2022 was… a year? Yeah, that sounds about right. It was a year. 

A year where we had big successes as parents and maybe a few moments that felt like failure too. 

A year where our kids grew into the next shoe size and we found ourselves wishing that time would slow down. 

A year where we learned to embrace change, hold onto what is true and find the good in every day.

As you reflect on the ways that 2022 shaped you, here’s a few lessons that this year brought to the Parent Cue team. 

Lessons On Parenting

A change of scenery is a great reset—going outside, getting in the bathtub, or moving to another part of the house helps diffuse big feelings or tension. – Leah Jennings

Watching your child struggle with something you struggle with; and realizing, in that moment, that the affirmations or encouragement you offer is as soothing to you as it is to your kid. – Joanna Easley

I continually have to remind myself of my kid’s age. When she hurts my feelings or completely blows me off, I have to remember the phase she’s in. She’s still learning how to be a human. And it’s my job to model that with grace and empathy. (With a side of constructive feedback.) – Elloa Davis

The urge to rescue your kid is so strong, but realizing that their moments of forgetfulness or recklessness are real opportunities to build character. The road to responsible adulthood begins now. – Daniel De Jesus

We had a rule with our kids this year to say yes 5 times to every No we said. it added a ton of fun and less tension around the barage of questions that would normally be a no. – Mitchell McGhee

On the hardest days of parenting, load everyone into the car for a Starbucks drive-thru run. Cake pops, coffee and fresh air are a healing combination. – Jules Kim

The only thing my preschooler will willingly share is germs. – Joanna Easley

Lessons on Change

My son is turning 18 on the last day of 2022 and is a senior in high school.  I’ve spent this year thinking about all the lasts that we will experience with him as a child: the last swim meet, the last track meet, the last first day of school with his younger sister, the last this, the last that…I think so much about it that I forget all about the firsts that are sure to come.  The first professional job, the first apartment, the first car he buys, his first (if he chooses) child, just to name a few.  Parenting doesn’t stop just because they turn 18 and I’m learning that all the work and love and the lessons learned these last 18 years are all in preparation for my relationship with an adult child.  While the lasts are bittersweet, I’m ready for a new season of firsts! – Christine Posadas

The human experience isn’t meant to be rigid and stagnant. Even core values have the potential to evolve. – Joanna Easley

It’s okay to find a new church. Whether for the sake of yourself, your kids, your new spiritual journey, or all the above. – Jamal Jones

This year we had to forego our usual Thanksgiving lunch… and it was lovely. When family holidays start shifting every year, it can be hard to anticipate those changes, but sometimes all those shifts added together change the structure of the holiday to let you celebrate more sincerely. – Elizabeth Hildreth

Lessons on Community

When our daughter died, I learned how powerful a community can be. In this season,  “our people” have shown up over and over and over to keep us going. Some brought food. Others sat with us. Some cried with us or said “I’m mad at God with you.”  And all of it mattered more than they probably know because they were WITH us.  Whether our kids are living or not, I think every parent will have times when we need someone to just be “with us.” – Crystal Chiang

Sometimes, community doesn’t come to you like it does for everyone else. Sometimes, you have to cultivate the exact community you want. – Leah Jennings

The nurturing power of other like-minded adults in your kid’s life is real. Sometimes a kid or teen just needs someone outside their home to open up to, seek advice from, or process hard things with. The challenge for us as parents is to support these relationships, and not feel threatened by them. – Elloa Davis 

One of the greatest gifts I can give to my kids is investing my time to build a community for our family that will love them, cheer them on and support them for many years to come. – Jules Kim

Lessons on Life

Even though I’m a parent, I’m still someone’s child. Regardless of whether or not I’m consciously aware of it in the moment, my children watch me be that child. My children even mimic me being that child. It’s an honor to have my parents around, yet it also comes with a great responsibility of teaching my children how to love and respect the elders among us. – Candice Wynn

Sleep is definitely one of my favorite hobbies. (I think I keep relearning this.) – Elizabeth Hildreth

Give all of your feelings—not just the pleasant ones—your attention. You can’t process and “get over” anything until you acknowledge it. – Leah Jennings

I learned Time is a thief: don’t let it steal from you saying yes and enjoying what lies ahead. – Mitchell McGhee

I always forgot that I had the ability to capture a moment at anytime with the click of a button on my phone. It was this year I decided to take pictures of the mundane moments, regardless of how pretty or insignificant the time felt, I took pictures to share with my future self instead of my instagram feed. Life really is full of phases, and I don’t want to miss any of it, especially the ones that feel a little bit mundane. – Maddie Gorman  

I learned that, for me, self-care isn’t about relaxing spa nights… it’s the discipline of doing the right things to keep myself, my kids and my relationships at their best. – Jules Kim

Privacy is a luxury. We live in a world of over sharing now, so to choose privacy is counter cultural. I’ve learned that unhealed trauma or unaddressed issues (which as humans we all have from time to time)  can lead to oversharing on social or in conversations and that it’s okay and good to take a step back and do some inner work before re-engaging. – Daniel De Jesus 

I learned that work life balance is better when I choose the people around me over my production. – Mitchell McGhee