It has been a year of Zoom, a year of eating in, and a year of spending time with our children.  COVID has taken away our normal way of life, but what will it leave in return? 

I call myself a “pragmatic optimist” – unsure if my husband would say there is such a thing. 

What I mean is, sure, COVID-19 came out of nowhere. Yes, it has been a disrupter. But disrupters can be good. They can serve as a catalyst for positive change as theoretically we move out of the worst of the pandemic.  I look at my families in the early intervention world and ask if there is a pearl of wisdom we can take away from all of this?

In a word, the answer is, yes! They can do it!

In most instances, children ages 0 – 3 are thriving.  Moms and dads have risen to the occasion to do more than simply give their kids adequate care. They are giving them excellent care, connecting with their children in ways providers cannot.  It is proven that children 0 – 3 years of age react and initiate more neuropathways when engaged with their trusted caregiver, better known as parents.

So, congrats to all the parents for their participation and roll in creating these lifelong connections that become building blocks for future learning and success.  Thank you for being invested.

What do I hope for post Covid?  I hope this past year does not become forgotten in the haste to get back to the hustle and bustle of the pre-COVID world without taking with us the lessens injected into us (good pun) from the pandemic.

Parents, you are the key and the most important component to your child’s success.  Physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists are the educators – not for your children, but for you. We are here to teach you the skills and strategies to best engage with your child so they can have success in this world. 

Again, congrats for making such an impact with your children and let us continue this parent/child engagement model with or without a COVID world.


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