I think, like most parents, the past two years for me have been an utter blur. Trying to look back and retrace my steps is a lesson in frustration — pre-COVID life seems almost unreal, and so far, in the past two years of time, it feels like 10 years' worth. But time doesn’t stop for anyone, and despite all the chaos, pain, and confusion of pandemic life, my daughter has kept growing into a new person day by day, seemingly overnight.
As hard as the past two years have been on us adults who can comprehend what’s going on (kind of), our children have been asked to be resilient beyond their developmental capabilities. In many ways, the magic of childhood has been a bit dimmed by the effects of this virus and that’s exactly why our kids need a brand-spankin’-new sparkly year with glitter, rainbows, and fairy dust.
So, let 2022 start with a glorious, Care Bear stare kind of bang!
This is what I wish for my girl in 2022:
I wish for all the social opportunities and none of the constraints of the past two years
Instead of timing play dates for outdoor weather or realizing there will be people we just can’t see, I wish for my girl to have a social and fun year! I know COVID-19 isn’t disappearing into the sunset like the bad criminal and outlaw this virus is, but I still crave for her to have that chance to worry only about middle school stuff like gap-toothed smiles and maybe braces, funny crushes, bad hairdos, and sleepovers.
I wish for the predictability of routine
Sure, we’re going to school and have our own little routine here, but I wish for my kiddo to not have to worry about quarantines and close contact notices. For school to feel predictable and math to not feel so huge after not having real school for so long. Like all of us, we all wish for normalcy for our kids — and for ourselves.
I wish for confidence
I wish for my strong-willed lady to have a confident, happy year. To continue to be her super fab self, and not worry that because she doesn’t have a phone or a this or a that, that the right people will like her just for being her. That there will always be someone smarter, faster, prettier, or more talented and that even with that fact, it will never dim her light or change the fact that she is uniquely her!
I wish for her to wear a coat
For the love of all things holy, I wish for my kid to wear a coat, in the cold, without requiring Mafia-like negotiations. Apparently, children ages 3 to 18 do not believe in wearing a coat. It must be some sort of contract they make to drive their freezing-cold mothers nuts. I pray that when the weather hits 40 and below, my girl will wear a coat. I could also pray for math homework that I understand and for more “intelligent” YouTube videos, but I guess that would be wishing more for myself than my offspring.
I wish for her to have compassion
This nasty little interloper COVID-19 will impact us for a long time. It will require us, as parents, to make tough choices. To consider those of us who may not be strong or healthy. To consider that everyone has different feelings and opinions on the whole matter. That some families may hold off on socializing altogether, while others are living life normally.
I wish for my tween to have compassion for others — and for me — as I try to make the best decisions I can as her mother in a time I never imagined we would ever live through!
Most importantly, I wish for my daughter to be healthy, happy, and grateful for all we have
As a single mom, I can’t give her everything her friends have, but she has enough. We are enough. Together, forever.
