It's the last day of school and I'm a blubbering mess watching these slide shows and goodbye videos. I'm so sad they don't get to say goodbye to their friends and teachers in person.
Dear Gymnastics I love you. Thank you for the 45 minutes of complete alone time yesterday. I just sat on the couch and did nothing and was so sad when the alarm went off to go get DD. Mom who is looking forward to Thursday
You’re like a wrecking ball. You’ve closed two beloved schools in the past 24 hours with no notice, leaving hundreds of families scrambling to figure out what’s next. I assume our school is safe due to rising enrollment and amazing fundraising... but I just heard one school raised $300k and still closed. And all that money just reverts back to the archdiocese... probably to continue to fund the legal defense teams.
Please leave our school alone, and reconsider the mess you’re making.
Dear motivation and focus, You can come back any time now. I'd really appreciate it and so would my workload. Signed, Me
Dear universe, Please let this weekend go well. My anxiety about beau and his son coming to visit my family with us is through the roof.I know this is irrational, but still, any good vibes are appreciated. Signed, A Worrier
No one knows what's happening with school next year. If worst comes to worst, we can forgo a lot of stuff and we can pay for private school. The kids will be okay. So please, turn the heck off and let me sleep.
Signed, Up all night worrying.
Dear County Health Director,
Did someone overrule you? We are the county with the toughest orders in the Bay Area. You went from criticizing the governer about opening too fast, saying we needed to open up ONE aspect of society at a time and wait 3 weeks to see what the fallout was to opening patio dining, in store shopping, religious events, AND childcare/camps the very next day.
Signed, Yay.
PS: We've started our own religion in our neighborhood a few months ago. We're not sure what it revolves around other than a lot of "communion wine" and enjoying each other's company, which is now totally above board.
mae0111, That is what infuriates me about the catholic schools. The diocese makes these decisions all on their own with no input, even from the school then once they have decided, then they let people know. I am so glad we don't have to put up with that anymore, even though we loved our school.
Dear self,
After visiting a chicken plant, you may not be eating chicken for a while.
Signed, Not cut out for this,
Dear work,
I think I am taking both kids to the dentist, even though they could probably go themselves. I need a break. Since I live 15 minutes out of town and work from home, I can't get any errands done. We are going to TJ MAXX and Target after and getting a Blizzard.
Signed, it is weird to be looking forward to the dentist.
Dear Nanny, I am so excited that you want to work with us, and start on Monday! Please like us and the kids, and keep working for us. I really need the help, and you sound great. Signed, So excited, please work out
This is my second day working in the office. DH is here with me also, holed up in the office next door. It's nice and weird at the same time. Downtown is mostly boarded up due to protests/riots, which is a little creepy, but aside from the masks and lack of people (in the office and on the streets), it feels almost normal.
Signed, Not excited about having to put on real pants though.
PS: We'll be here all week while they finish installing our new A/C.
I do love you in many ways, and I do think you’ve handled the pandemic really well, and our numbers of infected and quarantined people show that. But I really hope you Use this opportunity to take a close look at our culture and how it needs to change. For example, there’s a reason we have a hard time getting symptomatic people to stay home. When I had an employee going through chemo, I threatened the rest of my team with employment action if they came to work sick. Because in our culture, admitting sickness is admitting weakness. Maybe we could go ahead and acknowledge that our employees are humans. That could help.
mommyatty, my #1 answer on all our school reopening surveys? Parents, students, and teachers all need to feel comfortable taking sick days. They need to know sick days will not be questioned or limited, at least in the short term. We are going to have to get used to the notion that yes, some people may abuse it, and yes, productivity might suffer in the short-term but it's in everyone's best interest. And that the "short-term" productivity loss of one person is waaaaaaay better than whole classrooms, schools, teams, or offices being down for the count if they pass around CV or any other bug.
Dear WPs, There's a guy in my town suing the state because his daughter missed out on a "true high school experience" and he is trying to force schools reopening "as normal" in the fall. He's trying to rally supporters in our town group on Facebook and I just can't even begin to deal with these people. How are these my neighbors? Signed, I live in crazy town
Dear Working Parents Virtual hugs! We made it or are making it to the end of the school year..probably through tears and less sleep but kudos fellow superheros!
P.S. Try to find 30 mins in your day for just YOU this summer.
A dumbassed parent in DD’s class is having an end of year party at her house next week. With a taco bar. And a bounce house and a water slide. Our numbers are still going up in the Metroplex. She works as a therapist at a children’s hospital that has multiple positive COVID cases with the weird inflammation reaction.
We are not going but we may be the only family sitting it out.
Dear Working Parents Virtual hugs! We made it or are making it to the end of the school year..probably through tears and less sleep but kudos fellow superheros!
P.S. Try to find 30 mins in your day for just YOU this summer.
Signed, Knew we are strong
YES!!! We need to throw ourselves a virtual party!
mommyatty, I really hope a good thing that comes out of this is a change in culture in the workplace. Paid sick leave, and the ability to use it. I have threatened to fire people, jokingly, sort of, for coming to work sick, and sent them home. One guy would crawl in not matter what. I send him home regularly. I explain that if I get sick, then my kids, that could put me out for a week or more. No time for that.
mommyatty , I really hope a good thing that comes out of this is a change in culture in the workplace. Paid sick leave, and the ability to use it. I have threatened to fire people, jokingly, sort of, for coming to work sick, and sent them home. One guy would crawl in not matter what. I send him home regularly. I explain that if I get sick, then my kids, that could put me out for a week or more. No time for that.
We have really generous sick leave plus flexibility to work from home if you’re too sick to come in but can still work. I’ve used it if I had to take migraine meds so couldn’t drive but was otherwise okay. But people won’t use their leave or flexibility because OMG someone might think I’m weak. When I was pregnant, my paralegal came in with the freaking flu. I sent her home after ripping her a new one. I’m pretty sure at one point I yelled, “ I can’t take flu medicine because I’m pregnant and you are exposing me and my baby to the flu? What is wrong with you?!?” Now my company leadership are all going, “ Gosh, we don’t know why that guy came in symptomatic so now we have to pay 18 people to quarantine at home since he was positive.” Because for the 20 years he’s worked here, you’ve rewarded him for showing up sick. That’s why. So frustrating!
twinmomma, mommyatty, DH's cousin is an ICU nurse and has posted pictures of herself crossing into the next state just so she can get her hair and nails done and eat in a restaurant without a mask. She fully believes that covid is made up because her tiny hospital hasn't seen any cases. I should also mention that her DD is immuno compromised. I almost want to send the link to her employer to let them know she is putting patients at risk.