For the past few months, the main topic of conversation among my friends has been education. Some of us are teachers; all of us are parents. Some of us send our kids to smaller, private schools that are back in person. Some send our kids to larger public schools that moved their classes online. One high school in my area asks students to come every other day––though the instruction is always online, whether you’re learning from home or socially distanced in a classroom.

The uncertainty and changes have caused a considerable amount of stress. Learning via video, wearing a mask all day, or attempting to teach students who are in their bedrooms isn’t anyone’s first choice. The experience we want for our students is not matching reality, and that disconnect can cause a lot of consternation.

So I deeply appreciated counselor Ed Welch’s article “How Can I Handle School Anxiety This Fall?” His perception is sharp—he says our worry comes from a fear of failure, which rings true to me. And his advice is sound—talk to God. Listen to God. Simplify.

Welch’s words are aimed specifically at a question we received from a teacher. But it’s just as timely and helpful for us parents, too.