We can’t always control the situations we find ourselves in, but we can often determine how long and to what degree they will affect us. The 2020-2021 school year is nearly a wrap. While some students are doing fine academically, many are not. They have only fallen farther behind. Students on behavior plans have likely regressed and students with functional behavior goals may have experienced regression as well, especially if they attended school virtually for some or all of the school year.
Parents and families will have to do more than usual to help their children catch up. It may not seem right or fair to some, but it is the reality all parents are facing at this point. With full plates and busy schedules, some parents feel they don’t have another minute to squeeze out of 24 hours. In a recent post I made on social media, I highlighted the importance of prioritizing schedules to ensure our children’s needs are met. The following is the post that I think is fitting as it relates to devoting the necessary time and attention to our children’s needs.
When we injure ourselves, a simple injury like a sprained ankle throws the entire body off kilter. We CAN function with a sprained ankle. We limp or hobble about in an attempt to maintain our normal activities. We take medication for the pain, we wrap the ankle to limit the swelling and to be able to keep walking on it.
Eventually, the body can no longer compensate for the weak ankle and sends out severe pain that can no longer be managed by our efforts. It is then that we cancel our normal routines and focus only on the healing of the ankle. No sports activities, no unnecessary walking, no running errands, just attending to the sprain so it can heal.
When that sprain heals, we can slowly reintroduce our normal activities back into our lives. If the pain returns, we slow down and focus on that ankle again until it heals a bit more. We focus our time and attention on that ankle until it’s able to function the way it was designed to.
Our children are our most precious and valuable gifts we will ever have. Whether physically, socially, emotionally or academically, when our children are off kilter, our approach to their healing should be similar. Until they are functioning the way they are designed to, our normal routines may have to be moved to the back burners to allow us to fully focus on our children’s wellness. Just like with a sprained ankle, we CAN function when our children are off kilter, but eventually, the pain will be so intense, we will have no choice but to stop everything and focus on getting our children well.
Unlike with a sprained ankle, the cost of waiting too long to correct problems with our kids can and will negatively affect our children’s functioning and productivity as they grow and evolve into adults. Consider your children’s current physical, social, emotional or academic needs. Are there any areas that need your immediate and consistent attention? If so, today, commit to dedicating the time and attention necessary to help your children heal and excel now and in the future. You won’t regret putting other activities on hold when you see your children evolve into the amazing human beings they are called to be.
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