Struggling

[Ladyinamask]

3 children now at home. I’m a nhs nurse and work is hell on earth. DH working from home and has been on conference calls all day his work is absolutely manic at moment and he is super stressed. obviously can’t home school and can barley throw food at the children when I’m out and he is working.
Please tell me others are also struggling at the moment. On Facebook I see nothing but these perfect home school plans and I feel wretched now.
We have also had massive row as this situation isn’t working, DH earns a lot more than me so obviously can’t not work.
Do I take unpaid leave at the time I am most needed? Yes I can work a ventilator btw I’m fully intensive care trained I am literally in a no win situation now and in tears. My children will suffer or the nhs arrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Please tell me I’m not alone tonight

If you can afford to...stay at home!! You can’t do everything OP. Be there for your dc, they need you!!

Please dont give up work. Just do your best, even if it means throwing food and tv all day. Whatever you do stay off Facebook, it will kill you. It is not the real world, of course you are not the only one struggling. Try to find a little time to be kind to yourself. We need you. Hope you get some help soon, if only at work. Your children will be ok if they have food and the bare basics. Can anyone help your OH with his workload?

Can you do the school work on the weekends/your days off? As long as they are doing a little bit here and there it’s fine.

I’ve done a jar with strips of paper. I went around the house and wrote down everything we have that they can do/play with etc. I then wrote every thing on strips - colour coded so
Things they can do on their own
Things they can do with each other
Things that need adult supervision
Board games
Outdoor/garden activities (if it’s dry)

Means if they need something to do they can pick a strip based on who else ie available at that time to do something with them. May help the kids to find something to do as it’s targeted and doesn’t require them to make a decision.
There’s lots of educational activities.

You just have to remember that this is unprecedented circumstances and the job you are doing is so so important (I do understand it’s east for those of us who aren’t ok the front line)

Similar situation here, although work hasn't kicked off properly yet.
My thinking is that school work can be done on my days off or even evenings/weekends as needed.

DH works for a US company and has been told he can work in line with US hours if needed (so 2pm ish to 10pm ish) - potentially kids can do school work in the morning and then have free time in the afternoon. However that clashes with dinner/bedtime etc and so isnt really do-able.

Dd is nursery school age, both boys primary. It's hard, it would be impossible if i was working full time I think, or at least very hard to manage. There will be a lot of screen time on my working days for a while I guess.

This situation is why only one parent needs to be a key worker for them to be able to go to school. That’s the obvious solution and you can both do your jobs, him to keep you in a house and you to save the nation.

It won't be forever, children learn quickly so they won't be permanently disadvantaged at all even if you can't teach them anything but resilience, Don't sweat the small stuff. Keeping them fed, that's good

School said we both had to be key workers. But honestly I think I may have to insist they go in. I can’t ( absolutely can’t morally) not work at the moment. DH can’t not work his work has gone manic and he is very senior. It’s beyond rubbish when you can’t get any childcare anywhere and the pressure is turned up.
I have had to leave the class WhatsApp groups and Facebook tonight as I can’t say we had a lovely relaxed pyjama day playing in the garden and doing science in the kitchen. We worked got stressed the kids did a few work sheets ate late and i cried when I got home . We are not going to cope for 3+ months of this .

Of course we're all struggling, too, OP!

Go back two months in my life and things might have seemed perfect: great career, happy mum, happy toddler, happy family. Greatest "worry": will I get this well-deserved promotion this year?

Two months on: mum/child separated, mum in stitches. Mum also terrified about job, parents, siblings. Biggest concerns: will I see my loved ones again? If so, will I have job, still. If so: can I rescue all of my employees from redundancy? In THAT particular order.

It's hard on everyone. We'll pull through. Together!