This is reminding me of funnelling

[MutteringDarkly]

Self-isolating is giving me flashbacks (well, not as serious as real ones but you know what I mean) to the funnelling days. Eek. On one hand, it reminds me so strongly of those intense difficult early times that it's hard not to be affected by the feelings again. On the other hand, I am very grateful that life is a LOT easier now than it was all those years ago!

How is everyone else doing?

We're OK, but I worry for both my DDs' mental health as both were already shaky prior to this. We had just started counselling for 1 teenager (literally 2 sessions so far) and the other (just past a teen) was recently prescribed anti-depressants.

I was thinking this could be a perfect opportunity for extra bonding with younger ones, provided you don't drive each other crazy first.

Hi,
I thought this today too!

We can't be at home 100% of the time but life will still be very different, the exact opposite of how we normally do things. I now (not really!) regret that my daughter expects X, Y, Z each month and has her rhythm set by the seasons and their different activities.

I hope everyone manages okay.

Am expecting a shaky start to our new normal, but hopefully as we settle into new routines all will be okay. Lots more digital contact for us than usual!

Good luck people.

I"ve had a very busy couple of days getting in supplies for the allotment, fish tank and some DIY stuff.
Sent home from work on Tuesdsay to work at home for the duration- had cabin fever by Thursday! I walk a lot and am a gym bunny who hasn't been to the gym for two weeks already, so feeling very fat.
My son was due to do his GCSEs so has had a very abrupt end to his school life which has been very hard on him. I now have the problem of keeping a very active man boy occupied for 6 months with nothing to focus on
But we have reasonable food stocks, a garden, an allotment, he has a paper round, scouts look like they will do things over skype.
We are more fortunate than many who have lost jobs and those poor families who are facing this not in their own homes after the flooding

Good luck Sanders, I hope both your DDs find a place of calm through this.

Yes, attempting to focus on how this will be great for bonding and building deeper trust...as long as I can dig deep, remember to look after myself too, and possibly clone myself as not on adoption leave now so there is the small matter of getting some work done

Cross-posted with Ted: will attempt to channel your attitude, good luck and I like your outdoor plans. We just have a small garden but feel so lucky to have any outside space we can use.

We also have a shed in the garden set up as a den, we are going to turn it into a mini gym and he will go and cycle two laps of the park every day

I’m working from home while the kids are off schools on a very part time basis - it feels a bit like stopping for adoption leave but without the terror on all parts. I’m looking forward to time with my two when we’re not all needing to be somewhere else tbh.

I think this might be good for our family. We’ve been struggling recently and it might give us the chance to spend time together. Especially with my husband. He is always at work and I expect him to be home much more.

I’m trying to be more positive. I am seeing it is an opportunity to do things we’ve always wanted to do but never had the chance. To try new things. To play together.

The next few months will be a challenge for us all I’ve no doubt but I am hoping we will come together as a family and a community to get through such a difficult time. I know it won’t last forever. We can do this

I was thinking the same. We're self-isolating now and it's just the two of us so it's quite intense, but so much easier than when he first moved in. In fact this weekend has been a joy, with no pressure to go anywhere, and weather nice enough to play out in the garden.

One difference compared to funneling is that I do have to work. And it's really hard expecting ds to entertain himself for extended periods. He's four. It must be hard for him to keep hearing 'I can't play with you now' even though we're in the same room. He's not used to it I feel relatively lucky in that I only work part time and I'm going to reduce my hours further from tomorrow until the end of April as I'm owed quite a bit of leave. Even so, if I want to keep my job, which I do, we need to find a way to make this work for us. If anyone has any thoughts on how to make it a bit gentler on him I'm ready to listen.