Fabulous summer poster checking in

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Most people on this thread seem nice, but OP is so smug. Sorry I can't have a "fabulous summer" when I'm barely hanging onto my job, my husband's lost his, and I'm trying to take care of children while on constant Zoom calls.

I know. I'm letting down the team by not being "sunny" and "positive."

I'm "smug" because I'm trying -- hard -- to find fun things to do for my kids? Making the best of things?

Point out exactly what is smug. Because I use the word fabulous?

No you are smug because you are saying that you are going to make the best of things for your kids despite the pandemic without realizing that many people would be doing those exact same things if they didn't have to work full-time while taking care of kids, or didn't have spouses providing medical care or other essential services. You see to not understand that other people have constraints on making their summer fabulous (no boat, no childcare, no access to a lake). You are privileged to have these options, do not realize your privilege, seem to think that other people don't have your experiences because they don't want it enough or are scared of the pandemic, and you have started two separate threads bragging about all this. All of that makes you smug. Got it pumpkin?

We are all working too. But the housework and laundry can wait and we can carve out time for our kids. There are plenty of ways to be creative.

You can't even devote Saturday and Sunday to them? Sad.

LOL, yes I agree it is sad that my husband has to work weekends at the hospital and I have to do work in order to keep my job. Nowhere in my PP did I say that I was doing housework and laundry on the weekends instead of working or taking care of my kids. My job is demanding enough that I cannot drive "only an hour" (so two hours round trip and then spend an hour or two with my kids at the beach etc. Other people have more demanding jobs than you do; not sure why you don't seem to understand that.

I mean, come on. You can’t do an hour drive with your kids on a weekend? That’s a little much. I’ve spent an hour in traffic getting to and from my workplace in DC which is maybe 5 miles from my home. You are just making excuses. That’s a lame excuse. Just stay home and be miserable then and watch other people make easy day trips. We have been taking advantage of the lighter traffic on the roads, too.

I never said I was miserable. Can you point me to where I said I was miserable? I just think that people who are privileged enough to own boats and afford gas for them and own cars and pay for gas for them for frequent day trips and then come onto DCUM to brag about it are smug and do not realize how privileged they are. People who can't do these things are not miserable, stop projecting.

[Anonymous]

In my experience, people who have to share their great i lives are doing so for confirmation. They seek that attention. Don’t pay them any mind.

I used to think that something was wrong with me for not posting on Facebook about all the great things going on in our lives and how wonderful my marriage was. Until I realized that it was because I was secure in my life. Some people just gotta share.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my experience, people who have to share their great i lives are doing so for confirmation. They seek that attention. Don’t pay them any mind.

I used to think that something was wrong with me for not posting on Facebook about all the great things going on in our lives and how wonderful my marriage was. Until I realized that it was because I was secure in my life. Some people just gotta share.

Yeah. I agree that OP is likely having a rough time right now and looking for ways to feel normal. It’s so sweet of you to take time out of your day to write this to her!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most people on this thread seem nice, but OP is so smug. Sorry I can't have a "fabulous summer" when I'm barely hanging onto my job, my husband's lost his, and I'm trying to take care of children while on constant Zoom calls.

I know. I'm letting down the team by not being "sunny" and "positive."

If your husband doesn't have a job, why isn't he taking care of the kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing, we are DCUM-poor and we both work full time - no flexibility, both must work the same core hours. We can't really afford a vacation right now and I'm not comfortable going anywhere anyway.

For those of you who take off on day trips on the weekends - when do you clean your house and catch up on chores like yard, laundry, meal prep for the week...

Early in the morning or late or night or sporadically during the day when I have two minutes between calls and I can switch a load of laundry.

My kids are 6 and 9, so we're spending time teaching our kids how to take of these items so that we will be free on the weekends. It's definitely one of the perks of having older kids. Right now my kids do all the yard work, laundry, and some of the meal prep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing, we are DCUM-poor and we both work full time - no flexibility, both must work the same core hours. We can't really afford a vacation right now and I'm not comfortable going anywhere anyway.

For those of you who take off on day trips on the weekends - when do you clean your house and catch up on chores like yard, laundry, meal prep for the week...

Early in the morning or late or night or sporadically during the day when I have two minutes between calls and I can switch a load of laundry.

My kids are 6 and 9, so we're spending time teaching our kids how to take of these items so that we will be free on the weekends. It's definitely one of the perks of having older kids. Right now my kids do all the yard work, laundry, and some of the meal prep.

+1. I'm having a fab summer because I'm loving the opportunity to teach these kinds of skills to my kids. When I think how our summers usually would be (camps, running errands all weekend, travel) they'd never have the chance to learn how to do basic chores, cooking + meal planning, gardening, organizing. The stay at home orders have really been a gift in that respect.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:State parks, hiking, sandy beaches, gardens, wineries, breweries, playgrounds adventures, creek splashing, scooter riding - mostly on weekends.

On weekdays, gymnastic camp, science experiments with the baby sitter, swim lessons.

?? where ??

So you have gymnastics open, pools open, playgrounds open, bars open — are you in florida?

No I’m in Arlington. Sandy beaches at Matapeake Beach park in MD and Greenbriar State Park in MD -both are an hour or less drive. Playground adventures locally and also I googled “best playgrounds” and we are checking them out- example at Patapsco State Park in MD (google Tire Playground). Paradise Valley a winery, absolutely no problem for kids, there were many and they were all enjoying themselves on their lawn. Dirt Farm Brewery- same. Little Gym is open for gymnastics camp as of next week. Swim school is open for private lessons as of a week or two ago. We opted for private instead of classes bc the kids are always coughing and sneezing on each other in the pool. I don’t go to bars. We have done outdoor dining but just with our bubble. And yes I know my post had an obnoxious tone-it was in response to OP’s obnoxious tone.

Our family near Matapeake is feeling like they can’t go to the beach with the non local influx. Thanks.

Everything else is closed this summer so more people are going to beaches. It’s not a private beach and it’s not whoever lives closest gets dibs. To think otherwise is...interesting.

Absolutely. Import corona since you need a beach. Excellent humaning.

I live at the beach as well and our public beach is also crowded with people. But you know what? They have every right to be there.

No one is saying they don’t have the right to be there. It’s that it’s getting crowded and less safe because people are leaving their home area.

Ok, but what do you expect people to do? Like, if you chose to live in the suburbs you just aren't supposed to go to the beach now? The fact that your family is choosing not to go is their issue. You "thanking" the PP for frequenting "their" beach is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience, people who have to share their great i lives are doing so for confirmation. They seek that attention. Don’t pay them any mind.

I used to think that something was wrong with me for not posting on Facebook about all the great things going on in our lives and how wonderful my marriage was. Until I realized that it was because I was secure in my life. Some people just gotta share.

Yeah. I agree that OP is likely having a rough time right now and looking for ways to feel normal. It’s so sweet of you to take time out of your day to write this to her!

Seriously. Isn't this what Facebook is for? Reminds me in of being in my 20s and the people who wrote the most about how happy they were in their relationships/ marriages were the ones that ended top with spectacular breakups and getting divorced. Or the ones who post about how great there kids are and then you meet their kids and they are huge brats.

[Anonymous]

Personally, my summer has been pretty grim. But I’m hopeful for next year and making the best of each day. Lowered expectations.