I’m going to be honest. This post is literally popped into my brain about 5 minutes ago. It wasn’t pre-planned. It wasn’t carefully lined out. It wasn’t something I have been thinking about for weeks.
Instead, this post is completely spontaneous and unfiltered. So, let’s see how this goes.
Times are a little crazy right now. I think we all know this. COVID-19 is ruling our lives and our minds at the moment. It’s the only thing that everyone is talking about. It’s dictating how we think, shop and interact with other humans. It’s making people paranoid and afraid. People are panicked and living in a state of fear. I’m not saying that it isn’t unwarranted, it’s just simply a fact.
And about five minutes ago, I started thinking…The kids are watching us.
I’m not just talking about my students or my own children, I am talking about all of our students and all of our children. I’m not just talking about myself or other educators, I am talking about all adults. I’m talking about the entire country – the entire world.
All of the kids are watching us right now. They are watching how we react in these times, whether we are calm or panicked. They are watching how we treat each other, whether it is with kindness or selfishness. They are watching how we behavior on social media, whether it is with obsession or reflection.
The kids are watching everything that is happening right now because it is such a monumental moment in history. It’s a situation that most adults have never experienced. Yet, our students, our kids, are experiencing it during a very formative age. This means that the behaviors and attitudes that we model right now can have a lifetime impact on the kids that are around us.
We have to be the examples to them. We have to show them how to be calm in the storm. We have to show them how to treat others with kindness. We have to show them how to carefully reflect and make wise choices. We have to show them that we are all in this together. We have to teach them to be good humans.
I challenge you, as I have challenged myself, to reflect on what our kids are seeing through their eyes as they live through this situation. Because, quite frankly, they are watching everything we do.
Stay safe. Stay healthy. And, please, stay kind to one another.
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Thank you, Meagan, for the reminder. An important reminder indeed. xo
For all of us! ♥️
love this ! and all your stuff #fangirl
Thank you!!
Ms. Kelly, I recently had an in-depth conversation with my 12th graders about their pandemic experiences and this post came to mind. They basically echoed all of your sentiments ten fold. The pandemic imposed an unprecedented set of challenges on children, disrupting their routines, social interactions, and sense of stability. The resilience they’ve shown amidst these trying times is commendable, yet the impact of witnessing adult behavior during these moments was profound. The uncertainty, anxiety, and adjustments in the adult world casted a long shadow on the young minds observing them. Children are perceptive; they absorb the stress, fear, and emotional strain exhibited by adults, which can imprint lasting effects on their mental and emotional well-being. The way adults navigated the turbulence of the pandemic, their coping mechanisms, and the support systems they provide greatly influence how children understand and cope with adversity. Empathy, patience, and consistent reassurance from adults play a pivotal role in mitigating the potential long-term effects on children, fostering resilience, and instilling a sense of security during uncertain times.
Thanks for reading, Bridgette. It’s been a long time since I’ve written this post…or any post, in fact. Not only was it a good reminder of the situation but also how much I used to love writing. Thank you.