Is covid affecting your parenting?

[labyrinthloafer]

Wondered if it's just me, but I'm finding parenting now much harder. I'm not a new parent, and I'd got used to it, knew what I thought about quite a lot of common issues that crop up having already been over them before by now.

I'm finding every decision much harder, more time consuming, because of bloody covid having to be factored in.

I don't know if it has actually made parenting harder, or just because I feel a bit crapper.

Is anyone else finding it harder ?

I’m much much much more short tempered and I can feel it happening/boiling up but can’t stop myself being snappy- we’ve just spent soooooo much time together.

I feel like I over compensated and now my sweet 4 year old is acting kinda spoilt 😬 I think I’ve given in too much to his demands for an easier life in the moment but long term it’s going to come back and bite me!

I've found it such a huge struggle after a nervous breakdown in March, and feel like I've let my three Dc's down so much. DH has been our rock, not sure where we would be without him. There's never been anything I couldn't fix for them before, but I can't fix this or tell them for certain when things will be "back to normal"

I think I’m more shouty. I’m totally burnt out and fed up of trying to do everything. The house is continuously a tip, the children keep fighting over stupid things, and I have so little patience. And I’m one of the lucky ones who has had access to some school and nursery provision.

Yep definitely. I just lost motivation and I'm not prepared to be a kids entertainer every day. We do a couple of days out a week, maybe a play date other than that they need to amuse themselves.
I'm going to start a bit of school work tomorrow again just to give a bit of structure to the bloody day.

Yep think most are in same boat. We started off really well doing loads of baking and craft activities from Pinterest with paper plates and toilet rolls lol.... now the novelty of being home 90% of the time has worn off, my patience is less from never having a moments peace, they are all having more screen time than I'd like! However, my boys 9&11 have got much closer and arguing much less which is great and totally unexpected! The toddler is becoming spoilt though having us all at home all the time, she will get a shock when her brothers are back at school and DH back at work. She is missing the company of other kids her own age tho at toddler groups so hopefully some stuff will reopen and we can gradually have a bit of normality back!

Interesting replies, sorry everyone is finding it hard too.

@Beebityboo a nervous breakdown in lockdown must have been awful

I've just lost my mojo, I'm not an amazing decision-maker anyway, but I was in a fairly good place as lots of the parenting questions were repeats.

Now I can't even decide whether to go to a routine appointment this week. Every decision has gone life or death, just this week it seems.

And yy to not being able to tell them when it'll be over.

I am at the end of my tether. I am so short tempered now and just exhausted. I have 7 year old and 4 year old boys and had a little girl in may. My partner had to go back to work in may too and looking after a newborn whilst home schooling and no support from family at first has been so so hard. Most of the time it was impossible and the boys were left to own devices whilst I looked after the baby. We think our 4 year old has adhd and the school were looking into it before lockdown. His behaviour and his mental health has massively deteriorated and he now has an imaginary friend that he talks to. I feel like a failure to be honest, like I have let them down.

Sorry to hear people saying you feel you've let your kids down, I don't think you will have, because you're all trying so hard.

I just feel so drained, am sick of worrying all the time.

I have covid am in bed/isolating for 2 weeks and I'm fairly sure I can hear dh cracking the odd time (but doing a fairly decent job although the house is in chaos). But yes, it definitely before this even was crazy stressful, a different type of stress to actual lockdown and I know neither of us were good at not letting the kids see the stress, actually I'd hoped we'dbe better at it. Hugs to everyone

I just feel distracted by the news alot and more dissatisfied and worried about the future. I try to not let it show to the kids but I'm sure I'm alot less enthusiastic than I would be usually. Also like a pp has says I've felt like I can't be the kids entertainer 24/7 and I'm often resorting to leaving kids to their own devices more than usual. That in itself might not be a bad thing but because they have much less socialising etc it's a bit sad really.

Op, you aren’t the only one. I’ve coped with lockdown ok, but I’ve been made redundant and I’ve got to find the motivation to find another job, and I’m struggling. I don’t seem to have much in reserve either.

Sorry to hear about your redundancy @Mintjulia I hope you do find something.

I know what you mean about reserves, they are getting used up faster than they are getting replenished, definitely.

Yes. Myself, my husband and our 4 year old are all struggling. I feel like a rubbish parent at the moment. My son will be starting reception in September so that’s another big change for all of us to deal with. I feel sad, guilty or angry most of the time.

Minecraft is presently parenting our children.

Trying to instill "reading hour" for all of us with mixed success!

Oh the screen time!! Not good.

But I was thinking about it, and when we were little we did a 'thing' every day - something outside, or something with friends, then for the rest of the day we watched telly or faffed in the garden. My child is doing those things too. I feel a bit crap about it, but also really relaxed most of the time. It is what it is.