Tag Archives: stress

Photo by USGS on Unsplash

Navigating Uncharted Territory

COVID-19, , , , , , , , , , , ,

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust us into uncharted territory. Last week, nearly 3.3 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits. Three days ago, we learned the U.S. leads the world in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. Closer to home, Montana reported its first COVID-19 death minutes after Gov. Steve Bullock ordered us to shelter-in-place beginning yesterday at 12:01 a.m.

The CDC advises us to take breaks from reading, watching, or listening to stories about the pandemic. But as we’re hunkered in, often with smart phones or remotes at our fingertips, heeding that advice can be a challenge. Anxiety and fear run deep.

I’m mindful of the privileges I have that so many others do not: a stable income, housing, food security, friends and family, books, and good health. I take none of them for granted. In response to a friend’s Facebook post this week about embracing gratitude for a warm house, little worries, a fridge full of food, and other comforts, a man replied, “Good points, but I’m still praying for employment security during this time. It’s a lot of stress.”

Stress beyond my imagination, truthfully. Rich and I volunteered twice this week at Missoula Food Bank & Community Center. We stayed past our scheduled 11-1 shifts both days because there was nobody to take over for us. Sue, the Friday volunteer that replaced Chandler on our assembly line of three, was scheduled to receive a foster dog from the Humane Society of Western Montana that evening. On the cusp of Montana’s shelter-in-place directive, the animal shelter geared up to operate without volunteers.

After we left the food bank Friday afternoon, staff made the difficult decision to suspend volunteer activity inside its building. However, drivers will still be utilized for the senior home delivery program.

As we hunker in, I offer these thoughts. If you are able, please:

  • donate to an organization that mitigates food insecurity or provides financial assistance to those in need
  • apply to your local animal shelter to foster an animal if a need arises (As of yesterday, Missoula’s Humane Society had enough foster families, though they were accepting applications to fill future needs if necessary.)
  • donate blood
  • support a local business that offers curbside pickup, takeout, or delivery
  • shop for someone unable to access a grocery store
  • call and check in with family members and friends
  • explore websites like COVID-19: Missoula City-County Joint Information Center to learn additional ways to help

Along with limiting our time immersed in news stories and social media, the CDC recommends we exercise, eat well, meditate, share our concerns with others, get plenty of sleep, and more. Some people, due to a myriad of circumstances, might find these guidelines difficult or even impossible. So please, do what you can to help those in need.

And to the health care workers, first responders, pharmacists, grocery store employees, sanitation workers, and all who are doing essential work to feed, care for, and keep us safe, thank you. This video is for you.

Feature Photo by USGS I Unsplash

Race to Nowhere

Education, , , , , , ,

Children Are Not Numbers

Missoula held a screening of “Race to Nowhere” during the Replace the Race Nationwide, March 2014 campaign, thanks to the Missoula Forum for Children and Youth, MCCHD Suicide Prevention, MCCHD Tobacco Prevention, Potomac School District No. 11 and United Way of Missoula County.




This powerful documentary about our education system and its challenges presented much food for thought. As I sat in the darkened theater, I was moved by the film and its message and jotted down the following:

  • The Blessing of a Skinned Knee
  • Six hours of homework a night. Plus soccer.
  • Looks good for colleges.
  • He is all about learning to take tests.
  • People get caught up in the race to nowhere.
  • Kids are our leaders. Without creativity, they are not going to be prepared to lead us.
  • Play is a critical part of a child’s growing mind and growing body.
  • Blue Man Group founder: “Why can’t we have happiness as important a metric as reading skills?”
  • What does it take to produce a happy, motivated, creative human being?
  • “If every day there wasn’t homework, he would love school.” Mother of a 4th grader (in response to a special “no homework” day).
  • Nobody knows me at all.
  • Stanford’s Denise Pope’s Challenge Success Facebook page.
  • Catching up or leading the way.
  • U.S. has never led the world in scores.

There were numerous gut-wrenching comments I didn’t write down. A fourth grader talking about stress-induced stomach aches. A high school student saying she didn’t eat because, by not eating, she could concentrate so much better. Conversations about drug use—Adderall to stay up, sedatives to come down; about cutting; about not sleeping, or sleeping only a few hours; about over-scheduled students of all ages; about suicide; about stress-related ER visits and hospital admissions; and about teacher burnout. It was heartbreaking to hear passionate, skilled educators speak about the pressures to teach toward test results, critical thinking skills be damned. Sadly, but understandably, our system is pushing some of these educators out.

Students spoke about the stresses imposed upon them by parents, by teachers, by the pursuit of admission to “top schools.” I was reminded of a conversation I had with my younger son at the beginning of his sophomore year. “Why don’t you join Key Club? It’d look good on college applications,” I said, certain the latter would be a selling point. He replied, “How many times are you going to tell me that?” I made a silent pledge that would be the last.

And it was.

According to a recent Washington Post article, “Local [McLean, VA] school board representative Jane Strauss says she is routinely contacted by parents asking how to prepare their 2-year-olds for a test to get into the Advanced Academic Program for gifted students in third grade.”

Is this what we want for our kids?

I don’t think so.

I do know this. When seniors come into our high school library to get signed off this June, I won’t be asking, “What’s on your horizon?” I don’t want them to think I’m assigning values to their lives-beyond-high-school. And whether they’ll be taking time off; joining the workforce; or going to a community college, a state-funded university, a private or an Ivy League school; my wish for them will be the same. “Congratulations. Take good care.”