I've mentioned before that my 10-year-old daughter, Rosie, has a sunny disposition, as though her name had been a prophecy. One evening this week, while doodling, she wrote: "Hello, My name is Rosie, I love everything, and everyone! Goodbye! I love you." In her bright outlook, she takes after my husband. He goes well beyond seeing the glass half full. He sees the glass overflowing, while I worry about the spill.
Rosie has a big week ahead of her. It includes her birthday, which will be celebrated virtually. Also, a new virtual-classroom job: "compliment giver." (Kudos to her teachers for this creative role—I wish I could assign the task to someone on my team.) And finally, a Student Council vote.
She threw her hat in the ring for secretary, in a savvy move to avoid direct competition with her friends. Her excitement has been building steadily for weeks, and she fell asleep last night eagerly anticipating giving her speech. Across the hall, I lay awake worrying about it. I rationally know that learning to fail and bounce back is the most important life skill we can teach our children. But the past year has brought a slew of disappointments, cancellations, and losses for even the luckiest kids. And while they roll off Rosie's back, mine is breaking a bit.
I'm counting on this parents community to be aware of all of the caveats I regularly issue and deeply believe: These are champagne problems, we are incredibly privileged, children are resilient, and so on. I'm hoping for kinship. Have you found yourself sweating the small stuff, even as the world around us falls apart? Please share your stories and coping strategies with me at andrea@time.com. I might need them after Rosie's Student Council vote on Monday. But who knows? Maybe she'll win.
Best, Andrea
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