Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just got the order from VA about the stay at home order until June 10th. I am so worried about the mental health implications this will have on my already very emotional and sensitive 5 year old. She thrives on predictability and routine schedule. This has thrown everything into the air (like most people!) and she is just not coping well. Multiple melt downs over trivial things, lethargic and only wants to watch tv, sitting around saying how she hates everything and hates her life. I am trying to be as gentle and calming toward her as possible but it is wearing on me. In addition to her I have a 3 year old and a 7 week old who I need to take care of.

Obviously we are taking the corona virus seriously but I am concerned about the long term ramifications of a 3 month stay at home isolation/quarantine is going to have.

That just sounds like such a lot. Do YOU have someone who is taking care of you? You have a newborn baby on top of all of this.

My kid cries every day, and it breaks my heart. I think it is so important for caregivers to find someone that they can spill it out to. OP, do you have a friend, or your mom or a sister that you can reach out to and just talk all of this through with? Or your spouse (but sometimes someone more outside is helpful, your spouse is in the thick of it with you).

Why is your kid crying everyday?

I had a toddler and a premature newborn and we were stuck inside for 4 months due to concerns about RSV and no family or friends to help since we had just moved. This is doable. Sometimes it was like the shining but we made it through. There is no right way to do this. Just get through. This is such a small, small part of her life.

Read this and think about your privilege. Not that you shouldn't try to do the best for your kid but she will be ok. https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/udonis-haslem-nba-covid-the-real-miami

OP - if YOU keep it together, your kids will be alright

Anonymous wrote:We just got the order from VA about the stay at home order until June 10th. I am so worried about the mental health implications this will have on my already very emotional and sensitive 5 year old. She thrives on predictability and routine schedule. This has thrown everything into the air (like most people!) and she is just not coping well. Multiple melt downs over trivial things, lethargic and only wants to watch tv, sitting around saying how she hates everything and hates her life. I am trying to be as gentle and calming toward her as possible but it is wearing on me. In addition to her I have a 3 year old and a 7 week old who I need to take care of.

Obviously we are taking the corona virus seriously but I am concerned about the long term ramifications of a 3 month stay at home isolation/quarantine is going to have.

That just sounds like such a lot. Do YOU have someone who is taking care of you? You have a newborn baby on top of all of this.

My kid cries every day, and it breaks my heart. I think it is so important for caregivers to find someone that they can spill it out to. OP, do you have a friend, or your mom or a sister that you can reach out to and just talk all of this through with? Or your spouse (but sometimes someone more outside is helpful, your spouse is in the thick of it with you).

Anonymous wrote:
You’d prefer to be a Syrian refugee on the Turkay border right now?

Or under Nazi bombing in WWII London?

This is a pandemic, OP. Forget your usual expectations and be glad you’re well-off, fed, safe and healthy.

No! Don't you realize that not all Americans are just teleworking at home happily in their homes playing with their kids? Some kids are all alone while their parents work, not enough food, abusive parents, stressed out and lost their jobs.

I'm worried about my kids. I was reading some longer term studies about the impact of children of the great depression. I've been trying SO HARD for my toddlers even though I'm damn exhausted. Childhood trauma is way worse than the trauma of my 30 something self being overworked. I've been on pinterest and made lists of doable crafts and activities for us. We've made forts, made a rocket ship out of a box, painting, play dough, egg hunts, "gardened" which meant rolling in mud, scavenger hunts, tea parties, pretend we're animals. There's been a lot more ice cream, cookies and I've been making dinners they like versus the extremely nutritious stuff we always eat. We're reading books for 30 min 2x a day while we snuggle (kids say "shnuggle"). The little things have really added up and I can tell my kids are content and doing okay. They're little but it was having a big impact on them. My 3 year old was peeing herself and waking with nightmares, both were crying for their daycare and friends. DH and I are both teleworking full time and get about 6 hours of sleep, but we have coffee and wine and know it's not forever.

Anonymous wrote:
You’d prefer to be a Syrian refugee on the Turkay border right now?

Or under Nazi bombing in WWII London?

This is a pandemic, OP. Forget your usual expectations and be glad you’re well-off, fed, safe and healthy.

Not Op but unfortunately my employer expects more than that. And if I lose my job, my kids won’t be fed and safe.

Yeah I am sure the kids will be fine. The moms will lose their shit though and there will probably be a lot of divorce