I previously wrote about the "Unexpected Opportunity" of co-working with my son during the pandemic. However, this arrangement is not always so joyful 😀 There are definitely times of frustration and anxiety on both ends, especially about missing friends, a healthy family, missed activities, and the unknown future of summer.

Last Thursday was one of those times that he needed a little extra TLC to complete an assignment. My son had to write a single page (just ideas, not complete sentences by the way) about anything. He decided to write about essential workers and how important they are during this time of need. However, he only covered about 1/2 a page and was distraught that he had written everything on his mind. Convincing him that 50% was good enough today, was not an option.

So we talked about the essential workers he sees, but I also brought up the people who are no longer working - the closed stores in downtown Mount Prospect we walk by every day, the library, restaurants, and gyms. There are over 30 million people who have filed for unemployment benefits over the last couple of months. We really need to keep them in our thoughts as well.

Then, we turned this writing assignment into a math lesson. Last time I checked, there are about 155 million workers in the country. 30 million unemployed divided by 155 million potential workers is about 1 in 5, or 20% of workers have lost their jobs, not to mention many others with pay cuts and furloughs not filing for unemployment. Clearly, supporting unemployed workers and struggling small businesses is just as important as voicing support for essential workers. I mean, who is to say which person is not "essential"? My son was very quickly able to write an entire page and complete his assignment.

This brings me to the main lesson of Thursday's writing assignment and today's story. Giving Tuesday is customarily reserved for the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, then Giving Tuesday). It can sometimes feel like the unwanted leftovers after the Thanksgiving feast. However, this Tuesday, May 5th, will be #GivingTuesdayNow https://now.givingtuesday.org/.

The purpose of #GivingTuesdayNow is to "come together to create a wave of generosity, citizen engagement, action from business and philanthropy, and support for communities and nonprofits around the world." Two of their main ideas include:

• Give to the organizations that you love most – no amount is too little and nonprofits need our support.

• Help out small businesses by buying gift cards or writing an online review.

With Mother's Day, graduations, and other celebrations this month, shopping small and donating are a couple of great ways to show that person you care while supporting your local community. One of my highlights last week was my son giving me $20 so we can donate it on #GivingTuesdayNow.

I know that many of you have been very generous with your time and money during this extraordinary time. I appreciate your generosity and hope everyone can participate and spread the word for #GivingTuesdayNow.