Can't stop crying

[stickwoman]

Anyone else with leaky eyes? Feel like today is the first day of a new time and I'm so sad. My little one loved pre school and has asked so many times to go already. I'm just so desperately sad for her. Trying to be positive and come up with lots of things to keep busy but it's so hard and it's for so long. Sorry just needed a vent.

I work in a school and up until yesterday I was complacent about the whole thing. I was more irritated that most of the staff were looking forward to 'breaking up early'. However, the cancellation of the exams knocked me for six. Those poor kids not being able to have the moment they've worked so hard for.
A few of our children have underlying health issues and were still in school today so we contacted parents to collect them. The look of confusion and worry on the little ones faces and the kind way their teacher explained why they were leaving early and gave them their poster to colour in for Mother's Day really choked me up. And then when one of the parents called to ask if she could take us up on the grab bags of lunches we are doing for the free school meal children because there is no food left to buy, I couldn't speak for a few seconds. It's easy to forget that schools are safe havens for so many children and that is giving children a meal a day removes so much pressure for some of the most vulnerable families.
I have really felt unsettled today so god knows how the kids are feeling.

I keep welling up too. This is beyond our wildest nightmares.

Very upset 11 year old all happy plans of leavers events, school production leavers disco first family festival and last summer in primary gone in a puff of smoke. Watching her realise the full implications was sad. She’s crying herself to sleep. We’ve tried to be upbeat and model “resilience” but as she said “school is my life”. So yes afraid I did cry too. This feels like a bad dream how I wish we could all wake up and things back to normal! Feel our world shrinks daily.

I don't know why people have posted on here to criticise the OP and others who are upset. None of us have experienced anything like this in our lifetimes. Life as we know it has been put completely on hold. Feeling sad, so crying, is a completely valid response. It doesn't mean we're not "getting on with it".
And I'm not sad because of the media portraying it as the apocalypse. The reality is this is a truly awful situation and although I don't think me or my immediate family will die, though my DM is at high risk, many people will die, and to reduce that as much as possible they way we live our lives will be unrecognisable for a very long time

I just don't think I'll ever feel safe again. I've been in the most psychologically dark place of my life these past few days. Thank God my DH has been able to be at home or I'm not sure what I would have done.
Trying to be strong for my children but feel as though I'm failing miserably.

@AuntieMarys I’m so sorry

Feel really sad for dd2 yr 6 that she might miss her last term with her friends. She’s grown up with most of these kids, they went to preschool together. Tomorrow might be their last day. None of the usual leavers awards, party, summer fete etc. Am so hoping that it all blows over fairly quickly and we can get back to normal.

@Babdoc you're a welcome measured voice of pragmatism. Can't believe some adults are walking around sobbing especially in front of their young children.

It is perfectly reasonable to be upset, totally baffled that anyone would think differently.

Some people have had to cancel lovely things they had planned such as weddings, others have had to watch the disappointment of their children about things they've worked hard for, some people are scared of dying, some people are petrified about their financial situation, some people are watching businesses they've worked hard for go to nothing overnight.

Frankly you can stick your stiff upper lip attitude where the sun don't shine. Have some empathy fgs.

I had a cry this morning when my childminder told me she was being forced to close on Friday. The thought of her not getting paid, the thought of if my work won't let me work from home or trying to work from home with a 3 yr old, having no alternative childcare options to fall back on, not seeing anyone for an unknown period of time, hearing the children's nan so upset when I had to tell her we can't meet up for a while, worrying if the business I work decides they need to streamline as they recover, that they will look at me and think they could manage without me, the added pressure to my colleagues etc

I know it's not the end of the world but it is very hard for alot of people.

Joining the weepy crew - my DS is 3m so is going to change so much during the time his GPs will be isolating. I won’t see my granddad alive again. I have PND and getting out socially was a lifeline for me so genuinely have no idea how I’m going to cope.

My DDs school closed today. Shes 5. It was horrible. All the kids and teachers were in tears. Friends clinging on to each other not wanting to say goodbye. Not wanting to leave their teacher. While the parents just stood there looking shell shocked. I think it really made it hit home, that all this talking about it is finally a reality. Even the lollipop man was crying saying goodbye to the kids leaving. I know it's for the greater good and will save lives, but it's still desperately sad. I really feel for the kids and everything they'll be missing out on.

I'm very scared seeing the news coming out of Italy. I don't want to go outside until this is over, but I'm terrified for myself and my family.

Yes
Had a cry this morning before work twice worried about everything this situation.
Had another cry later on got bad news at work , the knock on effect with the bars and restaurants and the self isolation.
I really hope no more bad news this week.
So worried, I feel like everything slipping away . I then feel bad because I know so many worse off than me .

I'm dreading tomorrow as it's the last day of school and the last time for a while my 5 year old will socialise with her friends. I'm also sad as my 5 month old will spend most of her first year stuck at home.

Trying to think of the positives like quality family time and the fact that my girls will get to spend so much time together but it will be a difficult time although so many others have it so much worse.

Very upset - and relentless sobbing is a coping mechanism.

I'm all alone and separated from my entire family - my child, my mother, my siblings. Also: my friends. I miss them horribly!

I'm also a boss and horribly aware of the fact that hard decisions are heading my way and that of my own bosses. I think I've done well in terms of securing myself as best I can, and I think I've succeeded. But I don't see myself surviving this crisis with my entire team intact.

Not seeing my family is personal suffering - oddly enough, although it's killing me, I sort of cope. Having the damocles sword of having to make some my employees redundant over my head feels worse at the moment - maybe because one's already happened and the other one still feels as though it's something I should be able to fix if I just try hard enough.

I cry all the time, and I'm not ashamed of it!

I am not upset bit actually angry. My DC along with many others cannot sit exams, have a prom or spend time with friends. Meanwhile we have elderly relatives in the at risk group going to the pub for meals, out to visit small children and shopping for non essentials. If any of them dare talk about mine and younger generations being selfish I think I may snap.

I keep crying too - I've totally fallen apart and I can't talk to anyone.

Thank you for starting this thread OP. I am really struggling today. I work in a key worker industry but not a key worker myself. Today I was told I have to still come in to the office even though we could work from home. I was told I should keep my children in school but I work in the office not frontline. On the school run all I kept hearing was smug mummies going on about how much they are looking forward to mummy school and lots of baking and reading. I am normally so chilled and never jealous of others but today I feel full of bitterness and resentment.

I've been a tearful mess the last two days.
Elderly parents , high risk and SI

Schools closing, I'm front line nhs which is stressful at the best of times.

I feels so sad for ds (8 yrs) who had been practicing his lines for his school play , looking forward to play dates with friends etc.

I had an ugly cry in supermarket as a box of tissues was snatched out of my hands by another customer as ' his need was greater'

I just burst into tears ( not usually like me at all)

I haven’t been crying, well not yet. Tomorrow is my son’s last day of high school. It’s just so abrupt that we haven’t really processed it. I’ve been putting my game face on but I do feel so sad for him and his cohort that they’ve been robbed of the whole leavers experience. They’ll always be the Covid cohort.

Leaving school should have been after leavers assembly, prom, picking up GCSE results on a sunny summer day. Full of hope and excitement for going to sixth form. I think it’s important to have proper endings.

Now his leaving is low key, half the teachers who have worked so hard, so above and beyond, are isolated and it’s going to be a wet and cold day in March.

Having said all that he’s been pretty resilient and taken it on the chin.

I’m counting my blessings and planning how to live a different life once this is all over.