We just decided not to send [name_f]Bea[/name_f] back to daycare right now due to rising COVID cases.
But we are at breaking point trying to juggle everything. I let my boss know I wanted to cut my hours significantly and felt good about that decision. However, the company definitely can’t afford to lose any of my coverage right now. She actually offered to help us pay for a nanny instead. It’s not an option I had considered before. I can’t sleep tonight because I’m so stressed and wish everything would immediately get better…
I am honestly just so tired and would rather be close to a full-time mom with some work thrown in, rather than the other way around.
I’ve worked from home for several years, so when we went into quarantine I dumbly proclaimed “This is not going to be different in the least! I’ve got this!” and like every time this thought has crossed my mind, life happened and really showed me what’s what.
Having the whole family at home 24/7 threw my work/house work/childcare routine into a dumpster fire, because my husband is also working from home and my children are always inside with us, needing help with school work (not now that they’re on break but I can see it coming back soon), and being bored while trapped at home.
My hours are longer because I keep falling behind schedule and keep interrupting work hours to go do something around the house or for the children. Since my husband has a boss to answer to, meetings and whatnot, I am the one who is expected to pause through the day and run errands or tend to whatever comes up.
With my due-date approaching, I announced two weeks ago that I was officially going to slow down with everything and everyone, children, husband, work, housework and pets, and they would have to fend for themselves more and more. I don’t know how long that is going to last, but I think it’s fair and taking full advantage of it.
Oh, and my brother in law got the virus, was hospitalized for a week and a half, as we couldn’t even see him. It was hell. So as hard as it is, I am adamant that we’re going to stay home and social distance for what feels like forever. The children are NOT going back to school this fall, and we’re going to be stuck as a family if it kills us all!
Preschools were closed since the end of [name_u]March[/name_u], so our oldest (5 years old) was at home since then until the beginning of [name_u]June[/name_u], when preschools re-opened. Daycares stayed open, so in theory we could have taken our youngest every day, but in [name_f]April[/name_f] we decided it didn’t feel safe anymore, so we kept him at home as well.
I could work from home for 3 days a week, having online sessions with my patients. The other two days I had to go into work. [name_f]My[/name_f] SO had just started a new job in [name_f]February[/name_f], and could arrange to work from home the other two days, when I had to go to work. But working from home with a 5 year old and a (now) 10 months old baby isn’t easy to do. It stressed me out and it was exhausting.
Luckily for uw my twin brother came to live with us for a while. I mean, it’s not nice for him, his relationship ended and he had nowhere to go, but the positive side was that he could help out with the children.
On top of all that I’m now 13 weeks pregnant with twins, and the pregnancy is exhausting, morning sickness also has been really bad. I had to take some sick leave, which meant I had to catch up on work later which stressed me out even more, etc.
[name_f]Summer[/name_f] holidays started on the first of [name_u]July[/name_u], so our oldest has been home fullltime since then. We take our youngest to daycare two days a week, but are thinking of keeping him at home again because covid cases in our are have been increasing dramatically again in the last week.
[name_f]My[/name_f] twin brother has decided to stay a bit longer to help us out, and I’m immensely grateful. But I’m exhausted and honestly not coping very well at the moment.
@Rosebeth Im sorry no one replied To your post! I hope t lhat by now thr morning sickness has passed and you’re feeling a little better, symptoms wise!
The morning sickness is gone and I’m doing alright, considering.