One year ago our school district informed parents that all students would begin two weeks of remote learning due to our county’s first recorded cases of the Coronavirus. Two weeks came and went. Then two months. A “few” cases turned into hundreds. Then thousands.
A month into our stay-at-home orders, I reached out to my kid’s school counselor with the hope that she would alleviate concerns I had about how this break from the normal routine would impact them.
“Kids are resilient.”
That was it. Those three words were the reassurance I needed that they’d be just fine.
Now we’re almost six months into a new school year and my kids are still at home. With me. Every. Day.
“Kids are resilient.”
But … what about the adults? Do WE have that same resiliency?
If you’ve taken a psychology course, you may have studied Resilience Theory and explored research showing that resilience isn’t static, happening in just one moment. A leading expert on resilience, Dr. Ann Masten, has studied how outside influences can impact whether or not a child will become resilient. She posits that factors such as family, friends, and community can greatly impact this dynamic process. But, again, what about us adults?
There’s no question that all of us in our profession have experienced some form of adversity over the course of the past year. In fact, some would say it’s been the most adversity-filled year of our lives. With so many of us working from home and unable to gather in person with our IECA colleagues at conferences and on tours, our lives may feel significantly more isolated than normal. The uncertainty of not knowing what the next few weeks, months, or even year holds can make it challenging to overcome the adversity surrounding us, both professionally and personally.
But, here’s the good news … and where our IECA community comes into play.
Remember that part above about the many factors impacting how well we overcome adversity? Family, friends, community? These are the things that Dr. Masten refers to as “Ordinary Magic.” These are ordinary resources that play a role in our ability to be resilient in the face of adversity.
You, my IECA friends, are that “Ordinary Magic” for me, and for each other. Our community has come together in incredible ways over the past year. You have helped one another in big and small ways, helping our colleagues grow more resilient by the day. Here are just a few examples of this ordinary magic at play:
- Lisa Vella, chair of the Therapeutic Committee, has continued to lead weekly “Connecting During Stressful Times” meet-ups. Members participating in these conversations have looked to them as just the resilience recharge they need to begin their week during these difficult times.
- Bob Carlton and members of the Business Practices Committee recognized a need to help members become more resilient as business owners. Their newly created Business Practices Roundtable began meeting in the new year and has been an incredibly well-received opportunity for all IECA members.
- Many of our Regional Group leaders have continued to support their colleagues through robust programming already planned for 2021. The opportunity for our members to have meaningful regional connections has undoubtedly allowed them to exhibit resilience in the face of uncertain times.
So, to answer my original question: YES. I truly believe that adults can be just as resilient as children. The key, however, is discovering where you can find that ordinary magic. I hope you’ll agree with me that our association is just that place.
Kristina Dooley, MA, CEP
IECA President