But as hard as this year has been, I wanted to know what your good moments were from 2020. What brought you joy? What made you laugh? What difficulty turned out to be good for your family?
So, I asked.
You had a lot to say. I heard about new births, marriages becoming stronger, fun road trips. Even in the hardest times, we can always find good, and finding that good is crucial in order to get through the hard times.
Your “Best Moments of 2020” were so inspiring to me, I wanted to share them with all of you. As you read them, think about your own. What brought you joy this year? How did your challenges strengthen you, your kids, and your family? What happy memories will you never forget from the unprecedented year of 2020?
Meeker Parenting Community’s Best Moments of 2020
“We ate dinner around the table more often than ever before!”
“We saved more money, sold two houses, and my daughter and I started taekwondo!”
“We simplified our lives and were able to pick up our kids at 3:30 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. from preschool during the week. This meant more quality family time with them in the afternoon! We are much happier, plus, dinner is always ready on time now.”
“My father-in-law received a new kidney!”
“All three of my kids learned to ride bicycles without training wheels.”
“My husband has been on leave since March, and it has been wonderful having so much quality time together as a family this year! Prior to this, I was a stay-at-home mom, who also did freelance writing and part-time teaching at a college while my husband worked 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. five days a week. We went through a rough patch two years ago where we began to drift because our schedules were so different. It was like we were splitting shifts with the kids.
We worked hard to reconnect, and this year has felt like a gift of time that we will likely never have again. Knowing this, we’ve really tried to be intentional. We’ve been camping, bike riding, gone on road trips, hiking in the mountains and just had fun in our own city and home. My daughter even said, ‘I love the virus time mommy because we can all be together!’”
“My four kids—ages 11, 8, 6 and 2— play together and watch out of each other more than ever. They have built an awesome bond and made beautiful memories.”
“We saved a lot of money from daycare and toll roads—all went into our daughter’s 529.”
“We are pregnant with our third child and our family has never been closer. Thank you, God!”
“On Easter morning, we welcomed our second-born, Lucy Hope, into the world! She is an incredible gift. Even though my mom wasn’t able to fly across the country to help, my marriage grew stronger because we were all we had for in-person support. Our church family also blessed us with meals for several weeks postpartum!”
“My best moments this year centered on all the time we’ve been blessed to spend together. I’m so grateful for a family that communicates and works problems out together. We started a tradition of family walks in the park after dinner and the kids love it.”
Some of these are simple moments. Some of these are big moments, but they are all moments to be grateful for. Parents, you grew stronger this year. I know there are many difficult times to remember—fights, quarrels, and financial strain—but as we enter 2021, I encourage you to focus on your best moments, the ones that brought you joy as a family and ultimately brought you closer together.
