I heard it in your voice as you dove into virtually teaching third graders. You were so perky and upbeat, but there was so much stress underlying your tone when bandwidth was dragging, everyone needed help, and things kept glitching.
You became a teacher to instruct tiny humans in math or reading. Yet here you are, teaching adults how to navigate technology you have only just learned yourself.
I see your post, working parents. The cries for help and ideas, looking everywhere for a release valve in the wake of bottomless expectations and no good options.
I’ve seen you, grandparents, becoming more and more active on social media, feeling too vulnerable for face to face social interaction, yet craving time with other humans.
Today I sat and pondered kindness. I think we are all so overwhelmed with our own brand of heaviness that we can’t even imagine giving more or helping anyone else.
But what if that is the thing we are actually NEEDING?
I’ve come up with some ideas. I think most of us want to be helpful people, kind people, generous, purposeful, and fulfilled people. I hope this list at least gets the ball rolling. Read through it and see if any of these ideas light you up.
- If you’re home all day, and know working parents, offer to cook them supper and drop it off one night this week—heck offer to do it as often as you’re able to!
- If you don’t have kids, offer to cover a parent’s work load one day this week, so they can set their kids up to understand how virtual learning works
- If you’re an employee who is able at all, let parents work from home. As much as they possibly can until this is over, but especially the first week when school starts back and there is so much to figure out. Give people the space to set their kids up to succeed. It’s a wonderful investment.
- If you have mad {or even basic} technology skills and know families who are struggling, offer to help. If you aren’t sure you know anyone, hop on Facebook. There are tons of people there crying for help
- If you stay home, and know other parents who are drowning, offer to let their kiddos come do virtual school at your house a couple day’s a week.
- If you aren’t comfortable physically helping, send families gift cards so they can pick up supper.
- Pray. Pray for this virus to end.
- Spend time imagining how someone (parents, teachers, students) may feel. Write them an encouraging note.
- order each other happy prizes from your favorite artist 😉 🙋🏻♀️
- Commit to praying specifically daily for someone you know who is trying to juggling this new norm.
- Send funny memes to your friends. Don’t lose connections in the chaos.
- Send scripture to each other.
- Send encouraging words to teachers. Let them know you appreciate them once again shifting absolutely everything they know about how to do their job.
These are just a few ideas. I’m hoping y’all add to this list! How amazing would it be to keep this list going and growing. Random acts of kindness helping us all navigate the chaos.
Putting yourself in other peoples shoes isn’t something that accidentally happens. But empathy is such a treasure to offer to the people around you.
The cool thing about the way God wired us is that once we shift our focus from our own complaints and fears to thinking about others, something inside of us just lights up. We feel joy and satisfaction take over. We are MADE to live that way! Give it a try. It’s always worth it!!