Jennifer Garner’s heartfelt post about the current school year will make you feel seen

If you have school-age kids this year—whether they’re two or 22—then you’re probably feeling All The Things, much like Jennifer Garner. In her latest Instagram post, the actress is refreshingly honest and heartfelt about her feelings as her kids head back to school.

“3/3 masked, 2/3 vaxxed (soon, please, 11 and under), every one eager, tentative, bold, vulnerable and—as far as I can tell—smiling under the 3-ply,” she writes in regard to her kids, Violet, 15, Seraphina, 12, and Samuel, 9, as they return to the classroom.

Many parents with kids under 11 feel similarly anxious as we anticipate the emergency use authorization from the FDA regarding the COVID vaccine for kids. And because she’s Jennifer Garner (as in, she’s a glorious human being whom we love), she also shares her gratitude during this tumultuous time: for teachers, for science, and for other moms. Because we all need and deserve validation always, but especially right now.

“Thank you teachers, thank you administrators, thank you school staff—for being on the receiving end of a year and a half of feelings (kids’ and parents’)—big and loud, quiet and deep,” she writes. “Thank you science for getting us this far and this much closer to health and freedom. Thank you for moms in your corner and gallows humor and the sun that rises, no matter what. And please, God, hold us in the palm of your hands.”

Never has the saying “It takes a village” been more true than during the past year and a half. We wouldn’t have made it through last year or had a chance at making it through this year without supportive school staff, science, healthcare workers, essential workers, and, of course, other parents to lean on and vent to.

Politics aside, I’m sure we can all agree that none of us wants to be held hostage by this virus any longer—there’s no freedom in that. For anyone. And Jennifer Garner totally nails that sentiment in her post while also reminding us of the good things that keep us going.

We’ll get through this school year together, one way or another!