Kids Standard's January 2022 Issue

I S S U E 5 0 | JA N U A R Y 2 0 22

AVA I L A B L E B Y S UB S CRIP TIO N

What the Post-Covid 19 World Needs

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F E AT U R E

Index: Editorial Calendar...............................3 Young Voices.......................................4 Poetry..................................................10 Argument...........................................13 Opinion...............................................15 Reflection............................................17 Parent’s Corner..................................22

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What the World Needs Today Dear Readers,

A

s we are approaching a twoyear mark of living in the pandemic world, it is important to take a closer look not only at the effects it has had on us as individuals but also at how it reflects on our collective history.

There is no way to hide it - we are living in a world of national and international unrest. Our school-age readers hadn’t yet been born when the World Trade Towers went down.

COVID-19 came in the midst of our two-decade-long fear of terror, politics in a state of continuous dysfunction, the nation’s economy struggle, and national debt on a rise, turning health matters into political issues. All these factors polarized our nation, making us view the world, people, and situations through a narrow lense showing only two points of extremity.

Past year’s events made it clear that many Americans no longer respect the foundational American institutions, such as police, public schools, and religion. There is a general erosion of trust among people, quick to come up with a blame. While political scientists normalize this by citing division and hate as something that defined our country from its first moments of existence, this offers very little consolation to the victims of the

Arina Bokas

Kids’ Standard Editor & Author of Building Powerful Learning Environments: From Schools to Communities

Oxford High School shooting that deeply affected not only our Oakland County community, but, indeed, our entire country.

Division and hate don’t make us stronger; they make us afraid. In this respect, I believe, COVID-19 brought into light our state of being. And as it paused our hectic rhythm of living, it also showed us what really matters and what the world really needs – the topic explored by our young writers in this issue.

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E D I TO R I A L C A L E N DA R

Motivate. Activate. Celebrate

March - Beauty Is…

Beauty can be defined in many ways.

Over centuries, people argued about its true meaning. The Oxford dictionary defines it as "A combination of qualities, such as shape, color, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight."

The philosopher and teacher, Confucius, however, said that "Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it." So, what is beauty? Is it defined by the symmetry of your face, your age, color, race, gender, body shape, or weight? Or is it defined by what you see in the media or by popular culture? Or does it come from a person’s character? Offer your reflections about physical, spiritual, and visual beauty. Why beauty is important?

June- Gratitude

The word gratitude is derived from the Latin word gratia, which means grace, graciousness, or gratefulness. Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what an individual receives. Grateful people acknowledge the goodness in their lives and recognize that goodness comes from outside themselves. How does gratitude JANUARY 2022

KS 2022 Themes

help people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals —other people, nature, or a higher power? Why is it important to be grateful? How does this change people for better? How do people express their gratitude in various cultures? How can people cultivate gratitude?

August - Anything is Possible

Many of us have heard before that “anything is possible” with the right amount of hard work, talent, and perseverance. Is that idea true or is it something we tell ourselves to feel better?

How do we determine if our ideas are really possible or they are just a wishful thinking? How do we make our desires come true? When you open your mind to possibilities, you are able to recognize that there are numerous choices available to you. Share some experiences that taught you that eanything is possible; reflect on “anything is possible” mindset.

What can you do to gain awareness and expand your vision?

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Y O U N G VO I C E S

Adjusting to Covid

By Esa Rodd, 4th grade, Sheiko Elementary, West Bloomfield

C

ovid-19 came about in March of 2020. We had to quickly adjust with our daliy activities. This was not only happening in

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Michigan, but it was a global problem..

The virus came all of a sudden, and then schools moved online. Now we have online field trips. Some people, like my parents, have to work from home. Some people don’t go to restaurants, concerts, or other places. We all have to adjust.

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Y O U N G VO I C E S

Being Thankful

By Lourdes Shaman, 4th grade, Sheiko Elementary, West Bloomfield, MI

C

ovid-19 has affected many people in many ways. People can’t see their friends, they have to wear masks. Many people died. A lot of people have gotten vaccines to battle the virus.

Spread of COVID-19 occurs via airborne particles and droplets. People who are infected with COVID can release particles and droplets of respiratory fluids that contain the SARS CoV-2 virus into

JANUARY 2022

the air when they exhale, speak, cough, or sneeze. These droplets don’t travel very far, however, and are generally caught by masks.

Even in the middle of Covid, people have to be thankful in order to live a full life. I'm thankful for Michigan football, my family, and turkey. I like Thanksgiving because I like spending time with my family and practicing gratitude.

I spent this Thanksgiving at my aunt's house. At my aunt's house, we ate a pumpkin pie and turkey. When I got there, I was very grateful to play with

my cousins, whom I didn’t see much because of the pandemic. I like spending time with my family because I'm thankful for them.

I am thankful for turkey. Turkey is really good because it tastes amazing. I'm grateful to my family because they work hard cooking the food and turkey.

I am thankful for Michigan football because Michigan is a good team and they work really hard. It’s nice to watch football on Thanksgiving. For a long time, we couldn’t go to any games.

I like Thanksgiving because I get to spend time with my family, which is a rare thing during pandemics. Every family celebrates Thanksgiving differently.

I like how we celebrate with the people I love.

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Y O U N G VO I C E S

How did the Pandemic affect you?

By Blake Greer, 4th grade, Sheiko Elementary School, West Bloomfield, MI

L

ife, learning, and work. These may be some things that affected you because of the pandemic.

The pandemic started in February 2020.

Everything began to shut down and we thought the world was going to end. The pandemic changed our lives in a lot of ways.

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We had to quarantine if we were sick, put people in the hospital and the emergency room, and even had people die because of it. Masks have to be worn to help us stay safe and fight back against the pandemic. They are really important to us as we can't get friends and people sick because some are not wearing masks and not getting the vaccine.

Technology helped people talk to family and friends without seeing them in

person. It got popular because people want to talk to family, and kids are getting older as the days pass by.

The pandemic also made people get unemployed and fired. And some people still work from home. Kids had to join school online. We all had to use Zoom to learn and had to look at the screen for hours after hours. Finally, we had an option to go to school, and some went to school, others went back to Zoom. www.KidsStandard.org

Y O U N G VO I C E S

Protecting Yourself from Covid-19

By Anthony Brown III, 5th grade, Sheiko Elementary, West Bloomfield, MI

W

hen Covid started, it wasn't easy, was it? Clean air was not really clean anymore because of the virus. There is something you could use to keep yourself safe from any germs like Covid-19.

Hand sanitizer helps. Hand sanitizer is basically a way to wash your hands but really quickly. The only difference is that hand sanitizer takes 5 seconds while washing your hands takes thirty. Washing your hands is the best way to keep your hands clean. Hand sanitizer is just there when you need a fast wash.

When the pandemic first started, toilet paper was getting snatched up really fast.

This is because people thought they would not have any, and people got a little scared about that situation.

Masks are used to block off germs so you won't have to worry about breathing in the fumes and getting Covid. The vaccine is to make it really easy to fight covid if you get it. Being 6 feet apart helps germs not reach each other.

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Y O U N G VO I C E S

Socializing During The Pandemic

By Mya Porter, 5th grade, Sheiko Elementary, West Bloomfield

S

ocializing during the pandemic can be hard. A lot of people end up losing social skills and some even end up losing friends. So here are some ideas to help socialize during the pandemic.

People are constantly on their phones during the pandemic. And people are always watching TikTok and mindless YouTube videos. What you could be doing is calling and texting people. It’s good to keep talking to friends and listen to them. It is fun even if you're talking for 5 minutes! Kids in my class call me

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and we end up talking for 3 hours! That is one way you can socialize during the pandemic.

Gaming is a great way to socialize during the pandemic. There are a lot of games you can play with your friends if you can't text or call.

Some games you could play are Fortnite, Roblox, Gacha Online, and so much more! Gaming also helps with stress and anxiety. That is why I love gaming.

Meeting up can be super hard during the pandemic. So how you could meet up is going outside. I see my friends at the playground all the time, and we

have a blast. I love hanging out with my friends and to be honest, it’s really fun.

So the next time you see your friends, understand that not everybody can do this, so be grateful.

Clubs are a very weird, but really cool way to socialize. Let's say that your friends really like to read, then you could make a reading club! In the reading club, you could recommend books. That is a good way to socialize.

TikTok got really famous because of the pandemic. You can make videos and even become famous. There is TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and so much more!

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Y O U N G VO I C E S

COVID-19 WILL END ONE DAY

By Krish Karthik Iyer, 2ng grade, Woodland Elementary, Troy, Michigan

C

ovid-19 is causing a lot of problems for everyone today.

A lot of people are falling

JANUARY 2022

sick. People cannot visit their family and loved ones. Kids cannot go on holidays!

But do not worry, Covid-19 will go away soon, if we follow a few rules like we follow in school and at home.

You wear a mask so the virus will not

get on to you. Stay six feet apart from others. Sanitize after you come back home. Getting vaccinated will help you, too. It gives you immunity from the virus.

Do not worry, Covid-19 will be gone soon!

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POETRY

UNITED TOGETHER

By Hitaa Thakur, 5th grade, Avondale GATE Magnet School, Auburn Hills, MI

Covid’s just weakened us, but not

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Not groups; not alone Covid is nothing if we are strong We must start caring more about our loved ones Than our desires We will not let a virus to Takedown Humanity

stopped us,

We are one united together

We don’t have to stop living our

We are stronger and better

normal life,

We are 7.6 billion as one

We have to adapt to our new one.

We will not embarrass humanity

We are one united together

By losing this game

We are one united together All we need to do is wear a mask We won’t take it off we won’t even ask We will stay at home Until we can roam We will wash our hands Then we will eat our cheese strands We are one united together Humanity will continue on.

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POETRY

WE STOPPED TIME

By Hannah Schwartz, 10th grade, The Bear Creek School, Redmond, Washington

Pitter, patter.

Voices, chatter.

Chaos Confusion Life goes on, with or without a choice, and it is full of never-ending noise.

What if it all just stopped.

Water ceasing to drop. we would all, for just a moment in time, be forced to take a minute of downtime.

Stare at the unmoving, silent world we call home Unable to move, like we’re cased in stone.

Would we appreciate it more?

Wonder what else is in store?

Ask ourselves, “What more does life have to offer?”

And then maybe, we would think about the past play each memory, forever a moment to last.

We might want to scream, “I’m sorry!” or “Get me out of here!”

And suddenly, a door would open, giving us a way out

But no one would hear our cries, and our voices would not

of this haunted place.

drown out the sorrow of all our goodbyes

the damage you’ve done

that we did not want to say.

Sure, we would see our tragedies,

But it made you face not only to yourself, but others too.

This pandemic has made us see

and we wouldn’t be worried about what others thought

but we would also see our dreams,

that the decay in the world can sometimes outshine the green.

because we would have a lot

and our hopes, but we would know our future.

But at the end of the day, we were all forced to

Even if we saw how we’ve changed,

look at ourselves and inside of our minds

of alone time.

We would see the ones we love, and all the mistakes that we’ve made and how after that, we just continued on with our day.

JANUARY 2022

and we might not necessarily appreciate the decisions we’ve made, we still have a lot to be grateful for.

as time stopped, and we stopped time.

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POETRY

VIRUS

By Pashence Manley, 6th grade , International Technology Academy (I.T.A.), Pontiac, MI

Not to mention all the grades are dropping.

We can't do anything about it, but wear masks that we can barely breathe in.

We sit in the house, getting angry at the computer Missing our birthdays, proms, and homecomings Those little things are so special to us But out of nowhere, they're all gone.

Some people are suffering badly

This virus is killing us, our family and friends .

Just because they got laid off from their jobs.

It's sad that most of us can't even get the education we need,

Stay safe and be careful of your surroundings.

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www.KidsStandard.org

ARGUMENT

What We Can Do

By Shreya Kumar, 6th grade,Avondale GATE Magnet School, Auburn Hills, MI

T

he world was great before the pandemic, which caused an impact on all lives, young or old. Due to this crisis, many stores, movie theaters, restaurants and other businesses had to shut down. Lots of people have lost their jobs because of these closures.. According to cidrip.com, 8.7 million Americans lost jobs due to the virus. The virus started off in a small place and traveled all over the world, affecting everyone’s life. We have lost many loved ones. I miss going out with my friends or going to school. I miss JANUARY 2022

being able to be at various places without wearing a mask and keep wishing we didn’t need to keep a 6 feet distance from other people.

There are many ways to stop the spread of this virus, but some people refuse to take those measures, and that’s why the virus is still spreading. If you are one of those people, please follow the safety measures because they are important not just for you: it is necessary for the ones around you to stay safe and help save the world.

Scientists have proved that wearing masks does help stop the spread of COVID -19. Some people are asymptomatic, which means they don’t have

any symptoms even if they do have COVID-19. Some asymptomatic people go out in public without knowing they have the virus and spreading it to other people if they come close, and that’s why people need to keep 6 feet distance.

Sanitizing also helps. The CDC recommends to use a sanitizer that has at least 60 percent alcohol in it.

Hospitals don’t have room for lots of Covid patients, and in several places.

Luckily, now we have vaccines and if people take the vaccines, the world would be a better place. We want to thank all the hard workers during this pandemic, such as teachers, doctors, nurses, scientists, and all the people who followed the safety measures and continue to serve society in this global pandemic.

In conclusion, if we follow all the safety measures, listen to the CDC, and take the vaccine, we’ll be fine.

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ARGUMENT

Shopping Smart is Shopping Small: Lessons for the Post-Covid 19 World

I

By: Ria Kokkengada, 12th grade, Great Valley High School, Malvern, Pennsylvania

n 2020, the world turned upside down. Everything was halted. Our daily schedules and routines were a thing of the past. While the battle still continues every day, there are lessons learned that we must apply to move forward.

Undoubtedly, the central theme of the past year and a half is that we are all in this together. The need to stay apart brought us closer than ever. We all began to lean on one another for support as we learned to live in the company of ourselves. Today, we must continue to unite – for good, for others, for better.

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We must especially help those that have been most affected by the pandemic, including small businesses. Many of these businesses are located in the heart of a town, where people gather during weekends to meet with neighbors or for a breath of fresh air. Not only will you be contributing to the local economy but also meeting the basic need for human connection that a video call, text, or phone call won’t satisfy.

According to a September 2021 survey

by Statista, of the 885,000 businesses surveyed, 23.4 percent of small businesses in the United States claimed that the COVID-19 pandemic had a large negative effect on their business. In contrast, only two percent of respondents said

that the pandemic had a large, or any, positive effect on their company. I believe, each of us can help. A small choice made today may lead to a better tomorrow for someone in your community.

By choosing to shop locally, you are making the conscious decision to support a business that needs your help. You will check an item off your to-do list and walk around with a feel-good smile that results from the part you played in the Covid-19 recovery effort.

So, next time you are doing Sunday groceries run, needing a new shirt, or craving a snack – stop by a small business. We no longer need to seek a silver lining but have a chance to be a part of a change.

www.KidsStandard.org

OPINION

Anger is Not the Answer

By Alexander Escobar Rovira, 7th grade, International Technology Academy, Pontiac, MI

F

or the world’s hapiness, we need to stop people bullying each other, hate crimes, and terrorist disasters. We need to stop racism, cancer, pollution, and poverty.

And we need to find a way to cure and end the pandemic because many people have died. Whatever caused the pandemic is probably not going to get rid of it, unless someone has solutions. Instead of being angry and trying to blame others, we all need to come together. Instead of emphasizing our differences, we need to see what we have in common.

In January of 2021, The Capitol building was attacked, and that’s a crime. The people who were breaking through the Capitol building were acting out of anger, and anger made them act as terrorists, which can make then go to jail for many years.

Many people have been doing acts of racism and judging people. That should also be illegal and put into law because people don’t choose their skin color or where they are born. Judging others is ruining people’s lives. In order to stop all this madness, we need to follow our hearts and create more laws to stop it. This is the only way to save the world from our problems. This is the only way to survive this.

The picture below is the disgusting thing that has caused this pandemic, and it’s super effective on humans because it has E protein, S protein, and M protein, and that’s not really for humans. The best thing we can do right now is to live a kind, normal life while scientists figure out how to cure the pandemic.

Many people have died, and people are sad and angry, but still, let’s consider compassion and try to live a happy life.

JANUARY 2022

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OPINION

Someone Other than Ourselves

By Emma Shorter, 7th grade, Oakview Middle School, Lake Orion, MI

W

ow, what a year! Although scientists and medical professionals have created a vaccine, this pandemic is far from over.

People have been flocking to gatherings, ditching their masks, and forgetting about what's going on in the world right now. Covid-19 is still a threat – an issue we are working on solving. What we need right now is to think about someone other than ourselves.

Think about how all of this affects others, even if it isn’t affecting you directly.

Think about our new generation: How is this going to affect us and how do we grow up? The world seems off the track right now, but we all need to slow down and think. Think about all of the things that have changed. Remember freely 16

going to concerts and sports games? Or just something as simple as going to the park with friends without wearing a mask? Studies have shown that with so many people not wanting to get the vaccine, we might never reach herd immunity. This means that we might never get back to normal.

Think about the things in your childhood, things that made an impression on you. Maybe you went to a baseball game and you loved it; it was an important memory for you and you cherished it. Maybe you took a life changing trip that inspired you for the rest of your life. Maybe it was neither of these, but think about your core memories, things that are important to you.

All of these are things that kids like us might never be able to experience because people are refusing to look beyond themselves and think about the consequences of their actions. If we keep doing

what we are currently doing, things will never go back to normal. Never. Kids will grow up never knowing the joys of living in a world where they don’t have to worry about masks and sanitizer.

Think about the people around you; maybe you know someone who has been especially affected by Covid-19, I know I do. Even if we don’t like not being able to throw parties or having to wear masks when we go out, we have to do it so we can slowly return to a normal life.. We have to do it for the kids, for the future generations who should be able to experience the same things their parents may have.

Think about others. Right now, the world needs kindness, love, and the ability to care for others more than ever before. Love, kindness and compassion can be contagious: let’s work together to create a positive and caring environment worldwide! www.KidsStandard.org

REFLECTION

Kindness and Forgiveness

By Ava Mickens, 4th Grade, Scotch Elementary, West Bloomfield, MI

T

he world has changed so much, and so much has changed about the world. The world pandemic has changed so much in my nine years of living.

The way I go to school and learn has changed, and the way I see and interact with my friends has changed, too.

This pandemic has made us think about things so differently. Sometimes, I am sad because I cannot go and play with my friends the way I used to do. Many of my friends' parents have been vaccinated; however, they are still scared for their kids to play with other kids that don’t live in their homes. The way we live, shop, and do everyday things is different as well. In my house, my mom does most of our grocery shopping now using her phone and either having our groceries put in our truck or delivered to our front door.

The most troubling thing that has happened during this pandemic is the race problems between different people.

I think what the world needs is love! I think this because love is blind, kind, and healing. If people just tried to love one another, that might make our world a better place.

One Saturday in April, I came with my uncle to his friend’s house to help her take out some things to the curb for the garbage truck. When we pulled up, I saw a girl on her roller blades standing in front of the house talking to her.

I asked my uncle who the girl was but he didn’t know. When we parked the car, I said “hi “to this girl and told her my name. She told me hers. We started talking and began to play while my uncle and his friend were moving things to the curb. I wish all people would do things like that - say “hi” to people you don’t know, get to know them, and make a friend.

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The world needs kindness and forgiveness. The world needs this because it seems like people are sad, mad, and need to forgive other people for things they have done wrong to them.

Forgiveness is healing. If you forgive, you can start to heal and heal the world.

I think kindness is important and can go a long way. If you treat people with kindness, people will treat you with kindness.

What the world needs is patience.

This pandemic makes us unsure of what is going to happen next. One day we are told by the news that the “numbers” are going up and we need to protect ourselves more. Other days, we are told that the numbers are going

“down” and things are getting a little better.

People in this world need to be grateful for the things they have. Many people have lost things in this pandemic.

A lot of people lost their jobs and money.

This changed the way they lived. Some people got Covid-19 and could not work for a while. People should be grateful for all they have. My mom tells me all the time to be grateful and have gratitude. This is what the world needs.

The Pandemic, Covid-19, will be around for a while. I think we should try and figure out a way to safely live with it. By doing this, we can heal the world with love, kindness, and forgiveness, which are what the world needs.

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REFLECTION

The World Needs Us

By Karen Ji, 12th grade, Effingham College and Career Academy, Rincon, Georgia

A

single virus turned the world upside-down in 2020. In the blink of an eye, we were shut in our homes—with only our technology as a window to the outside world—for months.

It didn’t, and still doesn’t, seem real; for most of our lives up to this point, current events always seemed like another country’s problem, another city’s problem… just “their”—never “our”—problem. Always a distant story affecting a distant “them”—never “us”—that we could push into the back of our minds without a second thought.

At first, the coronavirus was no different; we watched the birth of the pandemic in Wuhan with maybe some curiosity, maybe apathy, or maybe compassion.

But what can we do? We don’t have what the world needs… So why bother?

We exited the tab, switched the channel, and went about our own lives… far away from problems that could never affect us.

But the virus spread, one person at a time, until the entire world experienced one of the largest pandemics in history; suddenly, something affected every one of us. For the first time, a “their” problem became an “our” problem. But a coronavirus shouldn’t be the only “our” problem. If everything is someone else’s problem, whose is it really? If no one is what the world needs, then what does it need really?

In history class, we learn about the past as distinctly separate from the present or the future. Just like when we read the news, we succumb to an illusion of separation from past and present, from “them” and “us.” After the New Deal, widespread economic hardships became history. After compulsory school attendance, illiteracy was no more; education was everywhere, for everyone.

After the civil rights movement, racism 18

miraculously vanished, fossilized in history. But what if that history didn’t end in that last era that we studied, in that last decade, year, week, or even day?

What if it’s an ongoing story still being written with every passing second?

What if these problems didn’t end the moment a law was passed? What if they will only be resolved when everyone acts upon it? And what if each passing second is a chance to be a part of that change, to grasp the pen to write this story?

The years of 2020 and 2021 showed us that transient nature of history, the persistence of the problems that supposedly were resolved decades ago. We witnessed—rather, are still experiencing—the pandemics of loneliness and depression, the race riots, the echoes of unequal access to quality education in the face of virtual learning. We live in this world built by the past, but we must also build a world for the future—the future that starts a generation, a year, a second from now.

And all the world needs is people— people just like you and me, like us.

Because we hold the power to do something. Because we are the transient divide between history and a better future.

Because the world doesn’t need just love, or compassion, or empathy… It needs all

of this. Because we, well, are all of this.

And we are the world. And we are also children… so we’re the future as well.

But unlike the future, we hold each passing second in the palms of our hands.

We are faced with the choice of whether or not to use that time to act, to become a global community who takes on shared problems with collective small steps.

All we need is a sense of community, obligation, efficacy, awareness—but we can only obtain all of this from within ourselves. And 2021 showed us that we need this internal revolution now more than ever.

So if there’s one thing we learned from the pandemic, it’s that if a single virus can change the world, so can each of us—one act at a time. Of course, we couldn’t stop the virus. But we still have the future that we can change. Maybe we can be a friend for those quarantined, battling with isolation every day. Maybe we can reach out to those struggling with virtual learning. Maybe we can simply be the best version of ourselves every day, put a smile on the faces of others, and, shine a light of compassion and empathy. And if we take these small steps together, make our world’s problems our own, we can truly make a difference. Because we are exactly what the world needs.

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How we changed!

Maggie Razdar Publisher/Founder

W

elcome to the Kids Standard's January of 2022 issue!

Everyone of us have been through many changes in our lives!!

Change is part of our lives, but that doesn't mean it gets easier. We just learn how to dance to the songs that life throws at us. Some of us who had gone through adversity learned to adapt quickly. When the rhythm changed, so did we.

COVID-19 overturned all our routines, making going to work, school, plays or even the grocery store unpredictable. We had no idea how long such unpredictability and change would last. Letting go of our daily autopilot mode and accepting uncertainty led to anxiety.

We also became uneasy because the pandemic interrupted the goals we set for ourselves. We were forced to live in the moment, making it difficult to focus on those long-term goals and making us anxious that we might not achieve them.

With an increase in people vaccinated for COVID-19 and the arrival of modified restrictions, we now need to adapt again.

The changes could be making some of us anxious again on many levels, such as: • We were comfortable with the new COVID-19 routines.

• The pandemic isn't over yet, and we still want to stay safe.

• We're not sure how work or school will be conducted: remotely, hybrid or in person.

Many of us devoted more time to family activities. We began making meals at

Like a lotus flower we too have the ability to rise from the mud, bloom out of the darkness and radiate into the world.

home again, benefitting from a healthier lifestyle by avoiding fast foods. We now eat more nutritiously and take time to talk with each other while prepping a meal.

Here's one way to look at how we react to change and how that can make us more — or less — anxious: If you got a flat tire while driving to work, would you sit in your car all day and get angry because you got a flat?

Probably not. But once you acknowledge that you have a flat, you can move forward. That's when you come up with ideas to solve the problem — contact your employer that you'll be late, try to change the tire, reach out to a friend for a ride, call a roadside repair service — and make it to work that day.

Before the pandemic, if you were told you'd have to go to school or work from home, your reaction might have been: "I can't do that. I've never done it before. It will never work." But when going to school or working from home became a reality, you creatively adjusted, maybe by designating a place to study or work and making a new routine for your days.

In both these examples, you adjusted by first acknowledging the change and accepting it. You then required solutions to help you cope.

Accepting or acknowledging that a problem exists doesn't mean liking it. But acknowledging it lets us move forward and think of ways to manage rather than fixate on the issue. Once we accept the problem, we can move on ― and be less anxious about the situation.

Making a new start

We'll find a place we can accept, probably somewhere in the middle. That means turning our thoughts from the negative — "This won't work. I can't do it." — to the positive and what we can gain from the change.

The key to managing our anxiety as we make this transition is to take it 22

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PA R E N T ’ S C O R N E R gradually, be present, start small and challenge ourselves a little each day.

First and primary, we need to accept ourselves and where we're at.

Another way to manage anxiety is to examine the evidence and validity of our automatic thoughts. It's healthy to evaluate our thoughts and check how reasonable they are, rather than going to the extreme. If we have concerns about being vaccinated for COVID-19, the new variants or how to remain safe, it would be good to talk to someone who is an expert in those fields with facts and not make assumptions.

We didn't think we could adjust to the restrictions of the pandemic, but we did it by preserving resilience.

We acknowledged the situation, accepted it, and found solutions that made us and our families feel safe and protected. We need to remember our collective strength and courage, continue to live in the moment, identify challenges, acknowledge them and look for opportunities as we cope with those challenges.

Covid-19 brought illness, stress, anxiety, loneliness. We were all called to be

idle. Stay home! said the experts. Some of us started thinking about how we could impact our communities more.

Some began engaging in volunteer work.

Many of us began to reach out to those who needed us the most. Doing something can heighten your spiritual energy if you view it as worthwhile, value-added work rather than completing tasks.

Put another way, concentrate on where the divine longs for you to serve, and that will be the most influential work you can do.

Think about small acts you can do to brighten someone else's day. Every drop of water makes an ocean when added together. Think about your local context. Consider making donations to shelters. Find ways to play games or music with neighbors from a distance.

During this time, some families join faith services through online streaming, and others attend drive-in services. While not as effective as face-to-face services, these alternatives give faith communities and attendees new ways to be involved in worship. We could use outside-the-box

thinking, and a crisis might afford that opportunity.

We at Kids Standard pivoted all of our programs to virtual classes, but we didn't stop there. We acknowledged that many students required help with all their subjects, not just literacy. So we started tutoring programs for all subjects for K-12. Parents and educators from other states asked for help. Then we recruited over 200 volunteers to help students who had challenges during the pandemic.

I am excited to announce that over 150 students moved up another grade level because of our volunteers.

I personally learned there is so much good in this world. Many kind people are willing to help make this world a better place. I learned to appreciate all small things that were overlooked before the pandemic. I learned to expand my business to have more impact!

With that being said, I loved reading our young generation's writing in this issue. These students made a difference during the pandemic by taking the time to write and get published.

NEUROMINDLY

MAGGIE RAZDAR

Neuroscience And Positive Psychology Coach

My Services • • • •

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maggie@neuromindly.com tel: (248) 410-3976

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Despite the challenges that the Pandemic brought us, the learning continues and we are all moving forward.

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Let us always be thankful for all the things we learned and will still learn and make 2022 a great year!!

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