As I am constantly peppered with questions and concerns from my children about what is happening around the world, I stopped and realized, this is their time. When this chapter comes to a close, my sons will move on and write these moments down in their childhood storybook.
Down the road when disaster strikes again…
If this has taught us anything it is that disaster is a part of life.
This generation of children will pull from their memories and explain to their children or grandchildren, the time when schools closed, the beaches were cleared, celebrations and festivals were quiet, and the people of the Mississippi Gulf Coast grew closer for a moment.
Their generation will explain how some parents like their father went out to the battlefronts, some parents like their mother were blessed enough to stay behind, and how some friends’ parents lost their jobs, businesses, or homes. They’ll explain the frenzy in the grocery stores, the tension that choked many, and the shattered businesses along the Gulf Coast.
Yet during these talks, they won’t forget the teddy bear hunts around the neighborhood, the chance to explore their surroundings and learn whatever they pleased, and maybe they’ll chuckle on how much they drove their mother crazy and how she evolved to become a tad bit more patient.
My sons will weave stories of how we created art in the driveway, how he and his brother battled monsters on the patio, and how we all bonded over the love of Avatar and other strange shows from a period called the 90s and early 2000s.
Remember, this pandemic may be the first defining story for many in this upcoming generation.
This is their Katrina story. And, boy, do I remember every detail from my Katrina story. This is history in the making.
How are you influencing how it will be told and taught? As a teacher during this time, my mind often strays to my students and really settles on those who are in bad situations or ones I suspect won’t be creating the same stories my sons will tell.
Shape your child’s story, and when their future children, grandchildren, or even great-grandchildren ask for tales about the Great COVID-19 Pandemic, they can always say they were loved and cherished.
Parents let’s try our hardest to give them stability and safety as new tales are woven in their childhood storybooks.
