Triple Threat

Triple Threat parenting triplets in the Capital District

Pushing ahead post-pandemic

After three COVID-tinged years, the triplets start high school

Ifeel that the pandemic stole something from all of us. There seems to be a time gap, as if we are somehow simultaneously stuck on March 13, 2020 and also catapulted into 2022. Right before the shutdown, I was a mess for sure. Now when I look in the mirror I still see a mess, but I know that I am trying. I want to believe that it isn’t just me feeling this way. Looking around lately is shocking. When did my babies get so big? How are they 14? How is Rebecca already taller than me? And, wow, they are so smart! Can you feel this mom’s pride? In Judaism we kvell (to feel or express Madeline Cantarella Culpo, Director Madeline Cantarella Culpo, Director pride about something or someone) about our children. In 2020, sixth grade was off and running. Each of the kids had been finding their place. I was finally letting FALL DANCE CLASSES FALL DANCE CLASSES go of them a little bit, which was so

hard. I let go of planning playdates because … moms don’t do that at this point. Ben would go to a friend’s house after school to do homework and hang out. Rebecca was finding more of her kind: the sarcastic, eye rolling kids with a touch of oddness and awkwardness. I loved watching Olivia sing in chorus and enjoy performing. I adored watching all three of them, seeing their joy of freedom. Even if they pushed, I was OK with it because that was normal.

I forgot what the trajectory was like for kids at this age because COVID derailed so much. Benjamin, Rebecca and Olivia got 20 weeks of 6th grade in person before the world shut down. The blossoming and growing was short-circuited by a virus. Any chance for a social life was over. Any chance of stretching wings and pushing against parental boundaries evaporated as fast as the hand sanitizer we were all using. Just as my trio was feeling more confident with middle school, their world came to a hard stop.

The logical progression should have been for them to get more and more independent. That just didn’t happen. The shutdowns depleted their smiles, laughter and joy. We skipped from Benjamin, Olivia and Rebecca being happy(ish) to being a sullen and depressed mess. The family, community and nation did not know how to make all the isolation feel acceptable. Mental health at large took a hit so hard I wondered how it would be possible to ever get beyond COVID. All joking aside, there is definite PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) from all that we have all been through these last few years. Every person I know has been affected by this insidious virus.

Eighth grade was done in person and there were some opportunities to be social and push at boundaries again. I am so grateful that they were able to go back to school after half of sixth

grade and all of seventh grade done virtually. I have nothing but respect for the teachers who braved a very stressful and impossible situation to educate all children. I heard one parent say that teaching during the pandemic was like learning how to build a helicopter while flying it. Fast forward, and these amazing kids are entering high school! I feel like boundaries have been tested and by a never-ending stream of hormoneJennifer induced fighting has tried my patience. This is when I know I am a mess as a mom. Feeling almost two years of Steuer change happening at once and then multiplying that by three makes it exponentially more stressful. At times, I don’t know how to navigate all these changes. What helps me feel better is this: No one else knows how to navigate this situation. There is no book or GPS for this specific adventure in parenting. In no way do I pretend to have great parenting skills. I’ve tried a few different things and found that there Continued on Page 7

Madeline Cantarella Culpo, Director

FALL DANCE CLASSES

Classes Start Friday, Sep. 7 NUTCRACKER AUDITIONS Sunday, Sep. 16th Ages 6-8 10:00 am Ages 4-5 12:00 pm Ages 9-11 12:30 pm Ages 12 & up 2:30 pm Ballet * Pointe * Modern * Lyrical * Pre-Ballet * Adult Ballet * Mommy & Me Madeline Cantarella Culpo, Director Ballet * Pointe * Modern * Lyrical * Pre-Ballet * Adult Ballet * Mommy & Me Ballet * Pointe * Modern * Lyrical * Pre-Ballet * Adult Ballet * Mommy & Me Madeline Cantarella Culpo, Director Lisa Iannacito McBride, Director Sunday, September 11th Old Fashioned Sunday

admin@schoolofabb.org * www.schoolofabb.org

518-426-0660 * 25 Monroe Street, Albany, NY 12210 12:oo noon - 4:oo pm FALL DANCE CLASSES Classes Start Friday, Sep. 7 Classes Start Friday, Sep. 7FALL DANCE CLASSES FALL DANCE CLASSES Family Fun for Everyone ALL AGES! Ballet * Pointe * Modern * Lyrical * Pre-Ballet * Adult Ballet * Mommy & Me NUTCRACKER AUDITIONS NUTCRACKER AUDITIONS Ballet * Pointe * Modern * Lyrical * Pre-Ballet * Adult Ballet * Mommy & Me Ballet * Pointe * Pre-Ballet Modern * Pilates Classes Start FREE ADMISSION! Old Tyme Craft Demonstrations, Classes Start Friday, Sep. 7 NUTCRACKER AUDITIONS Sunday, Sep. 16th Ages 6-8 10:00 am Sunday, Sep. 16th Ages 6-8 10:00 am Ages 4-5 12:00 pm Ages 9-11 12:30 pm Sunday, Sep. 16th Ages 6-8 10:00 am Ages 4-5 12:00 pm NUTCRACKER AUDITIONS Classes Start Friday, Sep. 7 NUTCRACKER AUDITIONS Sunday, Sep. 16th Sunday, Sept. 18th Ages 6-8 10:00 am Saturday, Sept. 10th Children’s Activities, Pony Rides, Baby Animals, Historic Schoolhouse Re-enactment for Ages 7-12, Sheep Shearing Demonstration, Magician, Wizard, Blacksmith and more! Food, Drinks, Ice Cream ~ Bands ~ Vendors THE Ages 4-5 12:00 pm Ages 9-11 12:30 pm Ages 12 & up 2:30 pm Ages 12 & up 2:30 pmAges 9-11 12:30 pm Ages 12 & up 2:30 pm Ages 6-8 10:00 am Ages 4-5 12:00 pm Ages 9-11 12:30 pm Ages 4-5 12:00 pm Ages 9-11 12:30 pm Ages 12 & up 2:30 pm admin@schoolofabb.org * www.schoolofabb.org 116685_4 207 Old NiskayuNa Rd., latham PRUYN HOUSE • (518)783-1435 admin@schoolofabb.org * www.schoolofabb.org Ages 12 & up 2:30 pm 518-426-0660 * 25 Monroe Street, Albany, NY 12210 www.pruynhouse.org • pruynhouse@colonie.org 115369_4 4 Family Now — September 2022 admin@schoolofabb.org * www.schoolofabb.org 518-426-0660 * 25 Monroe Street, Albany, NY 12210 518-426-0660 * 25 Monroe Street, Albany, NY 12210 admin@schoolofabb.org * www.schoolofabb.org

-0660 * 25 Monroe Street, Albany, NY 12210 admin@schoolofabb.org * www.schoolofabb.org 518 426-0660 * 25 Monroe Street, Albany, NY 12210