We finally made it to the end of 2020   What a relief! It’s been a particularly challenging year and I honestly don’t know how we, as working parents, managed to muddle through. 

It was some kind of magic! The good news is that while we were spinning ALL the plates, employers were making changes to make life easier for working parents. Long may it continue. 

With that in mind, let's take a moment to reflect on the year and look at some of the positives:

  This year showed us how resilient we are - and our children too. A lot was thrown at us, often all at once, and we surprised ourselves by how much we can manage. Our children showed us how to get on with life during a pandemic, and kept us distracted and entertained (as well as busy and tired). 

  We acquired new skills. Some of them were digital and tech related, like how to navigate the complexities of Zoom and other conference calling services. Others were communication skills, like how...

The last few months during lockdown have been life-changing, and we do not say this lightly. For working parents, it has been both a challenging and enlightening experience. 

There has been a lot of much deserved praise and appreciation given to the key workers who kept us fed, nursed those who were sick, and provided essential care during this time. 

But we have even more to be grateful for as working parents. 

Side note: We are painfully aware that not all of these thanks are owed by some working parents, but this is a positive article about the things many of us are grateful for. If you have a comment you’d like to share about your personal experience (good or bad) please email [email protected]. 

To our children…

You have proven that young people really are the most resilient of us all. We underestimated you. Your lives were turned upside down, you could no longer see your friends or close relatives, and there was a lot to be fearful...