The pandemic has shown me what my daughters can handle

It’s been a whirlwind of a year, to say the least. We’re now past the one-year mark of when the pandemic first hit. And while the lessons have poured in, so have the blessings.

Finding our wins

As a working mom, I’ve noticed just how much I’ve grown. I’m now a full-time business owner, and I have the quarantine to credit. Being home helped me to find time to grow my independent publishing company. This was a major win in my eyes.

But seeing what my children were able to handle was the true win.

The resilience my daughters Jiselle and Jiavanni have shown me is incredible. They’ve adapted to our “new world” pretty well.

When our usual travel plans were cancelled and holiday breaks were rescheduled, they rolled with the punches. Together, my girls have switched from valuing material things like toys and clothes to wanting to create new memories. They’ve joined in on moments of giving to others — adding their books and toys to the donation pile because, in their words, “Other kids can use these more than us.”

Even the stress of planning birthday parties has changed. I’m amazed at how simple their requests have become for the perfect birthday. My 6-year-old and 3-year-old now care about making the most of their days. It truly warms my heart.

Seeking knowledge

Jiselle and Jiavanni have both been eager to continue learning during this pandemic. This was a huge relief.

Were they always ready to jump into a lesson? Not at all. But they showed me that though they’re not in an actual classroom, their love for knowledge is still there.

Jiselle is thriving in distance learning. Jiavanni’s personality has blossomed, and she’s even more independent. Their growth has kept me on my toes and helped me notice their many interests.

Practicing patience

My girls have a new level of patience. They’ve had to work through technology issues. They’ve had to wait for classmates to be quiet so the teacher could begin the lesson. They’ve even had to wait for me to finish my work so I could help them. They’ve shown me that I can improve on my own patience as well.

It’s no secret how chaotic life during this pandemic is and continues to be. But the blessing has been seeing how my girls have grown. They’ve dealt with a lot and become resilient in the process. We all have.