Back to School: Weary Parent, I See You [Part One]

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September 8, 2020

This blog is part one of a two-part series for families as they navigate the “new normal” of back to school this year.

Weekends are nice, right? But Monday is coming. If we do weekends right, we can launch into a new week ahead with at least some level of enthusiasm because we have had the weekend to decompress, meal prep, check off some items on the to-do list, and as followers of Christ, to spend time in Worship. The ‘Weekend’ can give us renewal and grounding as we dive into the adventure called Monday. And I love a good dive (more on that later).

I used to think of the summer as one big extended weekend. The summer was a beautiful time to decompress as a family, to find pockets of rest, to regroup, and Worship. During those precious months, we could complete projects and plan for the future. Then as Summer would wind down, we could prepare with renewed energy for the big Monday: The Fall launch and ‘Back to School.’

What if the weekend’s preparation for Monday and the summer’s preparation for ‘Back to School’ was a dive? Whether it’s a safe dive off a pier during summer vacation or watching a calculated dive of a 10-meter athlete, there’s something surreal about a well-executed dive into crystal clear water. The diver possesses a spirit of freedom and confidence and somehow manages a nearly splash-less entry. A dive can look effortless and tons of fun. Yet, we all know the splash-less entry is directly connected to the preparation that went into the dive and the sure foundation of the launching point.

But let’s be honest, sometimes a dive is messy and painful. If you’ve ever seen a blooper reel of a dive gone terribly wrong, perhaps you can relate to how so many parents out there feel as we belly flop the 2020 ‘Back to School’ entry. And you know the dives I’m talking about. Maybe the diver started in the right direction, but something crazy happened mid-air, and the diver was met with the angry surface of the water and produced a splash that would rival Shamu. Or the ‘dive’ where the person wasn’t prepared at all! Perhaps they were pushed into a pool at a family party, and the event was recorded only to be witnessed in slow motion in family text threads for years to come.

Which Dive Are You?

Belly-Flop
Nearly flawless back 2.5 summersault with a 2.5 twist
Slow-motion face plant
Pushed off the high dive, screaming with all four limbs flailing
Over-rotated full-back smacker

Confident? Stressed? Frustrated? Hopeful? Angry? Tired? Bitter? Apathetic? Neutral? Excited?

Or, like many parents, you have felt all of the emotions (perhaps on the same day). If your ‘Back to School’ entry could be summed up in a 4 second GIF file with the title: dive, how would that look? And if you need a laugh in this stressful season, please look up dive in your GIF keyboard.

Well, guess what weary parent? I See You. I can relate. I’ve spoken with many families that are navigating this ‘2020 Back to school entry’ with all the emotions and circumstances. It is incredibly POWERFUL to know that God sees you too. He knows you and your circumstances with a level of detail that we will never comprehend. He loves you and has a plan for you and your family in this messy and painful time.

He knows you and your circumstances with a level of detail that we will never comprehend

If you haven’t already, be sure to connect with other parents in this season. God established Spiritual Family and community. We need to pursue these honest, caring, truth-filled, and prayer saturated relationships. So as people come to mind, shoot them a text (maybe tell them about this blog and send them your GIF file dive) and start a conversation.

Then tune in for our next blog released this FRIDAY [9/11]for practical steps to navigate this ‘Back to School’ entry with ScripturePrayer, and Healthy Rhythms.