Parenting Through Seasons of Loss

Parenting Through Seasons of Loss

An interview with Joe and Keijo Bollinger

The past two years have been tumultuous for many families. Would you mind sharing a bit about what your family’s experience has been like?

JOE: For us, 2019 was new and exciting, our first year with no preschoolers—then the pandemic hit before the school year was over and we had all four of our children back at home for eighteen months. We don't have a house that allows for any extra space, so it was very disruptive.

KEIJO: Life has been so unpredictable, and I know it hasn’t been this way for everyone, but I can’t think of a single part of our lives that hasn’t been impacted. We’re constantly re-evaluating and trying to figure things out, and that hasn’t wrapped up for us yet. I’ve seen in me, and in others, that our capacity to handle stress has been squeezed.