The New Normal?

Educators, administrators and social workers will come together in Springfield, Illinois next month for an institute entitled “Living in the New Normal: Helping Children Thrive in Good and Challenging Times." Brought about by concerns about military children dealing with illness, injury, or death of a parent, the "Living in the New Normal," or LINN, initiative was developed by experts in the fields of trauma and grief, resiliency, health care, and child development. LINN encourages families to develop coping skills, supports homefront efforts on behalf of children, and provides educators and others with information of use in helping children be resilient and courageous during times of uncertainty, trauma, and grief. This is good, of course, and all such efforts are important.  Still, I can't help but be saddened by the resignation that seems to be part of calling this "the new normal."  Do we really want to think that way?  Once we've accepted children's uncertainty, trauma, and grief as byproducts of their parents' military service, to what low will the next "new normal" slip?