Losing my mind during daily check-ins with parent

[EyeCandyOP]

Talking to my older relatives in Manhattan was upsetting me because they didn't see to be doing as much to isolate, but I finally realized they were downplaying things out of concern for US. They didn't want us down in DMV to be worried about them.

Anyway, just wanted to say that I understand where the worriers are coming from! Hope your loved ones stay safe and healthy!

[Anonymous]

You could recommend an article to her to read and then you cna talk about that on the next call. Last call of the day, suggest a movie, then talk about that the next day. Give her 'assignments!"

Kind of like our kids with remote school!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband’s trick to get someone off a topic is to get them reminiscing. (He’s a super nostalgic person.). So if his mom starts talking about Trump, he’ll segue to, “do you remember the hardware store in town when we were kids? Did they used to give out popcorn? Did we play with the owners’ kids?” And then he’ll move on to, “I was trying to remember that driving trip we took to florida—did we have the station wagon, and how did we all fit?” Sometimes he’ll do more general nostalgia topics like “didn’t gum used to come in different flavors, like licorice?” Or he loves to ask about how certain products/stores got their names. Now, as someone who didn’t grow up where he did, and is less interested in his family’s minutia, I sometimes find these conversations boring. But still better than Trump or Coronavirus.

Your husband has a gift.

[Anonymous]

Omg oP. I am with you. My mom used to talk for two minutes and hang up. Now she talks nonstop. There is no getting a word in. You cannot later the conversation because she will just ignore anything I say and talk over me. I just limit my calls to once a week. You are more generous than me. I am so anxious that I cannot deal with more.

[Anonymous]

Text your mom pictures and videos of the kids before you call so there's positive things to talk about...