“Thanks for asking! I’m hanging in there!” There have been other times where it took every ounce of energy not to crumble in a corner and cry.īut if you were to ask me on any given day how I’m doing, you might here one of these refrains: There have been moments where I have been so overwhelmed, being pulled in so many directions, that I have wanted to fall to the ground, stretch out my arms and legs and pound them as hard as I could – an adult version of a toddler tantrum. There is frustration, anger, and even at times despair. And for me personally, I have battled a kidney stone and shingles all within the past few weeks. There are residual effects from our students being out of school for so long and we are now asked to lead, love, and learn in ways we never knew possible. We are called to be stronger allies to our Black friends and other people of color. This year has brought even greater challenges on top of those that already exist.
As much as I want to be there for my own children, I know that all my time, energy, and effort has to given to my work at school.
Being an educator and a mom is a balancing act that always get toppled at the start of the school year. The warp speed from 0-60 mph happens so quickly you can almost feel the whiplash before it happens. Transitioning from summer-mom mode to working-school mode in August is always a challenge.