Blank Calendars & Heavy Backpacks: Starting the New Year with Empathy

A new year often brings fresh hope—blank calendars, a little more daylight, and the feeling that maybe this season can be lighter. But for married working moms, teachers, and students alike, the work doesn’t pause just because the calendar flips.In this episode, Bri reflects on the realities of midyear school life—as a mom of three active kids, a teacher of preservice educators, and a partner juggling full family calendars. She explores a simple but powerful truth we often forget: learning is work. And work—whether at school, at home, or in our careers—isn’t always joyful, even when it’s meaningful.Bri invites parents and educators to lean into empathy, to honor that everyone gets to have their hard, and to consider how play, joy, and connection can coexist with perseverance. This episode is a reminder that we don’t remove the hard—we help our kids (and ourselves) grow through it.If you’re stepping into 2026 hopeful but realistic, tired but still committed, this one’s for you.