Facing Uncertainty with Calm and Courage: A Message for Heights Cooperative Preschool Community1/20/2025 Taryn Kaplan(they/them), Director, Heights Cooperative Preschool, PreK Teacher Recently, I discovered the music of Mama Nous, and one song in particular stopped me in my tracks. The lyrics to “Worrying Has Never Changed a Thing” struck a chord deep in my heart, especially as we face the uncertainty of a new administration. Hearing it prompted me to reflect on how we can approach the unknown as a preschool community, and I knew I needed to share this message with all of you.
As we step into an uncertain future with a new administration, it’s natural to feel worried. What will change? How will the decisions made by those in power impact our children, our families, and our community? These are big questions, and the uncertainty can weigh heavily on us all. But as the Mama Nous song wisely reminds us: Worrying has never changed a thing. These lyrics hold an important lesson, one that I believe resonates deeply with the work we do at Heights Cooperative Preschool. As educators, parents, and caregivers, we’re tasked with creating a sense of stability for the little ones in our care, even when we may feel uncertain or anxious ourselves. A Sense of Steady Calm When the world feels unpredictable, children look to the adults around them for cues on how to respond. If we model steady calm-grounding ourselves in the present and focusing on what we can control-we provide them with a sense of security. It’s okay to feel worried, but we can’t let that worry dictate our actions or overwhelm our children. Instead, we can pause, breathe, and remind ourselves: All that I can do is try to bring a sense of steady calm ’til I know what’s going on. Gathering Information and Doing It Scared It’s important to acknowledge our fears while also taking proactive steps. Feeling worried or unsure doesn’t mean we’re helpless-it means we care. Instead of letting that worry paralyze us, we can use it as motivation to act thoughtfully and intentionally. We don’t need to have all the answers right now, but we can take small, meaningful steps to prepare. This might mean staying informed about proposed policies or decisions that could impact early childhood education. It could look like connecting with others in our community to share concerns, brainstorm solutions, and support one another. Advocacy may mean writing letters to elected officials, attending school board meetings, or finding ways to amplify our collective voice for the good of our children. Taking action, even when we’re unsure, is an act of courage. It’s okay to feel scared-it’s a normal response to uncertainty. What matters is that we keep moving forward, grounded in the knowledge that every step we take, no matter how small, brings us closer to creating the future we want for our children. As the song reminds us: I can try to be prepared and I can do it scared. Courage doesn’t mean we’re fearless; it means we show up, take action, and try anyway. By modeling this mindset, we’re also teaching our children an invaluable lesson: that it’s okay to feel afraid and uncertain, but it’s important to take steps forward with hope and determination. We can show them that even when things feel big and overwhelming, we can face challenges with resilience and purpose. Controlling What We Can One of the most powerful lessons from this song is the reminder that we cannot control everything. We can’t control political decisions, the actions of others, or the unknowns of the future. What we can control is ourselves: our reactions, our choices, and the example we set for our children. By focusing on what’s within our power, we can make meaningful contributions to our community, even in the face of uncertainty. All that I control is myself No, I cannot control anybody else. Trust and Wait The final message of the song encourages us to trust and wait, even when the path ahead feels unclear. Trust in ourselves, trust in our community, and trust in the resilience of our children. Trust that even when we feel unsure, we are doing the best we can to nurture and support the next generation. As a preschool, our mission is to create a safe, loving, and inclusive space for every child to grow and thrive. While we may not know what challenges lie ahead, we do know that our community is strong, and together, we can face whatever comes our way. So let’s take this lesson to heart, for ourselves and for our children. Let’s breathe deeply, gather our courage, and remember: Worrying has never changed a thing. Together, we’ll face the future with steady calm, trust, and action. You can find more music from Mama Nous at the links below Spotify
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