Ahoy, Cresthill Academy Families and Friends!
Captain Cresthill here, with your lighthearted weekly check-in!
Welcome to what is now the end of our FOURTH week of this new normal.
The theme of this week’s check-in is what some friends of Captain Cresthill have dubbed as the “theme of the quarantine”, and it is a simple statement regarding the state of things, intended to poke fun at the idea that all of us are quick to emotion in times of stress.
And here it is, folks, the truth as we know it, after four weeks of existing exclusively within the confines of our own homes and spending every waking (and sleeping) second with our immediate families:
If you’re not laughing, you’re crying.
All jokes aside, my intention in bringing you this phrase is to remind you to always find light in the darkness—because it is always there. This phrase can be interpreted in a variety of ways:
Once again, first and foremost, from an early educator’s perspective true to Captain Cresthill’s roots: both laughter and tears are valid expressions of emotion, both of which should be met with acceptance and support! It’s just that most of us are probably used to these expressions of emotion coming more often from children than adults, and the fact of the matter is that right now—due to their excellence in the field of having big feelings—our children may be leading the way in emotional acceptance! (Though perhaps not in emotional regulation).
So, next time your toddler cries one minute and then laughs the next—remember, you are looking at an expert in: having the feeling, expressing it (boldly and unashamedly), and moving on to the next feeling. Though I am not encouraging you, an adult, to have a toddler-level emotional outburst, I am encouraging you, an adult, to treat yourself with the same forgiveness and lack of judgment and shame that your toddler possesses, when your emotions get the best of you.
Another way to interpret this phrase is that we can look for more reasons to smile and laugh! On this front, my point is simple: seek the positive. The heavy, negative, and serious always finds its way into our hearts and minds. Therefore, I urge you to let the light in, in equal measure.
Below, I bring you some reasons to smile/laugh; in the hopes that it helps to tip the scales in favor of laughter over tears.
Here, read about the way that women from our home state inspired others to support those on the frontlines (Higgins, 2020).
Here, read about (and learn how to participate in) Hudson county’s nightly thank you for healthcare workers working on the frontlines (Tripucka, 2020).
Here, browse through photos of some pets who are making working from home extra interesting for their owners (Valdivia, 2020).
And here, browse through some photos of our Cresthill HQ team delivering some smiles (in the form of child-made rainbows, of course) to local heroes as well.
So, Cresthill families and friends, this week I want you to remember that whether you’re laughing or crying, you are not doing it alone, and if your toddler won’t do it with you—we will.
--Captain Cresthill
References
Higgins, L. (2020, April 8). N.J. women thank coronavirus heroes with meals from restaurants, and the idea sprouts in 20 states . Retrieved April 8, 2020, from https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/04/nj-women-thank-coronavirus-heroes-with-meals-from-restaurants-and-the-idea-sprouts-in-20-states.html
Tripucka, J. (2020, April 7). Hudson County: Join Us at 7:00PM Nightly to Thank Our Health Heroes. Retrieved April 8, 2020, from Hudson County: Join Us at 7:00PM Nightly to Thank Our Health Heroes
Valdivia, P. (2020, April 4). 17 Pets Who Arent Used To Their Owners Working From Home. Retrieved April 8, 2020, from https://www.buzzfeed.com/pablovaldivia/cat-dog-work-from-home-coronavirus