I can’t do this anymore. I think I am having a mental meltdown

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Heck yes. Single mom, working from home full time. 2 second graders. Just got an email today from one of the teachers that one of my girls hasn’t turned in her social studies and science slides since May 4 and will likely impact her final assessment.

WTF?! Second graders are expected to self teach about the American Revolution.

I have struggled, pushed, reviewed and corrected mat and ELA slides on a daily basis for 2 kids since March. The Science/Social studies slides were posted in the weekly discussion section, not the daily assignments.

I’m so angry, overwhelmed, and feeling like complete f’ing failure because I can’t be a mom, employee, full time caretaker, homemaker, and teacher at the same time.

Hi PP, please don't feel like a failure. There's no way you could be doing it all.

I am a teacher; I can't speak for your child's teacher but from my point of view, I have to send emails letting parents know their kids didn't complete work to cover myself if they complain about the grade. WHO CARES about a second graders SS grade though? If you don't I am sure it won't be a problem.

But right now I am being urged to get all makeup work in so I am reaching out to parents to let them know their child has missing work. I am willing to sit down with the kids over a Zoom or Google Meet conference and talk them through their missing assignments too. If you just let the teacher know what is going on she might also be willing to help your child just get credit

OR just go on the damn slides and fill them out for your child and send them in. There's always that low stress option. Don't worry about it. Make life easy on yourself and your kids.

Exactly. Don’t sweat the small stuff. A big part of an education is learning what really matters and what doesn’t, and how to work smart rather than hard. It’s second grade, so it won’t affect her GPA or her chances of getting into college. I would let it go at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go for it.

My kid has been going to preschool the entire time. We will go to the pool when it opens.

We will see friends when they’re comfortable with it.

We haven’t seen grandparents or other elderly people.

We have remained 100% healthy.

Sure, but it's important to maintain distance from everyone at the pool or wherever you're going in order not to expose people who come into contact with high-risk groups, for their job or because they're in the same household.

This is not just about the elderly you have in your own family, or the ones you give a wide berth to on the street. It's about the people invisible to you but whom you can infect because they're a few contacts removed from you in the contact chain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go for it.

My kid has been going to preschool the entire time. We will go to the pool when it opens.

We will see friends when they’re comfortable with it.

We haven’t seen grandparents or other elderly people.

We have remained 100% healthy.

Sure, but it's important to maintain distance from everyone at the pool or wherever you're going in order not to expose people who come into contact with high-risk groups, for their job or because they're in the same household.

This is not just about the elderly you have in your own family, or the ones you give a wide berth to on the street. It's about the people invisible to you but whom you can infect because they're a few contacts removed from you in the contact chain.

Yeah, obviously. Why wouldn’t we do that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I gave up on parenting about a week ago.

The kids can do whatever they want. We offer food, clothing, shelter, books, TV or they can go outside.

I don't know why, but this made me laugh (not at you, PP, but with you). Hang in there.

[Anonymous]

No judgement here OP. You are not alone. This has been rough. Some days are better than others. Big hugs your way. If you are able, put on a movie for the kids and take some time for yourself. Yea- it's more screen time, but somethings just need to be done.

Quick PSA for all DCUM: pepparent.org. Lots of good classes and parental support during this time. I've taken their classes before- they're a huge help.

Hang in there DCUM!

[Anonymous]

I’m with you. I just popped an emergency klonopin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go for it.

My kid has been going to preschool the entire time. We will go to the pool when it opens.

We will see friends when they’re comfortable with it.

We haven’t seen grandparents or other elderly people.

We have remained 100% healthy.

Sure, but it's important to maintain distance from everyone at the pool or wherever you're going in order not to expose people who come into contact with high-risk groups, for their job or because they're in the same household.

This is not just about the elderly you have in your own family, or the ones you give a wide berth to on the street. It's about the people invisible to you but whom you can infect because they're a few contacts removed from you in the contact chain.

Well duh, but if you are old or have elderly in your household or at your workplace, it is on YOU to avoid contact with others.

[Anonymous]

We are planning to start doing some outdoor distance playdates. We did our first one this week and it made a big difference in everyone's mental health. The kids were SO happy. Our friends came over and each family ate their own pizza in the yard. The other family sat on a blanket about 10 feet away. Then we let the kids bike together down the street. No one touched each other. They were pretty good about staying at least 6 feet apart while biking. It wasn't risk free but it was a level of risk I was willing to take to give my kids some sense or normalcy and an ability to socialize.

[Anonymous]

Heck yeah. I have been driving 40 minutes to the nearest state park playground - passing like 30 closed ones. We stay apart from adults, but my kids and I are really struggling. And I know the answer is not to isolate.

We are also leaving town soon and frequently. But man this is hard and I can’t imagine the marginal health benefits of closing outdoor spaces completely outweighs what this is doing to young families.

[Anonymous]

You take the risks you’re able to handle. I’m worried about a second wave of COVID cases so I’m willing to stick it out for the next few months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No judgement here OP. You are not alone. This has been rough. Some days are better than others. Big hugs your way. If you are able, put on a movie for the kids and take some time for yourself. Yea- it's more screen time, but somethings just need to be done.

Quick PSA for all DCUM: pepparent.org. Lots of good classes and parental support during this time. I've taken their classes before- they're a huge help.

Hang in there DCUM!

My kids misbehave is they watch more than three hours of TV in a day. Never knew it until now but apparently it’s true. I know you want well but it’s insulting you think we didn’t think of using the TV as a babysitter. That won’t solve clinical depression/anxiety caused by social isolation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You take the risks you’re able to handle. I’m worried about a second wave of COVID cases so I’m willing to stick it out for the next few months.

Read this: https://www.cebm.net/covid-19/covid-19-epidemic-waves/

It’s by a fellow at Oxford.

Most of what we know about 2nd waves in pandemics is from the Spanish Flu, which is not a comparable situation to this one, for reasons explained in the link.

I’m not saying there won’t be outbreaks that we will need to handle, but the notion of a *more* deadly 2nd wave is taken from a situation that is VERY different than the one we’re experiencing now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is it all or nothing. Why are your choices only 1. No contact with anyone or 2. Throw in the towel completely???

I’m don’t understand this way of thinking.

Kids need contact with other kids. You can’t do that without breaching the 6 ft rule or mask rule. Kids aren’t going to wear masks and stay 6 ft away at a play date. They just aren’t. So in order to let your kids socialize, you have to breach these rules at some point.

Personally we have let our kids play with children from 3 other families. It really makes a difference on the days they get to see others. Homeschooling is giving me migraines, though. After fighting with my daughter to get her to sit down in front of the computer, I’ve been listening to my daughter’s K teacher yammer on for 36 minutes now and I’m going to go get my earplugs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Heck yes. Single mom, working from home full time. 2 second graders. Just got an email today from one of the teachers that one of my girls hasn’t turned in her social studies and science slides since May 4 and will likely impact her final assessment.

WTF?! Second graders are expected to self teach about the American Revolution.

I have struggled, pushed, reviewed and corrected mat and ELA slides on a daily basis for 2 kids since March. The Science/Social studies slides were posted in the weekly discussion section, not the daily assignments.

I’m so angry, overwhelmed, and feeling like complete f’ing failure because I can’t be a mom, employee, full time caretaker, homemaker, and teacher at the same time.

Hi PP, please don't feel like a failure. There's no way you could be doing it all.

I am a teacher; I can't speak for your child's teacher but from my point of view, I have to send emails letting parents know their kids didn't complete work to cover myself if they complain about the grade. WHO CARES about a second graders SS grade though? If you don't I am sure it won't be a problem.

But right now I am being urged to get all makeup work in so I am reaching out to parents to let them know their child has missing work. I am willing to sit down with the kids over a Zoom or Google Meet conference and talk them through their missing assignments too. If you just let the teacher know what is going on she might also be willing to help your child just get credit

OR just go on the damn slides and fill them out for your child and send them in. There's always that low stress option. Don't worry about it. Make life easy on yourself and your kids.

This is what I did with my kindergarteners math .
He knew how to do it, but didn’t want to do it on the iPad.

Do it or don’t do it. Get a Magic Tree House or American Girl story on the revolutionary war and read it to your kids before bed. Done.
As far as I know, second grade social studies is about creating hooks to hang some scaffolding from.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is it all or nothing. Why are your choices only 1. No contact with anyone or 2. Throw in the towel completely???

I’m don’t understand this way of thinking.

Kids need contact with other kids. You can’t do that without breaching the 6 ft rule or mask rule. Kids aren’t going to wear masks and stay 6 ft away at a play date. They just aren’t. So in order to let your kids socialize, you have to breach these rules at some point.

Personally we have let our kids play with children from 3 other families. It really makes a difference on the days they get to see others. Homeschooling is giving me migraines, though. After fighting with my daughter to get her to sit down in front of the computer, I’ve been listening to my daughter’s K teacher yammer on for 36 minutes now and I’m going to go get my earplugs.

That’s my exact point though. You made a compromise that worked for you rather than just saying either we are either 100% or 0%.