How to keep my mental health in check during this time?

[Lorddenning1]

I am currently working from home, office based job, conference call type things etc. I am also trying to home school my 8 year old and also take care of my 3 year old. I am a single parent so there is nobody here to help me :(
I am struggling to cope if im honest, I have shouted at them quite alot today as the little one wants to be around me all the time. The 3 year old is quite a demanding child under normal circumstances, from the moment he was born he has always been a high maintenance child. I have struggled in the past with depression but iv been ok for a good year and a half now, anyone have any tips on how i can cope with all this?
I know everyone else is going through hard times and i know it wont last forever :( how do i stop feeling guilty that im failing my older child with his education :(

Anyone?

Sending you a hug, OP. Sounds tough - do the two of them play together much? Can they be given things to do together, like a mini treasure hunt where they have a list of items they have to collect within a set timeframe (monitored by the eight year old) with a reward at the end? I would aim for activities in half hour blocks.

Personally I wouldn't get too stressed about the education aspect for at least the first week. Reading, talking, looking at a map of the world, poetry like A A Milne ... painting, drawing each other, modelling with clay, craft type things, Easter bonnets .... anything they like doing together?

The one thing that’s keeping me going is reminding myself that this is temporary. for you OP.

That sounds tough OP. Limit your exposure to news and alarmist social media. Read positive things online. Keep in touch with people. Take good physical care of yourself. Don't overly fret about schooling, many kids will be in the same position and there are years and years to catch up. Do what you can and have downtime breaks for you all. This will pass and you're amazing to be managing this. Make sure you keep regular bedtimes and getting up times. Good luck.

@Lobsterquadrille2 thank you for your ideas :) I asked my 8 year old about doing a treasure hunt for the little one and he is so excited and full of ideas for it 💙 the prize will be a film and popcorn for them both

@AgentCooper I keep trying to tell myself that, i think it would be easier if we knew for how long, I'm trying to not get wrapped up in wether it will be for weeks or months, just taking it a day at a time and Hoping I have a better day today. Who knows maybe down the line I will naturally adjust to the madness and find it easier, thanks x

@cactus2020 thank you, when the little one napped yesterday during the day, I thought great I will get lots of work done, but instead I just lay on the couch and had a minute to myself, work seems to be crazy at the minute too, but they will just have to understand that I can only do what I can do 😢

They normally go to theirs dads every fortnight, but he has already told me he won't be able to have them until this is all over, so it's not like I have a little break to look forward to, I know I sound very pitiful, it's just hard :(

You don't sound pitiful! I would have felt just the same. As it is, my DD is 22 and working from home, which involves being on the phone for eight hours a day. It's a strange new routine for us all. Hope that today is better for all of you.