Connection

In the age of technological advancement, where we have almost every tool at our disposal to connect with other people even from the other side of the globe...why then is the world so disconnected? I never realized how disconnected I was from my kids. I must admit that when the stay at home order was implemented, I wasn't sure if I was up to the challenge of being in charge of my children's education. I soon found myself in my panic zone. Seven weeks into school at home without any distractions from work, I have witnessed the sweetest expressions of wonder, excitement, and pride from my children as they traverse the unknown and truly be self-driven learners. No coercion, just pure motivation to learn for the sake of learning for the joy of saying that they mastered a skill. Under normal circumstances, I would have missed these moments. Now, I would not trade this experience for the world. Yes, it's more convenient to have someone do all the work of facilitating learning. It's difficult to let go of our expectations and dreams to excel for our children but once I let go of my own expectations, preconceived notions of what education should be, allowing myself to be vulnerable, being present and enjoying every moment has been a breath of fresh air to my soul. I've found myself shifting from stepping in as my child’s problem-solver to trusting my child to solve problems and being their #1 cheerleader. I've realized that children are fully capable and can rise to the occasion if they are given a safe space to try, to struggle, to fail no matter how painful it is for us as parents to watch. It is from these failures that they build resilience, strong character, and the motivation to keep going until they succeed. It's still not easy on some days. But now, instead of worrying that my child isn’t progressing fast enough, I find myself letting go, trusting the process even when it’s messy and takes time. We now take the time to pause, to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us; a butterfly that had just laid an egg, caring for a fragile caterpillar, and anticipating the emergence of a new butterfly from its chrysalis. Seeing the look of wonder on their faces, developing respect for all creatures, and nurturing their curiosity about the world are priceless. Getting to really know them day in and day out, witnessing their joys, their AHA moments and struggles have been a revelation, more liberating and exciting than anything I would have ever imagined. I am so grateful for this opportunity and look forward to more of these moments no matter what the future may bring.