For the past year and half, my wife Sheila and our 8-year-old granddaughter Kyra have been Home School Zooming during the pandemic. During their twice weekly sessions, they work on reading, arithmetic, science, and history on screen; they then move to chats where they can work on literature and creative writing, and then finish with the white board building some artistic skills.

It’s a full STEAM session!

Recently they worked on planning and organizing as Kyra wanted to make sure everything was in place for our visit last week to her house. Swim dates and games were established, designated shopping activities were scheduled, and, perhaps most importantly, time was built in for Sheila to show Kyra how to make her now famous sour dough bread.

We had a terrific time with her last week and all their planning paid off as everything was checked off and even more got done, due to their efficient preparation.

In Sheila’s follow-up call today, she and Kyra reviewed the week and discussed what they both learned.

1. Planning=Fun: Having a plan and being able to adhere to it ensured that there was plenty of time for everything and maybe even more.
2. Celebration:  The 2 of them found plenty to enjoy with each other and made sure that they celebrated their successes with stories, laughter and even searching for dive toys on the bottom of the pool
3. Going above and beyond: Kyra volunteered to water several outdoor plants, that Grandma Sheila bought during our stay. and in exchange, she would get paid a small stipend to be mailed in an unmarked envelope.

While on our trip, nothing built our spirit more than the daily hugs we got from that little princess. Her energy and fortitude, like many girls her age is boundless, and she is a shining example of how resilience is built into us right from the start. If you want to reinforce your resilience, go find your own 8-year-old girl!

© Richard Citrin 2021