How are your kids handling all this?

[HeatherC]

I have three adult kids. My son (22) lives in another state a little over an hour away. He is still going to work, but his job does not have him in contact with many people at all luckily. He is also a mile from my brother and sil so if anything were to happen, they are nearby.

My two daughters (23 and 19) and myself are basically home till this ends. One is a math teacher and the other is a college freshman who was sent home and is online for this semester.

I have to say, they are handling this sooo well and it is a joy to have them here. They know it stinks and is going to last a while, but spend their days laughing and joking with each other. It has been almost a week and a half so far and they haven’t had one fight or argument. I’m in shock, because at their age I would have been battling my siblings (to say the least) and driving my mother insane.

Obviously, this can change and probably will at some point. But for now I will take it.

How are your kids handling it?

 

[PollyannaMom]

DS goes up and down. Some days, he feels sad/angry about all of it; some days, he sees the bright side of college online - like pausing the professor's lecture any time he needs to!!

It's one of the few times I've kind of wished he wasn't an only child, though. - He "hangs out" on FaceTime with his girlfriend, and plays online video games with his friends, but I do think he misses having someone his age actually around.

 

[HeatherC]

DS goes up and down. Some days, he feels sad/angry about all of it; some days, he sees the bright side of college online - like pausing the professor's lecture any time he needs to!!

It's one of the few times I've kind of wished he wasn't an only child, though. - He "hangs out" on FaceTime with his girlfriend, and plays online video games with his friends, but I do think he misses having someone his age actually around.

The whole thing stinks! I feel for your son. The one saving grace is the technology today. Thank God for FaceTime and Skype and Netflix, etc..

Even with the technology though, at some point we will all be stir crazy if we aren’t already.

Stay healthy!

 

[Tink_83]

DD7 is ready to play with her friends and tired of her little brother, DS2. It’s hard because we know DH was exposed to COVID19 at work so we have to isolate for a while longer and really no one should be out but all the kids in the neighborhood are outside playing together. It makes it difficult for her since she is the only kid in the neighborhood actually self isolating.

 

[HeatherC]

DD7 is ready to play with her friends and tired of her little brother, DS2. It’s hard because we know DH was exposed to COVID19 at work so we have to isolate for a while longer and really no one should be out but all the kids in the neighborhood are outside playing together. It makes it difficult for her since she is the only kid in the neighborhood actually self isolating.

I’m so sorry. That has to be very hard particularly at that age. They just want to play and NEED to play. Hang in there! I hope you all stay healthy! Best wishes.

 

[fly girl]

DD is doing remarkably well. She is an extrovert (dh and I are introverts) so I thought it was going to be a real challenge. Naturally, she does not love the situation, but understands why we need to be socially distant. Today was first google meet for school and although it was short (teacher just wanted to test it out) I could hear all the kids giddy to see everyone. Made me smile.

I am so thankful for FaceTime! She has been able to chat and play with her friends. I know she is playing a lot more Roblox than I'd like, but she is playing with friends so I am not limiting it. Lots of Disney+ binge watching too. We are just hoping for good weather to arrive so we can go out. Rainy most of last week (even had tornado warning) and then had a cold snap. I am not going out for a walk when it is 34 degrees. She wouldn't either ... we'd just be complaining.

Oh, and she loves getting to sleep in later. Normal school wake up is 6:20am, NTI 8:00am. She loves that! (I don't mind it either.) We will see how this keeps going as the days and weeks stretch out. My guess is week 3 is going to be the turning point when it feels never ending and miserable.

 

[mjkacmom]

Had them all home at first, dd23 is working from home at her boyfriends because it’s a better work set up (she’s an accountant and has a lot of work to do), he lives with his mom and she says if dd comes back here she can’t go back there (which I agree with). Ds21 was here until yesterday, he went back to his college house to do his internship there (company dropping off computer monitors). Dd19 and dd17 are ok, they go for a run every day, bake, dd19 carries her boyfriend around on her phone FaceTiming, ds17 is having a harder time because he needs to play (on 3 teams this spring), he socializes on Xbox.

Everyone really wants to go back to school!

 

[Darcy03231]

DS #1 and DDIL are both working remotely from home. DS usually works from home so not a big change for him. DDIL is in the healthcare field and they're using telehealth.

DD #1 works in the restaurant/catering field and she's feeling the impact. DSIL is still working, but they don't know for how much longer.

DD #2 and her fiancée are both working from home. DD already worked from home 2 days a week. She works for a university system so she's ok. Her fiancée is in the healthcare field and he's still working via telehealth.

DS #2 does HVAC for a grocery store chain so he's still working. He's living at home right now so no worries there.

 

[soccerdad72]

Younger son (14) has completed his first week of online HS. So far, it's seemingly gone pretty well for him. Reasonable organized, good communication with teachers, learning a fair amount.

Older son (19) starts his online college courses today. We moved all his stuff out of his dorm this weekend (he was already home for spring break), so we'll see how well he adjusts to online learning (and how his professors adapt).

 

[Pea-n-Me]

My two college seniors just started their online coursework today as they were on spring break last week. Both have done online classes before so they know the format.

DD's classes met at the usual time and they were given additional assignments to do since their hospital clinicals were cancelled. She had a little technical difficulty but when she finally connected her professor made a point of saying hi to her, lol. The biggest issue seems to be whether to turn the camera on or not but she showered and primped a bit just in case.

DS's classes have gone to a different online format so he can get his work done anytime during the day. He did lose his whole senior baseball season and he's working through that loss. They all worked so hard all year in preparation - I am sad for all athletes who lost their seasons. At some point they will have a ceremony to recognize the seniors, we're told. [The NCAA will extend eligibility for those who still want to play, and can. Little hope for seniors; DS will hopefully be working by next September]

What's nice is seeing them hanging out together again like in earlier years. With boyfriends/girlfriends, hectic schedules and work, they don't always get a chance to just be by themselves much anymore. This morning I was watching them playing with the hamster, DS had him on his back and the hamster was trying to stuff a dog biscuit in his pouch and they were laughing hysterically. We haven't had any scuffles and we can actually watch a show or movie together and appreciate what we have.

DS misses his girlfriend a lot but she's a distance away and they're following the rules. She has helped him learn to enjoy cooking (when I could never get him interested ) so he's made us breakfast a few times and helped with dinners, etc. He just took the dog out for a walk/run while DD is still "in class". Oh, and both worked shifts over the weekend.

 

[firefly_ris]

My kids are getting sick of each other but the school work routine does help. Right now I sent them outside to pick up sticks and small limbs to drag to the roadside for brush pickup, they get 10 cents per stick. Then a bit of gym class after that -- trying to keep up physical activity does help. Fortunately we live on 2 acres with a big creek -- not quite warm enough to go in the creek but plenty of room to roam, hike, run, etc. My youngest is very frustrated that I won't call her neighborhood friends over for play dates. It's hard for them to really understand.

 

[AndreaDM]

DD17 is bored. I have 2 older daughters who no longer live at home, so she's basically an only child, and I think she'd like a sibling closer to her age. She's glad not to have to be at school, she's had a rough year with some bullying so glad she doesn't have to deal with that. She's been doing craft projects, playing animal crossing, going for walks, Netflix...but we just got the stay at home for 2 more weeks order, so check back in 2 weeks.

 

[Hikergirl]

My oldest went back to her apartment up where she goes to school. Her online courses started today and she has a research project that she has to do up there.
My one ds has one more week before his online coursework starts and he's getting pretty bored at this point. Tentatively he is supposed to return to school April 20 for in lab instruction. I remain hopeful he does but I'm also doubtful it will happen.
My youngest is 16, he is off from school until April 1, so no online schooling until then. All he wants to do is hang out with his friends and girlfriend. Thank goodness for Facetime and Xbox because without those things I don't know if I can handle him LOL
We are also fortunate to have a place to escape to in order to get away. We can just get in the car and go.

 

[TLSnell1981]

We have nice weather and wide open spaces. Plus lots of things to do. The DGKs have really been little champs.

 

[easyas123]

Adult children - 2 of them, both still working as both are essential. Both glad to be getting out and working.

Our dogs, however - they've been incredibly lazy, and are refusing to do anything around the house. Today they are home watching a Harry Potter marathon....I'm guessing neither will have switched the laundry or unloaded the dishwasher. Freeloaders

 

[Kitty 34]

The whole thing stinks! I feel for your son. The one saving grace is the technology today. Thank God for FaceTime and Skype and Netflix, etc..

Even with the technology though, at some point we will all be stir crazy if we aren’t already.

Stay healthy!

Yes, yes yes!

 

[Feberin]

My ds10 was super excited when schools closed but is annoyed with everyone now. He's being mean to his little sisters and loosing screentime, which makes everything worse.
My DD7 misses her friends and is fighting me about doing her schoolwork but also being really creative with ideas. She's currently setting up a library in our basement.
My DD4 is scared of everything and started eating her hair constantly. She talks a lot about the coronavirus and doesn't understand it like thinking it's in the air outside. She has enjoyed doing a educational stuff but misses her friends.
My youngest DS turns 2 tomorrow. He has no clue but makes doing stuff with my older kids (schoolwork, board games or building with legos) difficult because he's into everything and wants to be part of everything.
All my kids are disappointed that we canceled our April/May trip to Disney. We rescheduled for August/September but I'm not sure that'll happen. We haven't been in 6 years and got the kids really excited for the trip when picking Fastpasses because we watched ride videos.

 

[anotherfakename]

Very, very poorly. My 14 year old was taking her temperature multiple times per day, talking about death. We had a big come to Jesus, talking about statistics and reality. My 12 year old won't get out of bed and put on pants. I have a 3 year old with special needs who keeps trying to leave the house. He is high energy and needs constant attention and constant structured activities. He does not understand why we are not at the Children's Museum. the Library, Pre-school, etc. My daughters have begun sleeping all day and being awake at night so they can avoid him.

 

[HeatherC]

My ds10 was super excited when schools closed but is annoyed with everyone now. He's being mean to his little sisters and loosing screentime, which makes everything worse.
My DD7 misses her friends and is fighting me about doing her schoolwork but also being really creative with ideas. She's currently setting up a library in our basement.
My DD4 is scared of everything and started eating her hair constantly. She talks a lot about the coronavirus and doesn't understand it like thinking it's in the air outside. She has enjoyed doing a educational stuff but misses her friends.
My youngest DS turns 2 tomorrow. He has no clue but makes doing stuff with my older kids (schoolwork, board games or building with legos) difficult because he's into everything and wants to be part of everything.
All my kids are disappointed that we canceled our April/May trip to Disney. We rescheduled for August/September but I'm not sure that'll happen. We haven't been in 6 years and got the kids really excited for the trip when picking Fastpasses because we watched ride videos.

Hang in there. Hopefully, the kids will settle into a routine soon which may make it more bearable. Hugs!

 

[HeatherC]

Very, very poorly. My 14 year old was taking her temperature multiple times per day, talking about death. We had a big come to Jesus, talking about statistics and reality. My 12 year old won't get out of bed and put on pants. I have a 3 year old with special needs who keeps trying to leave the house. He is high energy and needs constant attention and constant structured activities. He does not understand why we are not at the Children's Museum. the Library, Pre-school, etc. My daughters have begun sleeping all day and being awake at night so they can avoid him.

I’m sorry it isn’t going very smooth. Can you guys get outside at all? I know that helps me. I also ordered paint (curbside pickup) and my daughters helped paint our staircase and hallway. Next up is the bathroom. They are also working on paint by number canvases they ordered from Amazon. Maybe they could do something like that? Do they like to bake? Crafts?

I also work a lot with special needs kids and understand completely how important routine is to them and how hard it must be for you right now.

I hope it gets better soon! Sending good wishes your way!