Greetings!
We made it to 2021! Congrats to us—that was no small feat. It is, however, very difficult to write to all you now without mentioning the enormous elephant in the room. The desecration of the Capitol was this past week, and I cannot for the life of me wrap my head around it. This is my hometown. We are feeling personally assaulted by the mob that attacked our beautiful Capitol and had our nation’s leaders scrambling for safety while fearing for their lives. This event transcends party affiliation. 
APNA Agency owners are from all over the country (and abroad). We come from different states and regions and we have different viewpoints. Our religion and our politics are not the same. While we all may disagree on issues big and small, nothing can justify what just happened in our country. Personally, some of my closest APNA buddies and I are not on the same side of the divide—yet I wouldn’t trade those relationships. We manage to agree to disagree while all the time trying to convert each other—often with humor.
As agency owners, one of our main objectives is to find the truth. We spend our days screening and vetting candidates for our client families who entrust us to find the facts about the nannies we refer to them to care for their children. We, as APNA agencies, hold ourselves to the highest standards.
I am struggling with what we can do with all the lying. Truth is such a basic concept we learn as children and then go on and teach our children. Lying is not okay. It has been so hard to listen to the lies that have been spread over the last four years. COVID-19 is a hoax. No, it’s not. We now have over 400,000 people dead. The election was rigged. No, it wasn’t. Every state has separately certified its individual returns. Big lies, little lies told by powerful, persuasive people.
For those of us who believe in science and the facts, how do we regain our footing? I know I speak for many living in the DC metro area, we are waiting for the changing of the guard and the beginning of a better era. We are waiting to be vaccinated. We are waiting for the truth from the top. We are waiting for normal.
I wish you all a healthy and happier New Year.
Your Pandemic President,
Barbara Kline