The health crisis has been a lot of things for a lot of people, but most can agree it's been a learning experience.
These last few years have changed our perspectives on so much. Many people are going back to life as we knew it before all of this came into the world. The difference now is that we're realizing a lot of what seemed like it mattered before doesn't really seem too significant now. We're also seeing why some things we let go of may have been worth holding onto after all.
Many parents are finding that ideas and attitudes they had before the pandemic are no longer serving them today. Here are some of those ideas.
Time spent judging other parents is time wasted.
Every parent finds themselves judging other parents at some point or another, despite best intentions. The pandemic has helped us realize how unique each family and their circumstances can be, however. That helps open your eyes to why you shouldn't judge. You never know what's going on in someone else's home.
Worry will get you nowhere.
Does it feel like we spent so much of the last few years worried? Yet there's only so much we can do to control our environment and circumstances at the end of the day. As parents particularly, it gets hard not to get sucked into a vortex of concern, but worrying robs from your happiness more than it protects you from anything negative.
Obsessing over control also feels futile now.
Sometimes, parents can get fixated on being in control of everything around them. Life doesn't work like that, and if the last few years have taught us anything, it's that we shouldn't expect it to. It's OK to let go of control and take things day by day as long as your family is happy, healthy, and safe.
Many parents have found themselves wanting to be more engaged in their children's health and well-being. The way they do this looks different in different households, but most agree that parents are taking a look at their children's health and well-being with new eyes.
The fight against screen time can be worse than the screen time itself.
A lot of parents were putting up the good fight against excessive screen time. During the pandemic, we learned that screens are one aspect of our children's evolving lives that we cannot always control. Screens became a means of education, of socializing, and of entertainment. For many, they became a lifeline. That no longer has to be the case, but that doesn't mean we aren't still looking at these tools in a new light.
It's worth it to try to make a friend.
Some parents are natural social butterflies, but just as many are not. Sometimes, we shy away from activities with our kids that would force us out of our own social circles. But after everything, parents have realized the ability to socialize and make friends and make memories with them isn't promised. Sometimes, it's OK to go a little bit outside your or your child's comfort zone to create shared experiences.
We don't have to pretend to know everything.
Many of us were raised with the idea that parents are all-knowing and all-powerful. Now we're experiencing a shift in parenting that allows for adults to be vulnerable in front of their kids. It's OK to not have all the answers; no one does. It's OK to let your kids know that things are hard sometimes but that with love and determination to get through, better days do come.
