By: Catherine Neiswonger
For my ninth birthday, my mother made me a cake, as she did for most of the birthdays of my youth. She had taken special care to decorate it with a lovely bunch of frosting flowers hugging one side of the circle and cascading down along both sides. It was a beauty! When my father came home that evening, I was eager to show him the cake. I carefully pulled off the counter and walked it into the living room to show him. It was pronounced “SPECTACULAR” with all the appropriate “oohs”‘ and “ahhhs.” I made my way back to the kitchen and lifted the cake back up to the counter. Just at the last moment, the cake fell; I caught it against my chest and obliterated the beautiful flowers. I was devasted. I had ruined the cake! My mom helped me clean myself (and the cake)up and said: “don’t worry, it is not how we planned it to be, but it will taste just as good.” That is what 2020 has been like to me. It wasn’t quite what I expected it to be, but I refuse to let the struggle to stay ahead of COVID be what defines the year for me. Instead, I wanted to look for ways that made the year “just as good” (if not better) than what I expected.
I reached out to my Round Hill Nursery School community to find out what they thought the positives of this year might be. I know you will recognize yourself, your family, and the school community in these sentiments as well. Happy New Year to each of you!
Dropping off/ Picking up my kids at school and hearing immediately about their day!
We all came together to care for our children.
How the staff handled coming back to work for the kids. Teachers aren’t millionaires, so when they come to work, it’s for the love of the career. This year more than ever, there is an overwhelming feeling of love when coming to Round Hill. You know there is a smile behind the mask even though you can’t see it. You have put your lives on the line to keep things as normal as possible for our little ones during this time.
The close-knit culture at RHNS cultivates a family-like community of parents. 2020 has turned into a year of bonded friendships with an abundance of support within our school. These familiar bonds and stable routines have been an invaluable source of comfort to our daughter and even us as parents during a turbulent time in life.
We are beyond grateful that our son has been able to attend RHNS for in-person learning this year, despite what is going on in this world. He has grown so much as a little human, and every day, I am amazed at what he is learning at school. There is no way we would have accomplished this through virtual or at-home learning, being two working parents. His experience at RHNS with his friends and teachers has been priceless and has allowed some normalcy into a very different year.
I think that it is a massive accomplishment that our teachers feel safe coming to school. That they understand and appreciate efforts made on their behalf to keep them safe at school.
The children are happy to see and play with their friends. They gain valuable, important life lessons by in-person learning instead of sitting alone in front of a computer.
I think it is a Godsend that we, as teachers, can teach in person this fall regardless of the pandemic. I am so happy to be in school with my students.
The teachers and staff and the parents have been incredibly thoughtful, dedicated, and loving, and we are feeling very grateful to be able to send our child to school each day during this pandemic.
Since we had spent most of our time traveling between school and therapy, my son didn’t really have time to unwind at home. Once quarantine started, it was my job to continue his services via zoom. Having a child who has limited speech was lonely. We worked hard day and night, and eventually, he began to speak more clearly.
A positive is the pure and utter joy in my daughter’s face when she tells me about her projects and fun events at school!
For a full-time working mom who travels extensively for work, I have found this extra time at home to be a blessing. I am grateful that I work in an industry and for a company that allows me to work from home to keep myself, my family, and my community safe. We feel very fortunate that our son has been able to attend school in-person this fall and enjoy the benefits of socializing with other two-year-olds after a long six-month period in isolation earlier this year. We are thankful to our teachers and administration for going above and beyond in their safety protocols, keeping our kids safe and learning.
I have a deeper bond with my family. A deep appreciation for all health care workers in a world where the fragility of life is overlooked. A deep appreciation for dedicated teachers and mentors to children who risk their lives to make sure our children are safe, educated, and loved.
I appreciate the value of genuine friendship and a real understanding of how we are deeply connected in more ways than we will comprehend. Only during these challenging times can each one of us truly understand and appreciate our own innate resilience and strength. . .. the human spirit is much stronger than politics, disease, and uncertainty. We should never underestimate our own perseverance.
One positive to COVID is a slower pace of life with less running around and out of the home commitments, allowing kids to be kids longer.
Teaching my son to drive on less congested roads.
Using ZOOM to connect with family near and far and to take classes and workshops
Time to read, to cook, to complete projects.
Better work balance for many families as there is no commute.
We rediscovered the joy of having meals together, where no one had to eat on the fly because they had a lesson, practice, or a work commitment. We talk and laugh and enjoy each other so much more.
I have loved watching my kids get very close this year. With no activities, play dates, etc., they all spend a lot more time together and have truly become best friends.
While it was challenging to watch a toddler and work for the first few months of the pandemic when we didn’t have child care, I really enjoyed our daily lunchtime walks through the woods – something we would never have done if not for COVID. Watching him get so much joy from balancing on fallen logs and throwing rocks into the pond rekindled my interest in hiking.
I am grateful for the extra time with my family and my family’s health and time to reflect on what’s important and to slow down the days without rushing everywhere.
