This year has brought many changes, and almost all of them have blind-sided me. 12 years of public schools, another 7 years of University, and 30 years of work training have left me woefully unprepared for real life.
Schools don't teach you how to handle your child coming out as trans (or even some variation of non-binary). Schools don't teach you how to get a sleep-deprived ADHD kid to self-manage their alarm clock. Schools don't teach you how to manage a divorce, financially, logistically, nor as a parent. Schools don't teach you what to do when your trans ADHD kid shows you their suicide prevention hotline card and says they feel the need to call. Schools don't teach you how to cope or manage when you find out your spouse of 30 years has been cheating on you for the last years. Schools don't teach you how to waken and motivate said trans+ADHD kid, who has had about 2 hours of sleep, on christmas morning, to pack the clothes for a trip they need to leave in 30 minutes.
Schools don't teach you when to reach out for professional help, when to withdraw and think things over, when to swing for the fences, and how to tell the difference.
I have no idea if I'm doing any of this right, but I'm trying to act from the heart, with a good mix of brain-power thrown in.
For xmas this year, I gave both of my kids a flag for their individual gender+orientation expression. I'll take it as a good sign that both flags were hung on the walls in their rooms before they did anything else.
If anyone is still reading blogs these days, I hope you (and I) have a wonderful 2022!
