Franglo

So much has happened since my last post, and why I have not had the chance to post. I always seem to take on so much and run myself into the ground.

In previous years, it’s been work, life and school equal pneumonia, but this year I finally managed to catch Covid.We had been so careful, but it was just a matter of time before it got us. We had our last vaccine in August before we hopped on a plan for our adult-only vacation in San Francisco.

I am in the final weeks of the fall semester for a professional development program in data analytics, works is crazy with 2023 planning, and I am officially in a new, more demanding role and dealing with mental health issues of adolescents.

Friday, October 28th, I took the test to make sure it was not an aggressive cold, and when you are positive, it comes up immediately. Eleven lovely days later, a few of those spent in bed, I finally tested negative and was able to re-enter society.

The positive test could not have come at a more inconvenient time. My spouse is busy dealing with medical appointments for one of the kids. I was so upset when he tested positive on Sunday; I felt responsible for bringing this into our house. I know it’s not my fault, but the kids need him now.

Onto my next point, the pandemic has not been kind to our kid’s mental health. If you have teenage kids, check in on them and make sure they are okay. When speaking with friends and colleagues, so many teens, especially females, are dealing with severe anxiety issues now. We are learning that this is a long journey to recovery and getting that once-perky child back.

As a stepparent, this is another situation that is so tricky. You are not part of the therapy session; you are just the glue trying to hold the family together and support both parents. This process is much like being in a tornado, you need to ride the storm, and when it’s safe, you can come out and deal with the damage. My friends have advised me to seek a therapist to help me navigate these challenges and unpack my feelings. I am in the final week of this semester and on break until January, so I think it’s time for me to partake in a bit of self-care

To all biological, step, or adopted parents, you need to put on your own mask first before assisting others. We are told this every time we get on a plane, but we forget this logic when we deplane.