Dear Frustrated Dad in Our Community FB Group,
Could you please stop posting petitions and calls for protests to reopen schools downtown? Seriously. We all know this situation is tough. You’re likely feeling overwhelmed, juggling work while managing childcare, and making difficult decisions that impact your child’s development. Trust me, I get it—welcome to the club of feeling powerless and uncertain.
I’ve tried everything to cope. I’ve read articles, consulted with other parents, childcare experts, and professionals. I’ve screamed, used reward charts, driven hours for a toy, and experienced countless ups and downs. I’ve attempted to schedule therapy for myself, only to be overwhelmed by logistics and insurance. And all of this happened before the pandemic hit.
Here’s my request: please stop. Stop pushing others to return to a nonexistent normal. We are all frustrated. Everyone is facing their own struggles. No one is ahead or behind; we’re all just trying to survive this chaos together.
Instead of trying to rally everyone back to a collapsing train, let’s focus on how we can support each other. Are you helping someone carry their burden? Are you encouraging weary travelers to keep moving forward? Can you lighten the mood with a joke?
You know who is working tirelessly? Our educators, healthcare workers, grocery staff, and first responders. They are the ones ensuring you can work from home safely.
We all desire what you want—an end to this madness. But rallies and petitions won’t bring about change. Denying the dangers we face only harms us all. If we want a supportive environment for our children, we must first be supportive ourselves. Socialization means cooperation, adhering to the rules, and working together for the greater good.
I hear your anger and frustration. I understand your desire to take action. But instead of organizing protests, how about focusing on your child’s remote learning? Instead of rallying, consider the countless mundane tasks that many of us are juggling.
You live in a privileged community that grants you a voice, but just because you have the time to organize doesn’t mean you’re the only one facing challenges. If you want to make a difference, consider raising funds for our schools instead.
Let me be clear: we are all in this together, invisible and unacknowledged. The sooner we recognize this, the better. Let’s work together, not against each other, so we can all get back to school in the fall.
This article was originally published on February 25, 2021.
Summary:
In this letter addressed to a frustrated father in a local Facebook group, the author urges him to stop promoting protests to reopen schools, emphasizing the collective struggles faced by parents during the pandemic. The author shares personal experiences of juggling childcare and work, highlighting the need for support rather than division. They call for cooperation, understanding, and focusing on meaningful actions to assist the community, rather than organizing rallies that may do more harm than good.