2020 Year In Review Printable For Kids

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I know it’s a phrase we’ve seen and heard time and time again — there’s no way any of us saw 2020 going like this. While I still managed to hit some significant goals, the pandemic certainly forced my focus to be at home. And that’s not a bad thing. I’ve tried to pass that perspective on to my kids as well. Sure, we don’t see our friends. But we will! And no, we didn’t get to go on vacation as planned. But we will when it’s safe. And so I created this 2020 year in review printable for kids so that we can look at the bigger picture together.

What I learned this year

I’ve always been a ‘busy’ person. I used to commit to too much and then feel completely drained. And when March hit, my busy-ness came to a full stop. I immediately leaned into it. Because, well, what other choice did I have?

Distance-learning

Who knew that remote learning and distance learning would be such an important part of our vocabulary in 2020?! I’m certain none of us had any idea. When schools went remote in the Spring, I was ready for it. I saw it coming and new that I just had to do what we could to get through until Summer.

Truthfully, distance learning at that point felt more like homeschooling on our schedule. I was grateful. Granted, my son was only in the first grade at the time. But still. And, most of the time, we made it through easily. Sure, we had ocassional hangups; but nothing major.

Being at Home

Ya know, this part of the pandemic didn’t quite bother me so much. I know I’m one of the lucky ones. I primarily work from home, but I did also take a leave of absence at my part-time gig (followed by a lay-off). We would go days and days without driving in the car. And then, suddenly, I would just need to get out. But without anywhere to go, the kids and I would just drive around.

But my husband worked from home for a couple of months and, honestly, it was nice having him around. The kids hated when he had to go back to the office (which, honestly, is just him and one other guy — distanced and masked).

And, after we decided to cancel our August vacation (in April), we made the decision to put some work into our house. We hired a local contractor to put up a very long privacy fence. Shortly thereafter, we hired him to also put in a deck for us. Hours and hours were spent tearing down and then building up a new playset for the kids. Next we built a new sandbox. And, finally, we installed a hot tub.

But we also had more meals at home. More movie nights weigh the kids. And many, many, more memories made.

Why I’m grateful for 2020

I’ve never ever been a ‘roll with the punches’ kind of person. I like a clear, set plan. But, it turns out, when faced with a global pandemic, I learned to seriously just lean into taking this year for what it gave me.

Don’t get me wrong — I am straight up sad. I’m sad for the lives lost and those who have suffered. I’m even more sad for those on the frontlines who have had to deal with science deniers in the digital age. But I’m also happy that this year brought clarity — some of which was hard-fought. I have lost friends and acquaintances to differences in opinion; but I’ve also gained a whole heck of a lot.

I’ve gained the understanding that some people are only meant in your life for a season or a reason. Additionally, I’ve increased my appreciation for the basics: a roof over my head, food on the table, my family, and our health. I’ve also strengthened relationships with family and friends. And I do not discount that for a second.