The word "parent" is not just a noun. It's also a verb.
This book is a fantastic leap into the mind of a young child burdened with her older sibling’s doom-and-gloom predictions for the future. Upset, they go to grandma who assuages their fears and shows them that beyond all the predictions of bad things lies the possibilities of good things.
How do you explain to a child what a virus is? How can you explain that something they cannot see, is dangerous and could hurt them? How do you make them understand that there are certain things they must do in order to stay safe? All of these questions have surely been asked countless times by adults who have children in their lives.
Alexa, how go friend house and not germs?” My heart sank. My incredibly resilient, almost four-year-old had had enough of sheltering in place.
Now, I want you to stop and think about all the pressure that we are currently under; these pressures are not ordinary pressures—these are not ordinary times. When you get into an argument—and we all get into arguments—ask yourself: if I had done this dumb thing, would I want to be forgiven? Is this thing so massive, that it’s worth holding on to? I’ll wait.
I am not, by the way, advocating free Get Out of Jail cards. What I am advocating is grace. It’s all about degrees. Don’t set a standard for your partner that you’re not willing to set for yourself. Don’t set too high a standard for yourself either.
We so often get wound up around the word “Parent,”–I am the PARENT–that we forget it’s not just a noun, it’s also a verb. And, if you happen to forget, just substitute the word “caregiver.” It will steer you in the right direction.