Three mothers of young Children Share their Survival Tactics for Taking Down the COVID19 Lockdown with Love and Light.
Morning all, I hope you are doing ok.
It is a beautiful sunny morning here. In these surreal times parenting is suddenly such a challenge. My anxiety is bubbling away all the time. I am on edge. It feels like my body is on high alert 24/7. It’s tiring.
My son and I went to the supermarket yesterday wearing gloves and my son kept holding his breath when people came closer than 2 meters, bless him. How must this feel to the kids? So, I’m finding this challenging. I know I’m not alone. My COVID19 coping strategies include limiting how much I look at the news. I’m making a conscious effort to be present for my son.
I’m meditating in the morning. Not drinking caffeine. I’m letting myself rest when I need to. We’re binge watching Netflix in the evening. I’ve also been reconnecting with old friends this week after kind of cutting myself off from most people a year ago.
It’s not easy sticking to my COVID19 sanity retention plan. I still find myself mindlessly reading the news while Netflix is on. Or putting the radio on so I can catch a quick news report. It’s compulsive behaviour isn’t it..
I want to do my best to stay healthy and be strong enough to support others during this time. For that I need to manage my anxiety. This situation isn’t going to be changing any time soon..
I need to be kind to myself. Forgive myself for my weakness. Give myself a break. Stay connected with others. Whatever it takes. Although I am getting this big desire for something to take the edge off every night, feeling suddenly that alcohol-free beer is not enough, I am just sitting with it.
There is nothing I could put into my body that will make this go away. The only way out is through, right? A drink tonight would simply make tomorrow harder. End of Story. We have all we need inside us to get through difficult times, it’s a matter of working out what we need and practicing it.
I am still not able to practice yoga at the moment frustratingly as I broke my elbow a couple of months ago. But if I could, I would be doing yoga with Adriene daily! She has made a playlist for yoga for uncertain times. I wanted to share with you all.
Exercise is fantastic for shifting our mood. I’ve used it often for anxiety peaks.
It helps.
Love and light to all xxxx
more from this author on sober parenting and gaining sober momentum
How to Stop Drinking away the Pain
Don’t Stop Working for It- Rethink the Drink
With the COVID19 lockdown life seems on hold. It’s jarring and makes me feel stuck.
I’m fighting off some depression so I’m doing some work with the ‘compassionate other’. This term may be familiar to some of you. It’s basically visualisation, where initially you concentrate on the qualities of compassion, until they form a picture in your mind. Sometimes it’s a person you know, sometimes it’s a face you have created.
Once you have your compassionate other, it’s there and you can tap into her / him / it whenever you need. Mine is an elephant. So yesterday when we were choosing maché to paper over, I decided on an elephant so I can be reminded of my compassionate other at a time I really need it.
These are also some questions I am looking at everyday
What am I grateful for today?
Who can I connect with today?
What expectation of ‘normal’ am I letting go of today?
How am I getting outside today?
How am I moving my body today?
What beauty am I either creating, cultivating or inviting today?
My daughter (age 7) has said she feels uncomfortable watching the daily Prime Minister speech, so we are going to do something else at that time. Interestingly my daughter also said she feels really weird if she thinks of the lock down being enforced by ‘others’ ie the government. She said please could I talk to her about the rules as if I am making them up. Not other people.
Check out this New York Times article, How to Talk to Kids About Coronavirus, it’s a good approach created by a bunch of NY therapists. Like all things, if you are anxious, the kids will be anxious.
more from this author on sober parenting and gaining sober momentum
A Letter to My Daughter from Her Newly Sober Mum
An Invitation to Rethink the Drink with Us
And Russel and Trevor are Here to Remind you How Good it Feels to Sing!
RIGHT!
Going to have a good day today
Sitting on the couch with my youngest kid
I know what’s important to me
And it’s times like this
My laptop next to me
Trying to work as well really
But my child is in pyjamas watching a movie
And it’s so so lovely
This family time
I’ll try to keep a hold of my mind
I can’t live stuck in freeze, flight or fight
But I can try to slow things down
Appreciate who and what is around
That lovely meal we’ll cook tonight
I’ll be grateful for each healthy bite
The funny comments my children say
They come out with something cute each day
Sometimes it seems to get lost or ignored
But not anymore
Now I’m listening
Aren’t we all….🌏❤💙
more thoughts on mothering sober in times of crisis from this author :
I Don’t Want Sobriety I Want Wine!
I feel lost
My brain won’t function
I have a list of tasks as long as my arm
But my brain won’t even look at it
Too preoccupied with keeping my family from harm
My mind’s shut down temporarily
There are important jobs, so necessary
But I keep forgetting them
It’s like my brain has gone out for a walk somewhere
This is crazy
My stupid brain refusing to play
Isn’t going to help me tomorrow or today
I need to get in some food shopping
Wake up brain!!!!
People’s lives aren’t just stopping!
We need to eat so I need to move my feet
Get the kids dressed, help them clean their teeth
Not slope around in pyjamas all day in sheer defeat
If I don’t do things now I’ll regret it later
Wake up brain
Don’t make me hate ya!
But it’s no good
I need to take a step back
Think about the present
Not go 100mph as I know could
I’ll make a cup of tea and breathe slowly
I’ll check the news infrequently
And try to look after myself mentally
Perhaps this staunch refusal from my brain
Is it’s way of keeping me sane!?
The Spirit is not in the Bottle it’s in You …
Rethink the Drink
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How do you go Sober? ( more reading in blue titles)
B Be accountable Talk to Us We Understand
A Avoid alcohol like the plague Ideas Here
L Let yourself enjoy regular sober treats Ideas Here
A Allow yourself to cry when needed Ideas Here
N Nourish your body with good food Ideas Here
C Create happy & fun memories Ideas Here
E Enjoy the precious moments in your day Ideas Here
W Work hard to get what you want Ideas Here
O Organise things for less stress Ideas Here
R Realise you can’t control it all Ideas Here
K Keep going & prepare for success Ideas Here
S Sleep enough for body & mind rest Sleep Solutions
#boomrethinkthedrink
2 responses to “Parenting with a Sense of Humor in COVID19 Lockdown”
This was so much fun to read! I am five years sober and am enjoying revisiting sober blogs today! I had forgotten how much I loved them!
I’m glad you liked it ! I’m five years sober too ❤ so glad to be free of the need to drink in these hugely difficult times