So burnt out

[Anonymous]

Hey OP just wanted to say I totally feel you. The situation is insane. My husband and I both try and both work demanding jobs and it’s running us down.

[Anonymous]

I'm with you, OP. My husband is a healthcare worker (and works very long hours) so he has been at work this whole time. I've done all the homeschooling along with attempting to wfh. Doing my own cleaning, and trying to meet all the kids' needs that are typically met by school, aftercare, and sports, plus doing my job, is exhausting. I'm back at work in person now, but our schedules are staggered in order to meet the space requirements, and I'm on a crazy early shift. So I work all morning, then take care of my kids all afternoon, and slump into bed around 9:30. This isn't sustainable long term. Yesterday I just didn't show up to work because I couldnt physically get out of bed.

[Anonymous]

My 3 and 5 year old scream at my door too whenever it's my turn to work. They will literally bang it down. We have tried everything, barricading the stairs, etc. My husband is trying to do really fun things with them but they want mommy (it's obsessive) and know I'm here. I'm realizing that I need to get out of the house somehow to get work done, at least once per week. Can you work in the car? At a park? You may need to remove yourself somehow. You are keeping your kids safe, and that's what's important! That's a big success right there.

[Anonymous]

Your husband a zero OP

[Anonymous]

Drop kids off at Nanny’s house 4 hours a day. Problem solved.

[Anonymous]

OP can the nanny come with her kids?

[Anonymous]

Can your kids go to nannys house? Especially since no adult is trying to work a computer/phone based job from there

[Anonymous]

This is going to sound harsh, but get another nanny. It would be different if she was providing some care, but it sounds like she isn’t able to provide any care.

We had to do th same because my employer made it clear that if I wasn’t available to work as normal from home that I needed to take leave. If the nanny can’t do their job then I couldn’t do my job, so the situation was not sustainable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can your kids go to nannys house? Especially since no adult is trying to work a computer/phone based job from there

This. Problem solved. And the kids will be able to play together!

[Anonymous]

Nanny here. Your nanny needs to figure out how to work or you need to accept that you don’t have a nanny anymore and hire someone else.

If you are open to the kids going to her home that’s a good solution but if that doesn’t work for you then you need to just lay it out: we need childcare. Can you come back at least part time or do we need to hire someone else?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We hired cleaners, tipped them an extra $20. It made a world of difference. Take two hours off of work to take the kids out to the park and leave the check on your fridge. I am so sorry.

WOW? A whole $20.00 tip. I am underwhelmed by your generosity. If your house hasn't been deep cleaned in a month or more, which mine had not, I gave an extra $100.00.

[Anonymous]

I feel for you OP. I’m in the same boat. I think something like 80-90% of my co-workers either:

1. Have no children and can work as much as they want without distractions or interruptions.

Or...

2. Have adult children and can work as much as they want without distractions or interruptions.

And everyone is expected to perform at their level.

[Anonymous]

Ever single person trying to balance childcare and job have the same problem but they are not whining
So STOP WHINING?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ever single person trying to balance childcare and job have the same problem but they are not whining
So STOP WHINING?

I am going to guess that either you are childfree or a man. Because everyone who is doing this is whining.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After months of working from home full time, entertaining and managing my two kids 24/7 and trying to keep my house from completely falling apart I honestly don’t know how much longer I can do this. As usual, it’s 11pm and I am still working to catch up from what I could not do during the day. I have a pretty demanding job and feel like I am not producing quality work at all right now, but at the same time my parenting is not so great either since my kids constantly complain that I am always working - which may be true because it takes forever to get anything done. Most nights I go to sleep between 12-1am and baby wakes me at 6am daily. DH tried to be helpful but the kids have been super clingy and only want be for the most part.

I have not watched a TV show or read a book in months and have exactly zero seconds to myself each week. I gave up on any kind of deeper cleaning a month ago and only do the bare minimum.

Does anyone else feel like they are about to lose it? Any tips for how to get through the next few months?

I'm in the same boat. I am now making my sanity in a priority. I am lucky to have some vacation time built up, so I am now take time off every 2 weeks. I'm planning a week vacation at the end of this month. I'm also cutting my productivity. Just because our jobs have pushed us into the impossible position of having to provide childcare and work at the same time doesn't mean that we have to accept it. The worst that can happen is that I will lose my job, but honestly, I'm willing to take that risk. If I have a mental breakdown, my job will just replace me anyway. It's better to prioritize me than to prioritize them.