Snow week is giving me PTSD of lockdown

[Anonymous]

Help me re-set. I had off for 2 weeks for winter break so kept the kids out of daycare so we could see family. Figured everybody would be back in school/daycare on Monday but of course the storm has hit and we are all stuck inside together. It is giving me flashbacks from lockdown in March 2020. I was in a horrible place and was screaming at my kids non-stop and needed to go on meds and start therapy. How do I not go back down that deep dark rabbit hole? I am working full time, as is my husband, and we have 3 kids at home who are sick and tired of being together. It is non-stop yelling. I feel horrible.

[Anonymous]

This is on you, OP. You need to talk to your doctor again, and learn some parenting skills pronto. No parent yells at their kids all day - I know, I have a son with special needs who is behaviorally challenged and sometimes all I want to do is scream at him.

[Anonymous]

Why are there so many on DCUM who just pile on to OPs to make them feel bad?

OP, nothing but sympathy. I’m having similar feelings, and in addition knowing how damaged my kids were by virtual schooling makes it all worse. I fully want them in school ASAP even if we are risk of infection. And I am a professor and want to be back teaching as well. So many students from pre-K to higher ed suffered during school closures.

[Anonymous]

Start a gratitude journal. I know it’s not going to be better than therapy/meds if that’s what you need, but it’s quite a powerful tool if you write in it daily/read it on occasion.

[Anonymous]

What I do as a desperate measure - is one hour of playing nicely together, then you get one hour of TV - repeat as many times as needed. Good luck - or you can just do straight TV if you're desperate, and detox later.

[Anonymous]

Op here - thanks to the nice previous posters. I just feel like parenting is 10000 times harder now than it used to be. We don’t have any break from work and expected to work and take care of our kids perfectly and it shouldn’t affect our mental or physical health. I don’t know how to keep going. I feel like I am going to break.

[Anonymous]

OP, I'm sorry that one poster is such a jerk. I would definitely talk to your doctor, not only about PTSD but also about seasonal affective disorder that could make you feel lousy too. In terms of not going down the rabbit hole, just think of what is different this time - with vaccines and good masks you can get out and about, especially outdoors with the kids. You can socialize outdoors (with good masks and distance), and the daycare will institute some protocols to get the children back in soon. You have access to tests that we didn't in March 2020, not to mention vaccines for adults and older kids. So snow week isn't unending once the weather is better.

[Anonymous]

Can you get away for a weekend with a girlfriend? It sounds like you need a break.

[Anonymous]

I don’t have any good advice. But I’m hiding in my basement right now with the TV on upstairs. I’ll regret it later regards to whatever is happening up there but it’s nice to have a minute of quiet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is on you, OP. You need to talk to your doctor again, and learn some parenting skills pronto. No parent yells at their kids all day - I know, I have a son with special needs who is behaviorally challenged and sometimes all I want to do is scream at him.

You suck

[Anonymous]

Accept more Covid risk. I had my mom come stay with us during lockdown and yes, it was more Covid risk in the household but I chose not to care because it also brought more sanity. Bring in a babysitter or nanny for backup care, depending on your needs.

[Anonymous]

I could have written this. My kids were also irritable/tired after being together nonstop for 3 weeks with literally no break. Very thankful we were able to send to school today.

As others said, the last two years have been so brutal for parents. We've had ZERO breaks with WFH, school from home, and even once they've gone back to school we're now faced with the constant threat of illness/quarantines. My fuse is beyond short and I'm looking forward to AND PRIORITIZING vacation/alone time for myself once omicron passes.

[Anonymous]

Do whatever you need to get through the next few days - unlimited TV, take out, breakfast for dinner, extra dessert for behaving, etc. These few days aren't a referendum on your parenting; just get through it. And stay off social media!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here - thanks to the nice previous posters. I just feel like parenting is 10000 times harder now than it used to be. We don’t have any break from work and expected to work and take care of our kids perfectly and it shouldn’t affect our mental or physical health. I don’t know how to keep going. I feel like I am going to break.

I’m right there with you OP. This week my therapist suggested I talk to my prescriber for adjustment to my medication.

I didn’t miss a beat in terms of my work performance all of 2020. Family suffered (why I got counseling & meds) and I improved. But I just can’t anymore. I’ve been stretched too thin for too long. There’s no more bounce back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Accept more Covid risk. I had my mom come stay with us during lockdown and yes, it was more Covid risk in the household but I chose not to care because it also brought more sanity. Bring in a babysitter or nanny for backup care, depending on your needs.

NP, but we have had lots of issues with sitters needing to cancel over the last few months due to illness/exposure. It’s not a panacea and adds to the uncertainty/stress.