Author: Nancy Watson

Allowing our children to firmly plant themselves in uneven turf that consists of disappointment, challenge, and hurt ultimately promotes skills and introduces children to their assets. These experiences build on one another and lead to increased confidence and a robust sense of self. I have had a front-row seat to watching the students at my school navigate the return back to school this year. Not unlike the vines, their return has been fraught with the less than ideal routines and conditions of wearing masks, one-way aisles, spaced desks, lessons via Zoom, and outdoor classrooms. And like the vines, they have had to create new paths to find the sunlight and a new comfort level – and they have done it with grace and adaptability.