***UPDATE: I am hearing that some, but not all, free subscribers are unable to comment. I don’t understand why, because I’ve checked my settings many times and this thread should be open to free subscribers. I AM SO SORRY AND ALSO THIS MAKES ME WANT TO SCREAM EVEN MORE.
I will organize another scream soon once I’ve figured out what’s wrong with my settings. I’m so sorry to those of you who’ve joined and can’t comment!!***
Greetings, parents who are barely hanging in there! Tonight’s real-time scream is starting now, so please join if you can. I encourage you to rant, vent, scream, yell, cry in the thread below …. whatever you need in this moment, we understand. I’ll be here until around 9pm ET to virtually wipe your tears and commiserate.
There’s no audio or video in the thread, sorry — but for the sake of those with sleeping children, perhaps that’s for the best? (HOWEVER, by all means, if you want to/can, please also scream loudly at your computer. I do that frequently.)
ALSO, if you enjoy this thread, don’t forget that I host weekly threads for paid subscribers. We vent, support each other, share tips, etc. And right now I’m running a 30% off sale for all paid subscriptions:
Because I’ve opened this up to the public, I also want to share some thread ground rules:
Be courteous and treat everyone with respect. We are all doing the best we can during a very fraught, stressful, scary time, and some of us have more constraints on our lives than others. Please don’t judge others for their choices or tell other parents they’re doing things wrong.
No hate speech or bullying. Bullying of any kind isn't allowed, and degrading comments about things like race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, gender or identity will not be tolerated.
Respect everyone's privacy. What is shared in the thread stays in the thread.
No promotions or spam.
I reserve the right to delete comments that break these ground rules and/or ban people who make repeat offenses. And ban I will, believe me.
Hi everyone! I literally got my 7yo in bed ONE MINUTE AGO and now I'm definitely ready to scream. So...... I think I'm just going to start by saying AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Also, apologies that we don't have audio and video, but I was kind of terrified of what trolls would do with video, so... I figured we'd just start with comments this time.
I don't know what to tell my kids anymore about when we can do the things they keep asking me to do... we'll do that... eventually? after you get a vaccine? But will things be better then? Who knows!!
My 3yo stopped sleeping through the night in November and I’ve now started sleeping on the floor of his room every night. If I’m not there he throws a tantrum and wakes up the whole house. I’m exhausted and my back hurts. Aghhhhhhhhhhhh!
My brother is getting married in May. They’ve had to postpone the wedding twice. It’s a weekend long event at a resort in Colorado - a rehearsal dinner/campfire, the wedding day and reception, and then a brunch. My youngest (4) is supposed to be the flower girl. A lot of the bride’s relatives are anti-vaxxers or think they’re immune because they’ve already had Covid. And I’m expected to pretend the pandemic is over and let my daughter hang out in close proximity to a bunch of anti-vaxxers all weekend for the sake of familial harmony. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
One thing that's absolutely driving me bananas right now is testing uncertainty. The more I read about Omicron, the less I feel I can trust negative test results. It feels like you can believe a positive, but if it's negative, you still don't know anything. I mean, yes, eventually, after enough negative tests you can feel fairly certain it's not Covid, but some people are only testing positive after a week of symptoms, and who has enough tests for that????
My parents, who live in the same town as me, are out of town this weekend, so I have decamped to their house to get some rest and time off from the chaos of kids/home. It's been nice, but it's not enough! I have spent half the time spinning my wheels on work stuff because my brain is broken even though I got a lot more sleep last night. When will my brain un-break? It's starting to feel like there will never be a normal again.
Melinda- do you have a list of good resources to share with people that don't want to vaccinate their children? I have a sister that does not want to vaccinate her 9 year old and she doesn't see how her unvaccinated 9 year old endangers my parents. She has 3 others kids and only 1 is vaccinated.
Last Tuesday or Wednesday my 20-something coworker was making small talk and asked how my long weekend was, and I was like "completely exhausting," and she looked at me like I was crazy for a few seconds before remembering I have 3 young kids at home.
Things I hate right now: The voicemails I get from our school district when I keep my kindergartner home (he's had one nasty head cold that wasn't COVID and one sore throat that wasn't COVID in the past 4 weeks of school). They're so freakin' preachy about the importance of having "my learner" in school and I'm like, I KNOW!! I WANT HIM IN SCHOOL! Do you think I WANT to keep him home for a "weird throat feeling" and a temp of 99.9?? But I'm trying to not be the a-hole family that infects everyone with COVID by sending in a kid with a low-grade fever and a weird throat and then testing positive the next day! AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH. (I call in the absences to excuse them, our school allegedly reports the excuse to the district, I don't know why I'm still getting this passive-aggressive scolding on my voicemail, aaaaaaaaargh.)
I’m angry that so many moms have had to leave the workforce because of this sh*t. Angry at employers who haven’t adjusted expectations. Angry at capitalism and the government for not doing enough and not quick enough. Where are the grownups? The feeling of powerlessness is crippling.
Hi! This is fun! I'm here screaming with all of you. Also I'm so tired that I just wrote "hear" instead of "here" so that about sums it up. Just so tired. Tired of pandemic parenting and decision making and worrying and worrying about worrying. Just all of it. This will all be over soon. Right? RIGHT?!
What I really want is to take a two week vacation and for people to understand I need it to be NOW. Not when it’s convenient for my team. I need something to stop.
Jan 23, 2022·edited Jan 23, 2022Liked by Melinda Wenner Moyer
My local school board has gone to hell and it's not going to get any better because people think the schools are good (wealthy county = high test scores) and vote incumbent every election. They are not contact tracing and do not require quarantine regardless of vaccination status. Mask rate is about 20%. We are losing good teachers to the nearby counties with better protocols and all the anti-science nuts are transferring here. I fear for the long-term impact it's going to have on my children's education. I have so many protest posters my kids build forts out of them.
Just curious what you all think about my conundrum~should I resume having weekly breakfast with my mom? There’s no outdoor option. I took a break for January due to Omicron, but she’s 80 years old and I’m feeling very strongly that I’m wasting the time I have to be with her. I’m fully vaxxed and boosted, and are we all going to get Omicron anyway?
Reading all these comments has been fun. I’m a free subscriber but I think I’ll take advantage of the sale.
So hard to have hope for the future of this world we’re raising our kids in. I want to radiate “Look at this big beautiful world and all that is possible!” Instead of “We are so fucked. No one is power cares. Keep your mask on.” 😔
my mom had a serious stroke last weekend and is in the hospital and I can’t visit and I’m so devastated and heartbroken because she is my favorite person in the world and is alone. And my 5 yo only had school open for 2 days last week and just received a positive PCR test!! All this plus the spring semester where i teach starts tomorrow!!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!
I am so angry today! I have been discriminated against for my anti-vaccine family!
I 45 female, raised my 3 kids, Grace, Cococa, and Jaminson. They haven't had a vaccine and don't need one. They've never got any diseases. I went to a shop and my kid Grace coughed. I simply just asked if she was good and we moved on. She coughed in her elbow too! Then some big overweight man comes near us. He says, "What you doing in the hood baby" I said, "Sir do not talk to me that way." I grabbed my children and we go to the next aisle. He comes near me and comes up to my kids. He grabs Cococa and picks her by her hair! I grabbed my pepperspray and sprayed him but it got on my kid! Then the security comes. And he tells me, "It's gonna be okay." and he pulls out a SWORD. A literal SWORD. So I take my kids back and we leave. Then there is an anti-vaccine PROTEST. Outside of WALMART. And then all my kids get lost! If you see my kids tell me.
Hi everyone! I literally got my 7yo in bed ONE MINUTE AGO and now I'm definitely ready to scream. So...... I think I'm just going to start by saying AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Also, apologies that we don't have audio and video, but I was kind of terrified of what trolls would do with video, so... I figured we'd just start with comments this time.
Ok I see from all the "likes" that people are lurking.... would anyone like to rant/scream/cry/vent?
Ok I am definitely just screaming into the void now, which is fine.... everything's fine
My youngest kid often goes to bed between 10 and 11 pm, sometimes after 11 during the summer months. I'm thinking of cancelling my Netflix membership.
Just curious if this shows your full name? Just wondering if there is an anonymous option.
Got COVID after almost two years of being cautious! ARGHHHHH!!!
I don't know what to tell my kids anymore about when we can do the things they keep asking me to do... we'll do that... eventually? after you get a vaccine? But will things be better then? Who knows!!
My children keep screaming at the same time and I am so afraid we are going to be stuck at home quarantining and then screaming more.
I am feeling completely overwhelmed and not taking it out on my kids but on my husband. I feel like this pandemic is pushing me towards divorce.
I am just trying to enjoy small things in this year but terrified about what is coming next?
My 3yo stopped sleeping through the night in November and I’ve now started sleeping on the floor of his room every night. If I’m not there he throws a tantrum and wakes up the whole house. I’m exhausted and my back hurts. Aghhhhhhhhhhhh!
My brother is getting married in May. They’ve had to postpone the wedding twice. It’s a weekend long event at a resort in Colorado - a rehearsal dinner/campfire, the wedding day and reception, and then a brunch. My youngest (4) is supposed to be the flower girl. A lot of the bride’s relatives are anti-vaxxers or think they’re immune because they’ve already had Covid. And I’m expected to pretend the pandemic is over and let my daughter hang out in close proximity to a bunch of anti-vaxxers all weekend for the sake of familial harmony. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
SCREAMING
One thing that's absolutely driving me bananas right now is testing uncertainty. The more I read about Omicron, the less I feel I can trust negative test results. It feels like you can believe a positive, but if it's negative, you still don't know anything. I mean, yes, eventually, after enough negative tests you can feel fairly certain it's not Covid, but some people are only testing positive after a week of symptoms, and who has enough tests for that????
My parents, who live in the same town as me, are out of town this weekend, so I have decamped to their house to get some rest and time off from the chaos of kids/home. It's been nice, but it's not enough! I have spent half the time spinning my wheels on work stuff because my brain is broken even though I got a lot more sleep last night. When will my brain un-break? It's starting to feel like there will never be a normal again.
Melinda- do you have a list of good resources to share with people that don't want to vaccinate their children? I have a sister that does not want to vaccinate her 9 year old and she doesn't see how her unvaccinated 9 year old endangers my parents. She has 3 others kids and only 1 is vaccinated.
Shoot, I'm hearing free subscribers can't comment. Is this true? Trying to fix!!!
Last Tuesday or Wednesday my 20-something coworker was making small talk and asked how my long weekend was, and I was like "completely exhausting," and she looked at me like I was crazy for a few seconds before remembering I have 3 young kids at home.
Hi. And AHHHHHHH $&@!!
Things I hate right now: The voicemails I get from our school district when I keep my kindergartner home (he's had one nasty head cold that wasn't COVID and one sore throat that wasn't COVID in the past 4 weeks of school). They're so freakin' preachy about the importance of having "my learner" in school and I'm like, I KNOW!! I WANT HIM IN SCHOOL! Do you think I WANT to keep him home for a "weird throat feeling" and a temp of 99.9?? But I'm trying to not be the a-hole family that infects everyone with COVID by sending in a kid with a low-grade fever and a weird throat and then testing positive the next day! AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH. (I call in the absences to excuse them, our school allegedly reports the excuse to the district, I don't know why I'm still getting this passive-aggressive scolding on my voicemail, aaaaaaaaargh.)
Some things I hate right now:
Hearing my husband judging all my friends that don't do things the way that we do.
Hearing my husband complain about everyone around him or us in front of my kids.
Not being able to have my dear friends in my home to share with me.
Not being able to go do exercise or yoga in a place that is not my home.
Feeling unmotivated because of my new medication.
Fuck this shit. I am angry and seriously want to kick someone's ass! Ok, I said it. That felt good and now I am laughing to myself like a crazy woman!
I miss having fun, seeing people and leaving the house. So very bored
I’m angry that so many moms have had to leave the workforce because of this sh*t. Angry at employers who haven’t adjusted expectations. Angry at capitalism and the government for not doing enough and not quick enough. Where are the grownups? The feeling of powerlessness is crippling.
Hi! This is fun! I'm here screaming with all of you. Also I'm so tired that I just wrote "hear" instead of "here" so that about sums it up. Just so tired. Tired of pandemic parenting and decision making and worrying and worrying about worrying. Just all of it. This will all be over soon. Right? RIGHT?!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
What I really want is to take a two week vacation and for people to understand I need it to be NOW. Not when it’s convenient for my team. I need something to stop.
Any suggestions for super funny shows or movies that I can watch to escape life?
My son is 27 months so most of my experience of motherhood has been in a pandemic. Is it always this hard??
My local school board has gone to hell and it's not going to get any better because people think the schools are good (wealthy county = high test scores) and vote incumbent every election. They are not contact tracing and do not require quarantine regardless of vaccination status. Mask rate is about 20%. We are losing good teachers to the nearby counties with better protocols and all the anti-science nuts are transferring here. I fear for the long-term impact it's going to have on my children's education. I have so many protest posters my kids build forts out of them.
I have to go but thank you for this opportunity. It felt good to vent a little. Thank you for this. Going to watch some funny now.
Ahhhhhhhhhhh!
Just curious what you all think about my conundrum~should I resume having weekly breakfast with my mom? There’s no outdoor option. I took a break for January due to Omicron, but she’s 80 years old and I’m feeling very strongly that I’m wasting the time I have to be with her. I’m fully vaxxed and boosted, and are we all going to get Omicron anyway?
Reading all these comments has been fun. I’m a free subscriber but I think I’ll take advantage of the sale.
So hard to have hope for the future of this world we’re raising our kids in. I want to radiate “Look at this big beautiful world and all that is possible!” Instead of “We are so fucked. No one is power cares. Keep your mask on.” 😔
SO MUCH SCREAMING!!!!
my mom had a serious stroke last weekend and is in the hospital and I can’t visit and I’m so devastated and heartbroken because she is my favorite person in the world and is alone. And my 5 yo only had school open for 2 days last week and just received a positive PCR test!! All this plus the spring semester where i teach starts tomorrow!!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!
I seem to be able to comment here :)
I am so angry today! I have been discriminated against for my anti-vaccine family!
I 45 female, raised my 3 kids, Grace, Cococa, and Jaminson. They haven't had a vaccine and don't need one. They've never got any diseases. I went to a shop and my kid Grace coughed. I simply just asked if she was good and we moved on. She coughed in her elbow too! Then some big overweight man comes near us. He says, "What you doing in the hood baby" I said, "Sir do not talk to me that way." I grabbed my children and we go to the next aisle. He comes near me and comes up to my kids. He grabs Cococa and picks her by her hair! I grabbed my pepperspray and sprayed him but it got on my kid! Then the security comes. And he tells me, "It's gonna be okay." and he pulls out a SWORD. A literal SWORD. So I take my kids back and we leave. Then there is an anti-vaccine PROTEST. Outside of WALMART. And then all my kids get lost! If you see my kids tell me.