Single parent and isolating AGAIN!!

[Mamamia344]

The nursery, where my children attend, has been very unfortunate during this pandemic. We have had to isolate 3 times now. I am on my own with 2 young boys and my mental health has declined over the last year to the point where I feel like I cannot cope unless I get a break every few days. They attend for 15 hours a week - this is my only rest bite although as you all know, there is much to do during this time so it's not rest but it's time away from the kids to breathe.

So.. I have just had yet another email to say that the kids must isolate for 10 days again. I feel completely desperate and worried that I will lose my mind!

What can I do? There must be something..

No there's nothing you can do apart from seeing if someone will look after them for you. Childcare is allowed but probably not advisable for isolating kids. If you have 15 hours a week to yourself every week then you do get some respite ordinarily. Surely you'll be fine as it's only 10 days. The bubble thing stops soon so it's nearly done. Perhaps you need more support from friends/family in normal times but I'm not sure there's much you can do for this isolation.

@WentworthPrison

No there's nothing you can do apart from seeing if someone will look after them for you. Childcare is allowed but probably not advisable for isolating kids. If you have 15 hours a week to yourself every week then you do get some respite ordinarily. Surely you'll be fine as it's only 10 days. The bubble thing stops soon so it's nearly done. Perhaps you need more support from friends/family in normal times but I'm not sure there's much you can do for this isolation.

Thanks for your reply. You're right, I'll be ok, I am just sick of this now. They should just be going to nursery as everyone who needs to be vaccinated is now. The 15 hours a week is a relatively new thing really and I have hardly been able to use it in the last year + so it really means a lot to me when I get it.

But in summer you'll have them all the time anyhow. Personally I'd just take them out and not sit at home.

I feel your pain, Lone parent to 4 only we’ve had to isolate 7 times! And due to being a lone parent it means I have to keep them all of school because no one to do the school run and I don’t drive.. means when one has to isolate I’m stuck in the house with 4 kids for 10 days. I was moaning about it on another site and got told I should want to spend quality time with them 🙄

Are they actually close contacts or has the whole nursery closed? Are you trying to juggle work?

@PumpkinKlNG

I feel your pain, Lone parent to 4 only we’ve had to isolate 7 times! And due to being a lone parent it means I have to keep them all of school because no one to do the school run and I don’t drive.. means when one has to isolate I’m stuck in the house with 4 kids for 10 days. I was moaning about it on another site and got told I should want to spend quality time with them 🙄

Oh gosh and I thought I had it tough! I can't wait for this all to be over. When all the vulnerable are vaccinated and our children still can't even go to school - it's just wrong. There's also been no consideration for lone parents the whole time. I've been really ill the last year too and it's been so incredibly draining trying to care for then when I need to just rest and recover.

People who aren't on their own don't quite understand the pressure, especially when there is zero help from the other parent.

@osbertthesyrianhamster

But in summer you'll have them all the time anyhow. Personally I'd just take them out and not sit at home.

It's different as we can go out all day. Yes it is tempting tbh. I am double vaccinated and I did lateral flow tests on all of us today. We'd get spotted in minutes though as we live in a close knit community.