Feel like I’m walking uphill through mud every day

[Anonymous]

Gee OP, just go out to dinner, all your problems will clearly be solved. 🙄

[Anonymous]

Hi OP. Ignore these side convos by PPs. I totally get what you are saying and feel the exact same way. for me it is not even depression or anxiety, but being completely, utterly drained and burned out to the point that i am straight up miserable. i'm taking three sick days at work next week because i just need the break.

[Anonymous]

Totally hear you, OP. Also have two under 5 and we are bring really cautious. This weather is the worst with high energy kids and we aren't doing indoor stuff.

Honest Q, why did you cut out caffeine and alcohol? Small pleasures are among what keep me going. Good coffee in the morning when I wake up, often another nice hot cup in the afternoon. A glass of wine at the end of a hard day, etc.

[Anonymous]

It's been a hard 2 years for me. I am a single mom and was trying to work full time with a 3 year old. My depression is just starting to lift. I buy ALL the crafts to do with her to keep us busy. I find a fun recipe to try every week - sweet/and or savory. I got a coffee subscription that comes biweekly, they even grind it for me. I treat myself to a nice bottle of wine once a month (I am not a big drinker but was definitely drinking more during the pandemic). We have done some safe travel - driving to and rent airbnb's off season at the beach and a tiny house near the mountains. We have done the monuments at night. I am doing stuff to keep us busy. I also found ways to cut corners at work so that I am not taking as much stuff home. I also have a pinterest page of trips I want to do when restrictions are lifted. It keeps me going. I also did some airbnb online experiences (cooking classes) to keep things interesting. With all my time at home, I am trying to organize my stuff and at night I watch TV and tackle things like organizing my DD's art work I have collected, clean up the files on my computer, etc - so that I feel productive. I take sick/mental health days at work now and I plan to reintroduce exercise back into my life pretty soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re still talking about OP (and others) not going to bars, movies, indoor restaurants, and traveling, right? I mean, OP and others like her are still working, sending our kids to school, walking and hiking outside, talking to family and friends?

What’s the problem?

Yes, the uncertainty is with us but no one is hiding or running from life - we just aren’t dancing in bars.

+1. Posters seem to have a very emotional response to not going to bars and movies here.

+2. Seriously, guy? All this angry debate because OP doesn’t feel comfortable going to bars, indoor restaurants, movies, and unnecessary travel right now because of two very young and unvaccinated children?

Seems sensible to me during this surge!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to go out to dinner, the movies, etc. The risk to you and your kids is extremely low.

No. She doesn’t “need” to do any such thing with unvaccinated kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Add a vitamin D supplement to your diet.

Get out with your kids. This isn’t going anywhere. It’s fine to go out to eat or to a movie. Pick a time when the restaurants and theaters won’t be crowded. There were maybe ten people in the theater the last time we saw a movie.

Living your life in fear is much more harmful than omicron is.

Wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Add a vitamin D supplement to your diet.

Get out with your kids. This isn’t going anywhere. It’s fine to go out to eat or to a movie. Pick a time when the restaurants and theaters won’t be crowded. There were maybe ten people in the theater the last time we saw a movie.

Living your life in fear is much more harmful than omicron is.

Oh Jesus, stop already with the “living your life in fear” CRAP. Is wearing a seatbelt living your life in fear? Parents of young, unvaccinated children are taking necessary precautions to keep our little kids from getting covid in any mutation. That is living your life as a good parent not living your life in fear.

No one needs to go to the fricking movies or a restaurant. Grow the f up.

+1,000. What soft, weak people they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Add a vitamin D supplement to your diet.

Get out with your kids. This isn’t going anywhere. It’s fine to go out to eat or to a movie. Pick a time when the restaurants and theaters won’t be crowded. There were maybe ten people in the theater the last time we saw a movie.

Living your life in fear is much more harmful than omicron is.

Oh Jesus, stop already with the “living your life in fear” CRAP. Is wearing a seatbelt living your life in fear? Parents of young, unvaccinated children are taking necessary precautions to keep our little kids from getting covid in any mutation. That is living your life as a good parent not living your life in fear.

No one needs to go to the fricking movies or a restaurant. Grow the f up.

You sound very angry. And not at all well. I’m sorry you are struggling.

They are not unwell. They are correct. Your patronizing attitude is noted and dismissed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Add a vitamin D supplement to your diet.

Get out with your kids. This isn’t going anywhere. It’s fine to go out to eat or to a movie. Pick a time when the restaurants and theaters won’t be crowded. There were maybe ten people in the theater the last time we saw a movie.

Living your life in fear is much more harmful than omicron is.

Oh Jesus, stop already with the “living your life in fear” CRAP. Is wearing a seatbelt living your life in fear? Parents of young, unvaccinated children are taking necessary precautions to keep our little kids from getting covid in any mutation. That is living your life as a good parent not living your life in fear.

No one needs to go to the fricking movies or a restaurant. Grow the f up.

You sound very angry. And not at all well. I’m sorry you are struggling.

I am not struggling. I am just so tired of idiots like you and find it hard to contain my frustration. I’m sorry you’re so stupid.

Proving everyone’s point.

Nope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids don't get that sick from covid. Look at the stats yourself. They're going to get it anyway. Move on with your life.

Sorry but “that sick” doesn’t cut it with me when it comes to my 15 month old. You can move on with your life without risking your baby getting sick.

The flu is far, far more dangerous to children that abet than covid, even with a vaccine. Yet we all went about our lives.

We have exactly 2 years of data about covid and most of that research isnt focused on children.
I wouldn't be so certain about these "facts"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re still talking about OP (and others) not going to bars, movies, indoor restaurants, and traveling, right? I mean, OP and others like her are still working, sending our kids to school, walking and hiking outside, talking to family and friends?

What’s the problem?

Yes, the uncertainty is with us but no one is hiding or running from life - we just aren’t dancing in bars.

+1. Posters seem to have a very emotional response to not going to bars and movies here.

+2. So bizarre.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Add a vitamin D supplement to your diet.

Get out with your kids. This isn’t going anywhere. It’s fine to go out to eat or to a movie. Pick a time when the restaurants and theaters won’t be crowded. There were maybe ten people in the theater the last time we saw a movie.

Living your life in fear is much more harmful than omicron is.

Oh Jesus, stop already with the “living your life in fear” CRAP. Is wearing a seatbelt living your life in fear? Parents of young, unvaccinated children are taking necessary precautions to keep our little kids from getting covid in any mutation. That is living your life as a good parent not living your life in fear.

No one needs to go to the fricking movies or a restaurant. Grow the f up.

You sound very angry. And not at all well. I’m sorry you are struggling.

+1 there is no comparison between wearing a seatbelt (and still driving!) and isolating your family. The risk to little kids is much smaller than a lot of other risks we tolerate every day. We’re being extra cautious right now because this temporary surge is straining hospitals, but when cases go down again we have to live.

NP here and you missed the point. We wear seat belts to protect us in case of a collision - is that living in fear? The vast majority of us will never have a collision where a seat belt would save our lives.

The PP, like many of us, are tired of the parroted “living in fear” line when it’s common place in modern society to take precautions against things that - odds are - will never happen.

It’s like is getting fire insurance on your home living in fear?

I don't think what OP is doing is living in fear, but I do think her risk analysis is off. I think that what OP is doing now is less like wearing a seatbelt and more like not driving a car at all.

OP here. To be clear, I’m not living my life in fear. I realize at this point we will probably all get COVID. I’m more concerned about getting it now when our hospitals and health care systems are overwhelmed. And I’m exhausted just from prolonged uncertainty around every aspect of life, from “is my office going to reopen?” To “can I find a rapid antigen test or PCR test if my kid gets a cold,” to “is my kid’s school going to close,” to deciding if my nanny should come care for my kids when her kid was exposed to COVID but doesn’t have PCR results yet. It’s that times 2 years that I’m exhausted by. If I go to the movies once or to dinner once (which I’d probably be fine with doing not right now but later once we are through the current surge) that will not suddenly alleviate the new stress of life. It’s not a black or white thing, y’all.

OP, I feel you, 100%. I have a 1.5 and 3.5 year old. This is not what I expected in terms of having young kids, and it is exhausting. We have no support other than a nanny during our working hours, and the endless decisions (like whether to send our older one to optional preschool) really grind on my mind. I understand why fully vaxxed people (friends, family in other states) are going back to normal indoor activities, but I think that observing that can heighten the feeling of being alone in this. You’re not alone. And you’re trying to do the best for your kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to go out to dinner, the movies, etc. The risk to you and your kids is extremely low.

+1

[Anonymous]

I feel the same way as Op. and I’m not doing the indoor things bc my work is so intense that I cannot lose daycare not bc I’m scared of covid which I’ve had. My daycare has insane rules about banning the kids and I feel like I need to keep mine in a bubble bc if they sniffle I’m out for days. Meanwhile I tried switching to a nanny and she kept thinking she had xovid and was out for testing. I know I’m not alone but I wanted to chime in and say Op is not alone and parents can’t win.