Remember when I said before that we CAN’T do everything?

Right now, If you are a parent and/or educator you are being called upon to do more than ever.  We need to be a parent, teacher, employee, family facilitator, armchair therapist, chief cook and bottle washer. A phrase that my mother-in-law has used that has stuck with me. 

It doesn’t help that social media is full of messages that encourage us to:

• Define your destiny 

• Build prosperity 

• Make your own success

• Get more education 

• Find a partner

• Be fit and healthy

• Have fun

• Connect with your social group

• Start a family 

• Be in the present moment 

Then of course you still have to buy groceries, clean the house, do laundry, pay bills, have a beautiful living space and so on……

After all, We can be and do anything we want, RIGHT?!?

I have long thought that this is a trap. See, if we focus on our career then we may get criticised for not focusing on finding a partner or having children. BUT if we decide to stay home and take care of our kids then we get messages from others that we run the risk of losing our skills, wasting our education and being dependent on our partners. So, really no matter what we do there will always be messages that will be contrary.  What we need to remember is that we need to make choices based on where we are at personally and given the resources and support that we have. These choices will ebb and flow over the course of our lives given our needs and the needs of our loved ones. 

This is not easy normally and right now it is even harder. Our choices won’t always be balanced and not everyone will be happy with your decisions.  We won’t always make the best choices but we can learn from them and grow. During this time, I believe that above all else, we need to remember that we are all doing the best that we can.  

Be kind to ourselves and to those around us