I like to surround myself with positive characters. I feel very grateful to have the most amazing friends that I know I can turn to at any time. While it is important to be positive, to look on the bright side, it’s ok to also just feel whatever it is you are feeling, even the yucky ones. To be honest I had a difficult day. I know I didn’t handle it like a pro or a champ, so I thought, what can I do with this? I could keep it inside and pretend everything was just fine. I could post on IG a selfy with a big smile LOL! But then I thought, its ok to be 100% honest because maybe this post will help someone else.
Therefore, the purpose of this post is to just say, be gentle with yourself. If you are kind to you, you can be kind to others. You do not have to be perfect. You do not have to have all the answers. If things are hard whether it be due to the pandemic or not, remember to reach out to your friends when things are feeling hard. We keep hearing the message of, “Look after your mental health.” It is a really good message and while it seems obvious to do this, it’s easy to ignore the whispers; pay attention to them before they get too loud for you to ignore.
So what happened today?
Homeschooling is what happened today. It is the first day back after the long weekend. I told myself, “Ok week one had its challenges, but I got this! We are all in this together and I got this!” Well, let’s just say it wasn’t as smooth as I thought it would be. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to have online options, but it has been a titch overwhelming with 3 kiddos that are at an age where they will have a steep learning curve to figure out zoom classes, Seesaw class, Dojo class, Quizlet, BrainPOP, AIM French Portal and there are more apps than this. Don’t get me wrong, these are all wonderful tools, but I was running around like a crazy mama trying to manage all their schedules, login codes and well I failed LOL! The screen was frozen multiple times today and my 6-year-old kept fiddling with the mute button, while my 4 year old wanted to “help” me explain how to do the STEAM ball run assignment to my 8 year old lol! Today all their zoom meetings overlapped and we were trying to juggle that as well. We also didn’t have enough devices; I have to say that this experience was all about testing my patience! Zoom is kind of like a box of chocolates because you never really know what you are going to get: sound doesn’t work, but the video is on, or video is off, but the sound is on or your teacher is frozen lol!
At the end of the day, you really do have to just let go of what you cannot control, just do your best and breathe. It’s really not a big deal in the end if you miss a zoom class, or can’t get logged in. It will get easier with time.
Why do I want to write about homeschooling?
While there are much more serious issues happening globally, I just thought it might be nice to read something a bit lighter, and also something that many families are going through. It is the message of, “We are all in this together”. This post is just meant to hopefully bring a smile as at the end of the day, our family is grateful for having all these resources.
I will leave you with suggestions for what supplements kids may benefit from at this time of transition. For example, a good multi-vitamin, probiotics, and Omega 3 – Kids DHA can help kids be at their best. Also, while this is new for parents, we cannot forget that this is a big change for teachers. Teachers are leading the way with positivity and creativity. There are many supplements to help all of us adults during this exciting but also challenging time. Therefore, if you are struggling with stress, anxiety or mood, links are provided and please reach out. We want to help however we can. Many of us are going through different issues at this time, whether it be: financially or a family member/friend is sick, and now is the time to really stick together and help one another. I wanted to thank all the readers who email me, as this makes my day! Many of you have shared various stories with me regarding your health. This is such an honour.
Lastly, thank you for your support. As a small Canadian business, online sales have helped us keep going. Also, did you know that 1 % of our online sales go towards the Foodbanks of greater Vancouver? You are not only supporting us, but we are also working together to help support those in need.
While we practice social distancing we hope you will visit us online at:
www.shopalive.ca
If you have any questions email me at: shannon@shopalive.ca
Do not sit in silence; there are so many things you can do to better your health! Get excited and take charge of your health. Let’s work together, along with your doctor/health care professional to ensure you are doing all you can to lead a happy and healthy life. Our team looks forward to helping you with whatever your health concerns are.