remember the "clap for the kids"? there's more...

[PineappleDanish]

saw this posted on social media, not naming the author as it's just SO cringe from start to finish... Oh and the AIBU. AIBU to cringe myself outside in and feel a bit nauseous?

Dear parents in the U.K.,

Today marks six full weeks since our country went into lockdown.

You have had your children home for the same time now that you would if they were on summer holidays. People will say ‘but they are your responsibility’ and whilst that is true, no-one could be expected to have imagined this period before they chose to conceive.

You have protected, nourished, educated, supported and entertained your children during a period of national and international uncertainty and fear. You have experienced emotions for yourself and your family that you never knew existed, never mind experienced before.

Six weeks is a long time.

Think about how you feel at the end of the summer holidays, how ready you are for routine, how badly your house needs cleaned from children home, how much work you are ready to catch up on. Remember that exhausting feeling of having so little sleep, much less money and hearing ‘mummy/daddy’ every time you happen to sit down.

And you wonder why you are exhausted after six weeks of lockdown?

You are amazing! You have achieved something no other parent ever has during our time. You have faced six weeks unable to take your child or children anywhere, six weeks of no parks, holidays to break up the boredom, no day trips, no family to help. On top of that you have juggled work demands, loneliness on a level never experienced before, information overload from the internet and emotional turmoil of not being able to see people you hold dear. Even getting food to eat has been a major drama!

So it’s ok to feel drained. It’s ok to feel like you would sell your soul right now for five minutes alone. It’s ok to feel uninspired about another day of homeschooling, another day of never ending laundry and cooking.

It’s ok to be so very tired.

Six weeks is a long time.

But you have made it.

Be proud of yourself. Stand tall.

History will show you for your courage, your children will remember this period as a time knowing they were safe and loved and teachers everywhere are deeply grateful that you are there for your children when they should be but can’t be.

In short: you are awesome!

And so are your children.

I think what you wrote @PineappleDanish was a bit OTT.

I most definitely did not write the tosh in the first paragraph. On the "must have taken ages to write" - it probably didn't. I write for a living and when I'm in the zone, on a topic I have very good knowledge of, I can easily bang out 500 words in 15 minutes.

WHY someone felt the need to write it in the first place and share on social media is a different question.

*My god, what is wrong with people?

Also, does she not realise that home education is a thing?*

Yes home schooling is a "thing" but if this were a homeschooling choice we would be "schooling" our kids at museums, in forests, on the beach, at the Eden project (can you guess I'm in Cornwall) and most importantly, with our friends - for support, company, sharing resources etc... Judging peoples approach/response to parenting based on how they are coping in this his lockdown situation is not fair at all.

I have two young children at home, both in infants and one with as yet undiagnosed SN, and we are struggling... And this is as someone who has expressed a keen interested in homeschooling in normal times so certainly not afraid of being with or even educating my own children.

Hearing sneery comments of " my god can't you even hang out with your own children" does nothing to help!! I am fed of hearing it so please next time you're about to sneer at or put down a struggling parent for "just looking after your own children" bear in mind it is definitely not that simple, and also maybe bear in mind that old adage If you can't say anything nice (or in this case, supportive)....

NB it has taken about 45mins to write this while juggling said kids so apologies if this thread has moved on and this is no longer relevant!

At my age (70) I have noticed a wave of "pat yourself on the back" you are awesome rubbish. At work I have been on training days when the whole time its "You can achieve anything you want" and knowing the other people I am thinking " I dont think so"
One of my daughters , now 40 , recently reflected that the school did them no favours with this mantra as it was never mentioned what obstacles you were going to have to over come and how to cope with the white middle class male advantage.
Not all parents will have coped especially well with this, I dont thing this sick bag will help, it will make them thing they are the only parent not bragging about their home schooling on Facebook

@Aroundtheworldin80moves I’m feeling it slide now, I’m going overboard on cleaning just to have something to do. I’m also eating more and struggling to sleep.

That message, however, is vomit inducing.

All this "parents need to parent and look after their kids" shite really pisses me off on here.

Amen to that. “It’s your JOB to look after your own children.” Yes and I also have another job I get paid for and under normal circumstances I am not expected to do both at the same time during a global crisis.

Well meaning if a little wordy until
teachers everywhere are deeply grateful that you are there for your children when they should be but can’t be
Teachers aren't babysitters, the clue is in the word Teacher

Jesus.

I feel more sorry for the folks trying to work from home and home educate/look after toddlers at the same time.

Looking after your own kids and them not being able to see grandparents, fuck off.

My DC didn't see their grandparents from when they were toddlers as they were dead. And DH and I worked full time. Do i get a bigger statue? Yes, when I conceived them I never imagined that would be the case

Yep, as predicted just seen that Flippetydip has best me to it!

But History hasn't celebrated Mummas bringing up their kids in a Mumbai slum or a Syrian bombsite.
So I doubt History will make much of Jen from Basildon not being able to take Alfie to Soft Play

Quite.

How embarrassing. And then came Queenoftheashes's cousin who took it up a level

@maudspellbody I stopped reading at that point too.

Just listening to radio 4 and they were talking about the Jewish people hiding under floorboards, and in attics, and under strawbales, and not going out for years to hide from the Nazis.

6 weeks in your home with your kids, but allowed out for shopping and a walk.

perspective

@Artesia

Definitely need that statue. 😂

Omg @Queenoftheashes - give your cousin a medal!!

Seriously?! Who the fuck do people think they are??!! 🙄😡🤮

And then came Queenoftheashes's cousin who took it up a level
I think you mean And then came fucking Queenoftheashes's fucking cousin who took it up a fucking level

@JorisBonson
I am still waiting for clap for cats
Hurrah! Me too! I was especially focussed when it started being insinuated they could pass the virus on their fur, and there was a thread about the imperative to keep them indoors.
Cats get enough abuse as it is
star star star
Couldnt find any clappy hans for my very very first clap of the crisis

As a child I hated the summer holidays being over. Still do, as it means I have to go back to work.

cant even get the hang of a digital clap

🤢

We are fucking heroes innit.

Will no one think of our guinea pigs! So bored they are taking up modelling

Round of applause for keeping your kids alive and thriving. Barf.

notchicken
Sooo cute.

*The second is that I'm old enough to have parents who lived through WW2 as young teenagers.

What they and their families went through was a million times worse than the past 6 weeks.*

This. FFS it’s the 75th anniversary of VE Day. “ History will show you for your courage”. Words fail me.

I couldn’t read all of that or my breakfast would be on the floor.
Who has the time to think of such shite let alone type it out. If that was on my FB I’d have to sit on my hands.