtable president, Jen Hastings, who (like the other parents and guardians at the meeting) has been helping her children navigate this unique and challenging journey through the pandemic. On top of that, this group has been looking for ways to support the Greenwood community now and in the future, successfully reworking events and traditions in our online world (their virtual WinterGreen event is one great example).

 

We also talked briefly about the future and how nice it is to discuss our upcoming course selection. As students choose their classes for the 2021-22 school year, they can allow their imaginations to take them to next September, which will hopefully bring a return to more normal schooling and allow them to step into the light at the end of this long COVID tunnel! Interestingly, I’m sure that some of the innovations that have come about due to COVID will carry on through the coming school year, while we will be happy to let go of others.

What a difficult job you’ve had, as parents, over the last 10+ months. Some days have likely been very tough, but you’ve managed. You may not have had anyone tell you that taking care of your children through this pandemic is remarkable. So, let me say: Way to go! Great adulting!

 

And speaking of “never take a hug for granted”: be sure to give your kids lots of hugs in the days and weeks ahead. In addition to being a wonderful pick-me-up and a reminder of your bond, a 20-second hug with a loved one can also help you to “complete the stress cycle” and show your body that you are safe. So, don’t forget about those hugs - you and your kids both need them.