Introduction

[Chester09]

Hi everybody, I am very new to this. Really struggling at the moment. I find it really hard to ask for help because I know so many people are worse off than me but I still can't cope with my own situation. I really feel my family deserves someone better than me to help them through this.

[Aaronsis]

Hello Chester09

It is a really hard time at the moment and unlike anything we have ever known, so not knowing how to respond or how to react or how to support your family is not only "normal" it is what we are all doing.

I am so very glad you are here, to get some support and share how you are feeling. Times are weird, these days are not like we now, but I can promise you your family needs you more than ever and they too don't know how to respond to these times. So can I suggest it is alright to say so, to let you family know that you are not sure how to do this whole "Carona Virus" thing but together you will be there for each other, support each other and remain the family you always have been.

I think it is easy to get caught in the unknowns too so please try hard to stay with the facts and focus on what we do know and do as we are asked and stay home and stay well and away from others and mostly keep our hands clean. Who knows, you might end up even closer for having this time together, sometimes things like this are a blessing.

Hope to chat some more to you Chester09.

Hugs to you

Sarah xxx

[Chester09]

Thanks Sarah, for me it would be easy to stay home, the problem is both mine and my husband's jobs are essential services and we are required to keep working while all the ways we looked after our children are not available. My children are scared and I can't stop crying because I have a job that I hate, that I have to keep doing instead of staying home with them. If I quit I will most likely not find work again and this would have detrimental financial effect on my family. I can't help but feel like they deserve someone stronger who can bare this, because I can't.

[Aaronsis]

Well firstly I would like to say "THANK YOU" for the sacrifice both you and your husband are making, not only to yourselves, not only to your children but compromising your own health so we can be healthy...thank you Chester09.

I hear you and I feel so lucky that I am able to stay at home and do the best I can from a work perspective and have my children here with me, I hear you and I am so very sorry that you are not able to do this. To top it off you are not loving your work so the combination of going to work at the moment along with leaving your kids is just heartbreaking. I have no idea how hard that must be to not have the choice to be at home and to have the fear and panic on top of it all, I am so very sorry you are going through this, it is just horrific.

Do you have some family you can talk to that can help with some support for you, even just to spend some time with the kids and to try to ease the fear that they have? I think too it makes it harder as the holidays are here yet they can do nothing with their friends or have any social activities that they are all used to doing. Who is taking care of your children while you and your husband are at work? Are they able to facetime you in breaks, can you leave notes for them to open in a snack at home? Just little things to let them know you are thinking of them constantly.

This is all just so unbearable for you, however we need you, and your beautiful kids need you and when all this is over, your kids will be able to look at their mother and think what an amazingly strong and inspirational person they have as a role model, who is integral in the health of others and who at a time when she would have loved to put her own family first she put others health first, that is a truly amazing person. To also have that in their father too is really remarkable.

Keep talking to them, to us and sharing how you are feeling, I hope it helps even in the smallest amount to know that we do care and we are so very thankful for your services.

Thank you Chester09

Sarah xxx

[Chester09]

Thank you for your kind words. I really don't feel essential to anything at the moment. My husband worked night shift last night and had unavoidable overtime so he was not able to get any sleep before looking after the kids if I was to go to work. So today I had to take a carers day because I could not leave my kids alone for 8hrs while he slept. My employer was not ok with this. So today I am trying to put a brave face on at home but tomorrow I know I have to go and face the consequences.

[Aaronsis]

Hi Chester09

While I am not in this situation now, I have been in the past where I have taken a day of leave as my kids are sick and my boss has not appreciated it.

I am hoping with every ounce of my being that he/she will see reason and find some compassion for you and not only you but your team, we are all going through "this" and we all have to do the best we can. While it is critical for you to work on the front line....your kids take priority, everyday of the week they come first. It is not 1920 and I would have hoped that employers have become more family friendly, accepting we are allowed to have a work/life balance etc........

I hope that even though you are struggling and will be riddled with guilt you can enjoy some time with your babies today and do something fun together and have a laugh and a smile, you deserve it an so do they.

All my strength to you at this time, I really feel for you, you are in a real bloody tight spot.

Thank you for compromising your life and your happiness for us, you are an amazing woman.

Hugs

Sarah xxx