Silver linings?

[firenze86]

I know this is awful. I’m constantly on the verge of panic, it’s all I can think about and it makes me so worried that am sleeping badly and miserable almost all of the time.

I just wanted to ask if anyone has any silver linings? Anything good that could come from this situation. I need to have a positive place to come to when it all gets too much!

My silver lining: my youngest is very young for her year and she started school when she had literally just turned 4. She was a very anxious new starter and missed me as much as I missed her. Ive always wished she could’ve spent more time at home with me. And now she can!

Physically exhausted DH is getting enforced rest! He's self employed so stressed about it all but at least his arse is on the sofa for more than 10 minutes.

Youngest DD (6) is spending quality time with eldest DD (26). They have been planting sunflower seeds together :) They don't see each other much as eldest is (another!) workaholic.

And! another DD (21) is home and able to help me tackle the garden. (neglected for years)(not by us)

How lovely! I’m so happy to have all mine home every day. Sounds like you are all enjoying the beautiful weather too.

For the first time in my adult life I don't need to wake up to go anywhere/ do anything/dread the day ahead. I am enjoying the family time and getting to "know " the kids again without time constraints. Ofcourse they still drive me mad but it's not 5 minutes before school drop off etc.

I was at the brink with postnatal death anxiety. Having my husband at home to take baby and allow me to get a bit more sleep has really, really helped.

Yes, i feel guilty about finding pleasure in having nearly everyone home. One DD (22) is in a nearby village, lives with her BF and his parents. We miss her, she's round a couple of times a week usually.

People dont keep telling me I "need to go out more" so my anxiety is actually a lot more settled than it has been. :)

My so. Has had the year from hell woth a medical problem. This has lead to a ton of missed lessons at school. He didn’t do his mocks. But his predicted grades were still good. And he is terrible at exams. He was working all the hours to catch up and was working sooooo hard.
We got an email from the college to say that no one needs the grades to get into the course he wanted to do this year as it wouldn’t have been fair.
So after a terrible year of horrible pain he gets to do the course he wanted to do. The first time I had seen him smile in months.

I hope this will be a spur for the government (hello there Priti Patel) to finally admit how important low-paid (not low skilled) workers are. We depend fully on supermarket workers, delivery drivers, etc. They finally get the recognition from people, hope people won't forget.

Maybe more companies will admit that working from home is OK, and will employ more disabled people? Since it clearly is not essential for everyone to sit in the bloody office the whole day long, every day.

My silver lining, I am just happy to have my partner at home after his office FINALLY let people work from home. He works extremely long hous and has a super long commute, so we usually barely see him outside weekends, now we get to have lunch together, and it's quite lovely.

My husband who I never got to see during the week because of a 2 hour commute is now working from home and a lot less stressed.

My asthma seems to be much better, assume due to lower pollution levels

My extension is going up at record speed as my DH is off work!

My mother-in-law cancelled her visit.

There's already a significantly positive impact on the environment. Hopefully people will be more willing to accept measures to maintain this.

My dog is not home alone anymore and I’d getting lots of attention and (short) walks in the sunshine

Nits will become extinct!

I’ve been put on a rota which means I won’t actually have to work alongside my boss for the foreseeable future. Whoop

My dsis who has worked extremely hard doing an access course then social work degree as a single parent will qualify earlier than anticipated. She's been living on the breadline so she's happy to be able to provide for her family sooner. She's a mature student though and very competent (passed all placements and assignments) so I know she's ready.

No school run!!! Woohoo.
Still have to go to work though. Boo hoo.

Saving money from not having to pay nursery fees.
No nursery bugs!
Saving annual leave because.. what's the point in booking time off work to sit around the house?!
Not having to get a two-year-old and three-year-old out of the house by 7.30 three days a week.

Erm.. that's no pretty much it tbh!

*Though a lot of the money saved on nursery fees is going to Amazon..