During this unprecedented time, we are inside our homes feeling a wide array of emotions. While the threat of illness is looming and the day we can all return to normal is unknown, each family member has competing needs and limited resources. Each one feels the loss of the large world and connections that were sustaining. More than ever, there is pressure on family ties and it can feel overwhelming.

Summer is almost over and the school year has already begun. Most days, outside temperatures are becoming manageable as the summer heat retreats to the middle of the day.  As I reach for the thermostat in my house, I am reminded of Dr. Gary Landreth’s analogy of parents choosing to play the role of thermostats rather than thermometers in the family.