I want to run away.

[fairfarmhand]

I'm having one of those "Can't I just get in the car and start driving?" weeks.

First week of school. My 2 at home are virtual, but every fall it's like the tech people start thinking about updating the tech on the school sites on....the first day of school. Which means that the first few days everything is buggy and annoying to try to work with.  So there's been a lot of "Mom! This link won't work." And "My EText isn't loading!" 

My son is having his first year virtual. The first day he complained that all the "how this course workes" tutorials were too easy. The second day he whined and moaned that everythign was too hard. His brain is still on summer break I think. Thankfully, today has been much better but good grief.

There's been some significant emotional stuff going on with one of my dds and it is EXHAUSTING. Thankfully, she got in with her therapist this morning, but it's been hard hard hard this week.

We changed our cell phone policy here at the house because people kept disappearing for hours on end in their rooms with phones. There's been some significant push back on this policy. 

It's been like 200 degrees here. And I have had so much outside work to do lately.

i was stung by a wasp while working outside Monday. I'm very allergic to stings so I have a 7 inch welt on my leg. Tuesday it felt like it was on fire, yesterday and today it's just real itchy. 

Someone close to me that I love very much was arrested last week on a really weird charge. It;s likely going to be dismissed but it's a level of stress that I do not want that person to have to handle. 

 

So....who wants to get in the car and start driving with me?

Where shall we go? I don't care as long as it's not HERE.

[itsheresomewhere]

I will bring the watermelon and brownies…

 

So far August is a crappy month….

[scholastica]

Our July was the pits. Totally understand the feeling.

[Elizabeth86]

I’m having that kind of day too.!🤣Let’s start driving. I was threatening public school this morning. If I didn’t homeschool, I’d have a completely empty house today. 🤣

[happi duck]

(hugs)

[Kassia]

Big hugs to all of you who are struggling!  ❤️  

I'm soothing myself with ice cream and salty snacks.  Way too much comfort food.  

[KSera]

29 minutes ago, fairfarmhand said:

I'm having one of those "Can't I just get in the car and start driving?" weeks.

First week of school. My 2 at home are virtual, but every fall it's like the tech people start thinking about updating the tech on the school sites on....the first day of school. Which means that the first few days everything is buggy and annoying to try to work with.  So there's been a lot of "Mom! This link won't work." And "My EText isn't loading!" 

My son is having his first year virtual. The first day he complained that all the "how this course workes" tutorials were too easy. The second day he whined and moaned that everythign was too hard. His brain is still on summer break I think. Thankfully, today has been much better but good grief.

There's been some significant emotional stuff going on with one of my dds and it is EXHAUSTING. Thankfully, she got in with her therapist this morning, but it's been hard hard hard this week.

We changed our cell phone policy here at the house because people kept disappearing for hours on end in their rooms with phones. There's been some significant push back on this policy. 

It's been like 200 degrees here. And I have had so much outside work to do lately.

i was stung by a wasp while working outside Monday. I'm very allergic to stings so I have a 7 inch welt on my leg. Tuesday it felt like it was on fire, yesterday and today it's just real itchy. 

Someone close to me that I love very much was arrested last week on a really weird charge. It;s likely going to be dismissed but it's a level of stress that I do not want that person to have to handle. 

 

So....who wants to get in the car and start driving with me?

Where shall we go? I don't care as long as it's not HERE.

So there with you.

Care to share what you made your new cell phone policy? We're having new problems with that that are at a point we need to address, but I haven't decided the best way yet.

[Elizabeth86]

4 minutes ago, Kassia said:

Big hugs to all of you who are struggling!  ❤️  

I'm soothing myself with ice cream and salty snacks.  Way too much comfort food.  

I’ve been soothing myself with food too, but if I overeat I feel so sick so it’s a fine line. 🤣

[porque?]

I'm coming too!!

[Mrs Tiggywinkle]

I’m willing and ready to go. We ride at dawn.

Yesterday I had a million things to do but offered to go in and work with my husband in the morning as long as I could leave by 2.  I left at 8 pm but not until after I hit the building with an ambulance. First time in 15 years I’ve hit anything with an emergency vehicle.

Then I came home(DH was working overnight) and DS12 was having a complete meltdown over something, which hasn’t happened in a year.  He went to swing and I discovered DS7 had found and dropped some ancient eggs in the refrigerator while I was dealing with DS12 And now I had rotten eggs smashed on my kitchen floor.  
Then at 7 this morning as I was getting ready for work, DH texted me and said he was in the ER with what he assumed was a kidney stone and he’d need a ride home when he was discharged because of all the narcotics. I got all 3 kids to their summer program, called my boss who promptly gave me the day off, and went to the ER.  He got discharged a few hours later, I drove him home, did some things, then went to pick up the prescription the ER called in, only to discover that it wasn’t filled despite being two hours since it was called in. They were breaking for lunch but told me it would be refilled afterward, which would mean I could not get the 45 minutes away in time to pick up younger children from day camp(I called SIL who got them). Then our renters called and something was wrong at the rental house so I went there. Then I went to the bank only to discover I had left the check I needed to deposit home.  
Now DH is dead asleep on narcotics and I have to go to work. My oldest promises the house will still be standing when I get home tomorrow.

All of this to say: I can be packed and ready to go by 8:30 tomorrow morning.

 

[Janeway]

I have been feeling this way too. I have also been looking longingly at the public schools, which are so close that I can almost see from my house.

[fairfarmhand]

36 minutes ago, KSera said:

So there with you.

Care to share what you made your new cell phone policy? We're having new problems with that that are at a point we need to address, but I haven't decided the best way yet.

No phones in bedrooms. Phones go into a basket on the dining room table after 6:30 pm.

 

the peasants are rebelling. 

[stephanier.1765]

I'm retired from homeschooling but my house is actively working against me so I'm totally on board the runaway train. Can we be gone forever or do I have to come back to this money pit?

I'm sorry so many of you are having such rough times right now. Virtual hugs all around.

[scbusf]

I’m in!!!!

[happi duck]

Ugh.  I'm in too.

I work at my church and the church secretary is a pompous pr1ck!  I'm sick of dealing with him to the point of considering quitting.

Running away sounds good 

[CTVKath]

Y'all are making my day!!!! And I'm packing my suitcase.................

[Ditto]

I haven't been on the board in a long time.  But this seemed like the perfect thread to jump back in on.  It has been a very long and very crappy few months.  Running away sounds like heaven.  I will bring brownies and pizza for us.

Edit:  oops,  I see someone is already bringing brownies.  So I will bring chocolate chip cookies!

Edited August 11, 2022 by Ditto

[Elizabeth86]

1 hour ago, Ditto said:

I haven't been on the board in a long time.  But this seemed like the perfect thread to jump back in on.  It has been a very long and very crappy few months.  Running away sounds like heaven.  I will bring brownies and pizza for us.

Edit:  oops,  I see someone is already bringing brownies.  So I will bring chocolate chip cookies!

A great way to jump back in!

[HS Mom in NC]

Well, I just retired, so I'm available. Vegetable gardening has a steep learning curve since I'm trying to learn how to grow everything and it hasn't rained much for a long time. I threw a rotten on the vine tomato at a bird today in frustration. I didn't actually hit the bird.

I say we find a cool treehouse to crash in by some water and pretend to be mermaids. We can drink mimosas, read novels, and eat s'mores by the campfire. 

[mommyoffive]

I am in too!! Always.  Let's just get a big compound for all of us.

[Bambam]

I'm ready. 
I was making a big batch of mashed potatoes for a funeral meal. I was adjusting the pepper grinder and all those peppercorn fell out the bottom ALL OVER my potatoes that were done except for the pepper. I scraped them off, but I had to make more. Just no fun at all. And my DH refilled it and dumped it twice, so we will be picking up peppercorns for the next week or so. 

Then I had to make cornbread for another funeral meal (two deaths in a few days). I used the microwave to melt the butter. Oops, I exploded butter in there - not once but TWICE. So much butter to clean up, and butter is expensive. You know, of course, that it went on sale the day after I needed it. 

If there are any more funerals any time soon, I'm buying premade food. 

[Lady Marmalade]

19 minutes ago, HS Mom in NC said:

Well, I just retired, so I'm available. Vegetable gardening has a steep learning curve since I'm trying to learn how to grow everything and it hasn't rained much for a long time. I threw a rotten on the vine tomato at a bird today in frustration. I didn't actually hit the bird.

I say we find a cool treehouse to crash in by some water and pretend to be mermaids. We can drink mimosas, read novels, and eat s'mores by the campfire. 

Fiji.

WTM meetup in Fiji?

https://matangiisland.com/fiji-accommodation-treehouse/

Pretty sure we can't drive all the way there, but 😝, a drive to the nearest major airport would be a great beginning. 

[Janeway]

5 hours ago, Elizabeth86 said:

I’m having that kind of day too.!🤣Let’s start driving. I was threatening public school this morning. If I didn’t homeschool, I’d have a completely empty house today. 🤣

Those thoughts have completely gone through my mind! All these years of homeschooling, I always had a little one home. But now, my house would be empty. I could clean it. I could eat what I want, do what I want, etc. I would not have to repeat myself twenty million times a day to stop picking on each other. 

[Janeway]

5 minutes ago, Lady Marmalade said:

Fiji.

WTM meetup in Fiji?

https://matangiisland.com/fiji-accommodation-treehouse/

Pretty sure we can't drive all the way there, but 😝, a drive to the nearest major airport would be a great beginning. 

Oh that looks good!!!!

[Elizabeth86]

55 minutes ago, Lady Marmalade said:

Fiji.

WTM meetup in Fiji?

https://matangiisland.com/fiji-accommodation-treehouse/

Pretty sure we can't drive all the way there, but 😝, a drive to the nearest major airport would be a great beginning. 

Not sure what it’s like in Fiji, but with the info from another post, I’m not leaving the country. Is the water safe to drink?

[Elizabeth86]

1 hour ago, Janeway said:

Those thoughts have completely gone through my mind! All these years of homeschooling, I always had a little one home. But now, my house would be empty. I could clean it. I could eat what I want, do what I want, etc. I would not have to repeat myself twenty million times a day to stop picking on each other. 

Right? I REALLY don’t consider it an option, but it is fun to fantasize. The first  time every has been school age, that will change in February though.

[itsheresomewhere]

I watch this couple in Alaska on YouTube who have a fabulous greenhouse/hoop garden system, lots of butterflies and just seems like a peaceful place right now.  How does Alaska sound? 

[Elizabeth86]

11 minutes ago, itsheresomewhere said:

I watch this couple in Alaska on YouTube who have a fabulous greenhouse/hoop garden system, lots of butterflies and just seems like a peaceful place right now.  How does Alaska sound? 

Oh heck yeah!! My #1 place I want to visit and I’d say the weather would be ideal for me right now!!

[itsheresomewhere]

Just now, Elizabeth86 said:

Oh heck yeah!! My #1 place I want to visit and I’d say the weather would be ideal for me right now!!

Woohoo!  Can you imagine the pictures we could take? 

[Elizabeth86]

Just now, itsheresomewhere said:

Woohoo!  Can you imagine the pictures we could take? 

Right? I’m definitely get your there when the kids are bigger.

[YaelAldrich]

I'm voting Fiji.  Alaska has too many gigantic skeeters at this time of year.  Can I join you?  First day of school (sprung on us late last week since I totally forgot the rest of the US goes to school way earlier than New England).  Grumpy child.  Grumpy parents.

I'm bringing homemade pizza and vegan marshmallows for the smores.

Make room for one more.  Please.

[ScoutTN]

I’m in! Rough week here and I’m ready to escape. I’ll come back in a few years, when Ds is out of high school. 
I vote Fiji, not Alaska.

@fairfarmhand One of my peasants is in a constant state of revolt. Hold the line on the phones. 

[Ann.without.an.e]

I’m sorry @fairfarmhand

I’m also 100% down to runaway too 

[katilac]

9 hours ago, fairfarmhand said:

 We changed our cell phone policy here at the house because people kept disappearing for hours on end in their rooms with phones.  

idk, I was often pretty delighted when my angsty teens or cranky dh disappeared for hours on end, are you sure about this one? 😂

8 hours ago, fairfarmhand said:

No phones in bedrooms. Phones go into a basket on the dining room table after 6:30 pm.

dh and I would probably find this even harder than our young adults. 

[happi duck]

5 hours ago, HS Mom in NC said:

Well, I just retired, so I'm available. Vegetable gardening has a steep learning curve since I'm trying to learn how to grow everything and it hasn't rained much for a long time. I threw a rotten on the vine tomato at a bird today in frustration. I didn't actually hit the bird.

I say we find a cool treehouse to crash in by some water and pretend to be mermaids. We can drink mimosas, read novels, and eat s'mores by the campfire. 

Love this image and imagine reports of a pack of feral moms...

[TexasProud]

Hugs. Parenting is no fun sometimes. 

[scbusf]

Fiji looks beautiful, but I don't get on airplanes unless I have to. 

I will drive and pick up whoever on my way to wherever.

[Ann.without.an.e]

21 hours ago, Elizabeth86 said:

I’m having that kind of day too.!🤣Let’s start driving. I was threatening public school this morning. If I didn’t homeschool, I’d have a completely empty house today. 🤣

 

Funny story when my oldest 3 were like 5, 6, & 8, one day they were giving me so much trouble (well the 5&6 year old were anyway). They could tell they had upset me and I just walked away. I needed to make a phone call and I decided to focus on that. I picked up the phone and ds looked horrified. I heard him say "what is she doing??" and oldest dd said "y'all did it, she's calling the school. we're going to school" and they all started crying. My phone call traumatized my poor kiddos that day but they were super well behaved after that 🤣

[SKL]

I feel like this every third day ... in a good week.  😛

[Ann.without.an.e]

13 hours ago, katilac said:

idk, I was often pretty delighted when my angsty teens or cranky dh disappeared for hours on end, are you sure about this one? 😂

 

 

hmmm a thought...we should all stay home and send our DH's and kids away for some sort of required WTM camp. I'd be down lol. 

[Kanin]

1 hour ago, Ann.without.an.e said:

 

hmmm a thought...we should all stay home and send our DH's and kids away for some sort of required WTM camp. I'd be down lol. 

Are you guys fans of I Mom So Hard yet?

Mom camp: https://www.facebook.com/awestruckTV/videos/1900703556871896/

Mom camp podcast: 

 

Why do we pay so much for camp for kids?? 

 

[Frances]

2 hours ago, Ann.without.an.e said:

 

hmmm a thought...we should all stay home and send our DH's and kids away for some sort of required WTM camp. I'd be down lol. 

My husband used to take our son on a Spring Break trip every year and our son also spent 2-3 weeks with extended family in another part of the country every summer from ages 8-16. Both gave me a much needed break and were very enjoyable adventures for him.

[fairfarmhand]

Here we are again.

I was researching weekend getaways for my dh and I. We have our 25th wedding anniversary coming up and I wanted to do something special. My ds yelled mom every 5 minutes for 2 hours, needing help with his assignment. Most of the time, the conversation went like this. "What do you needhelp with?"

"I don;t know what to do next."

" Look at the instructions. The next step says to...."

"Oh. Okay. I hate this project."

Repeat over and over again for 2 hours. 

I exited out of all of my air b and b tabs. There's no way I can go anywhere.

Ds bombed his science test today. He'd been doing better when I would sit with him and help him take notes on the work. However, he didn't go back to the earlier sections where he'd gotten a string of 40s and 60s on his homework, so those sections really hurt him in the test. 

Last night, dd17 had yet another meltdown. If she and her therapist can't make progress by the end of September, I'm taking her to the dr to see about SSRIs. She's just not doing well at all. She has her driver's exam Thursday and I'm so nervous about her passing. She really needs to drive not just to help me but she needs the confidence and independence for her heart. She does not need a failure right now. I'm not telling her that, because she gets nervous enough driving.

So yeah. I have no business leaving town right now, anniversaries or not. 

[Ann.without.an.e]

I’m so sorry. It is overwhelming and I’ll go back to my mantra that teens/young adults are more emotionally draining than young kids. Yes, little kids are physically tiring but I’d rather be physically tired than emotionally drained any day.
Hang in there ((hugs)). 

Edited August 23, 2022 by Ann.without.an.e

[scholastica]

I disagree. Now, right now, is when you need to go away with your dh. Even just a short trip. You need a break. It only feels like you can’t. It will be good for all of you. You will return better able to handle all the things. Hugs to you, though. It’s a lot.

[heartlikealion]

1 hour ago, fairfarmhand said:

Here we are again.

I was researching weekend getaways for my dh and I. We have our 25th wedding anniversary coming up and I wanted to do something special. My ds yelled mom every 5 minutes for 2 hours, needing help with his assignment. Most of the time, the conversation went like this. "What do you needhelp with?"

"I don;t know what to do next."

" Look at the instructions. The next step says to...."

"Oh. Okay. I hate this project."

Repeat over and over again for 2 hours. 

I exited out of all of my air b and b tabs. There's no way I can go anywhere.

Ds bombed his science test today. He'd been doing better when I would sit with him and help him take notes on the work. However, he didn't go back to the earlier sections where he'd gotten a string of 40s and 60s on his homework, so those sections really hurt him in the test. 

Last night, dd17 had yet another meltdown. If she and her therapist can't make progress by the end of September, I'm taking her to the dr to see about SSRIs. She's just not doing well at all. She has her driver's exam Thursday and I'm so nervous about her passing. She really needs to drive not just to help me but she needs the confidence and independence for her heart. She does not need a failure right now. I'm not telling her that, because she gets nervous enough driving.

So yeah. I have no business leaving town right now, anniversaries or not. 

Oh man, that's a lot. Well as far as the driving... IF she struggles with the test, I would tell myself it means she's not ready (seriously, what good is it to her and other drivers if she's not?)

It's the beginning of the year. I'd try not to put too much weight into the scores. My ds got a low grade on his summer reading test (xh and I both gave him tons of material... audiobook, physical copy, apparently he watched movies...). What can you do? I mean that in a rhetorical way. 

Could you and your dh just go out over a weekend? A short one night stay or even an evening out... I don't think that should be an issue? Maybe your dd could go to a friend's to spend the night soon so you get a break and it might lift her spirits. 

[Ann.without.an.e]

I'm with @scholastica ...maybe take a short trip? We are taking a short trip in November and delaying our larger trip by a year since dd is expecting twins and will need us close. Even just a night or two may be good for your morale ❤️ 

[HS Mom in NC]

Honestly, I don't think the consequences for either kid will be catastrophic or even significant you and your husband take a weekend away. So a kid bombs an assignment.  Shrug. So a kid might fail a driving test. Shrug. (No one is saying you have to schedule the get away at the same time as the test.) People were surprised to hear all 3 of my kids passed permit and license tests on the first try because apparently it's very common for neurotypical, good academic students to fail the first time and even the second time.  So if a kid, who already has a therapist, doesn't pass, her world will not end. Your world will not end.

Don't get yourself into the mindset that one certain outcome is the only one that will keep the world spinning or you'll create some mental health issues for yourself.  Be prepared emotionally/mentally/spiritually for different outcomes and be prepared to articulate them to her calmly and confidently.  "If you fail the test you'll do what everyone else who fails the test does-you'll try again until you pass." If she has a downward spiral you'll let her therapist know and maybe move up the other testing. Maybe a low dose anti-anxiety/sedative is in order for test day-ask the therapist.

Not getting a break during intense times is hard on a person, marriage, and family. I say that as someone who has been through serious mental health issues with multiple immediate family members at the same time for years at a stretch.

[QueenCat]

I concur with others... You NEED this trip more than you don't. You have plenty of places within a couple of hours drive. 

[SKL]

I agree with a short getaway.  The kids will be all right.  They might even learn a couple of valuable lessons from not being able to call you every 5 minutes.