12 / 28 / 2023

Dear Friends,

The end of the year – for adults - often brings with it a time of serious reflection. But kids? Not so much. Their lives appropriately operate around an academic year, not a calendar one. So while winter break is usually very fun and/or relaxing, it’s not always a time for pause and contemplation on their end.

And with that, we realized, what an unanticipated gift for parents!

It gives US a chance to reflect and observe and appreciate this incredible time without creeping them out as the voyeurs that we – let’s be honest – sometimes are;). It’s also an opportunity for us to appreciate them, to support them, to really understand where they’re at right now (in the “middle” of their year) and most of all – it’s a chance to course-correct where need be and to do better for them.

That doesn’t necessarily require us to take stock and be better parents or even people (although for some 🤷‍♀️) – but it’s an opportunity for us to recognize where things are off or misaligned or just unexpected and be better for them in the “second half” of their year (again, based on their appropriately self-centered academic timelines). That means supporting them differently, perhaps advocating for them differently, or at times being more (or less) lenient.

What’s unique here is that it’s a global time for adults to pause and reflect . . . while the kids keep going. What a gift!

And hey  - if you’re not ready for that just yet (or maybe too exhausted from all the December magic thus far!) you can always start with a quick pause to simply come up to speed on their lingo. And hey - if you don’t know Rizz, No cap, Sus, or Take the L yet – ask them directly, that should make for some fun dinner conversation!

Happy New Year!💙💜