"someassemblyrequired" (someassemblyrequired)
03/17/2020 at 07:15 • Filed to: advice worth what you paid for it
0
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"someassemblyrequired" (someassemblyrequired)
03/17/2020 at 07:15 • Filed to: advice worth what you paid for it | 0
| 18 |
For some of you, this will be the first time you’re stuck at home long-term with the kiddos, no childcare and no social life. Since I have plenty of experience with this situation from being a military spouse for nearly two decades, I’m gonna give you some protips. It’s bad but it’s survivable.
Here’s the key tips:
1. Kids need to burn off steam, outside, as much as possible. Get them outside, let them play. Keep them outside. Did I mention keeping them outside?
2. Everybody will need space. Sometimes you need to tell the kids to be somewhere else for your sanity and their safety. Sometimes they will need you to be somewhere else too.
3. Home morale starts with a full belly. Have some fun cooking, take your time and try something new. Use the time you would have spent commuting to up your game in the kitchen. Eating together is a good time to catch up and have fun. Sometimes everyone needs dessert.
4. The kids want to help. Give them tasks/goals/etc. - let them try to do stuff on their own and praise them when they try even if they completely stuff it. Teach them skills that will serve them well for a lifetime - whether that’s life skills or a hobby.
5. Always de-escalate. Empathize with frustrations, listen, and then try to address points of friction. Explain when you can’t.
6. Remember accidents happen. Things will break. Kids will do stupid things that should have got them killed several times over. Get them to learn a lesson rather than being pissed. They will understand and appreciate you explaining what went wrong and how it can be avoided in future.
7. Routine is good - for everyone. Kids especially. They are looking for structure - provide it. That might be in terms of keeping to a schedule of schoolwork, knowing that Monday is pizza night, or the fact they need to be heading up to bed at a certain hour.
8. Never forget that you are important, whether you’re working or not. Keep active, and make sure you give yourself a treat sometime. Don’t be afraid to spend a couple of bucks on a game on Steam or subscribe to HBO. You’re doing the most important job in the universe - taking care of the next generation.
9. Hug your kids every night and tell them you love them. If the situation is FUBAR tell them it will be ok. Even when you know it’s not. They’ll remember this time vividly. Don’t mess it up.
10. Set a goal for yourself when things get back to normal. Get your ass to Disneyland or buy yourself that car you always wanted when you make it through to the other side. You’ve earned it.
Take care of yourselves everyone and wash your damn hands.
foghat1981
> someassemblyrequired
03/17/2020 at 08:05 |
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Mr. Mom is a solid movie. Underrated!
One of my favorite lines:
Want a beer?
It’s 7 o clock in the morning
.
Scotch?
Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
> foghat1981
03/17/2020 at 08:32 |
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Great movie.
So you’re rewi ri ng the house. Are you gonna make these all 220?
Yeah, 220, 221 whatever it takes.
ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
> foghat1981
03/17/2020 at 08:32 |
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“ 220, 221, whatever it takes.”
Grindintosecond
> someassemblyrequired
03/17/2020 at 09:03 |
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This is spot on. My airline is considering half paid leave of absence. Going from travelling dad to care provider and chef will be hugely stressful on top of what you said.
Adding something to this, is ti try to accomplish something you always needed time to do but didn’t have. That hour of designated reading time or if a few shows for them is a great time to work on some things.
TheRealBicycleBuck
> someassemblyrequired
03/17/2020 at 09:15 |
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I’m “lucky” in that my kids are both teenagers. Our challenge is getting them to come out of their rooms.
The bigger challenge for me is trying to work while my wife isn’t. Any advice for that?
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someassemblyrequired
> foghat1981
03/17/2020 at 10:11 |
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Every Dad will be that guy at some point in their lives. They should hand out DVD copies in the maternity ward.
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someassemblyrequired
> Grindintosecond
03/17/2020 at 10:13 |
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Yeah it’s messy in the industry right now. I hope your company will be ok.
Yep, absolutely a good strategy. I have some outside breaks and downtime scheduled throughout the day so I can get some calls in. Luckily a lot of my work is in Asia, so I can work at night after everybody’s gone to bed.
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someassemblyrequired
> TheRealBicycleBuck
03/17/2020 at 10:18 |
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Ha yes, if they start listening to the Cure a lot you may need to figure something out.
In terms of working, have a comfortable
space
where you can close the door for calls and don’t try to work on the couch, because TV is bad because it will consume your attention - especially with all the news. Put the radio on - and it’s also a good signal to others if it’s off (that can mean your on a call). Get up and move around, go outside, take a walk in the neighborhood several times a day. Don’t rot in your office. If you have the option, work in an office with a big window. Keep said window
open if you live somewhere where the weather is nice.
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TheRealBicycleBuck
> someassemblyrequired
03/17/2020 at 10:49 |
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I’ve been through the work-from-home scenario several times. We have an office, although it is being used as a server room and storage space. There’s even a desk in there I could be working on. Instead, I’m working at the dining table, currently listening to my wife talk to family on the phone. My wife says she is going to rearrange the space so I can work in the office . God forbid I do it myself. She does not like it when I mess with the storage room.
We learned a long time ago that open space floorplans stink when you have competing uses. During a party, it’s great. When someone is trying to watch TV or talk to someone on the phone in the living room and someone else is banging around in the kitchen, open floor plans suck. As for parties, I wouldn’t run out of fingers if I tried to count the number we’ve had since we moved into this house over 10 years ago.
The upside to working in the dining room is the big window right next to me. The downside is, of course, the noise.
Thisismydisplayname
> Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
03/17/2020 at 10:58 |
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Most quoted line for me, and it’s very versatile, doesn’t have to be just about electric. Anytime someone is is mentioning a n and n+1 scenario. Some people get it, some don’t.
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Thisismydisplayname
> someassemblyrequired
03/17/2020 at 11:01 |
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Then follow it up with Gung Ho and 1989 Batman and you’ve got a pretty good afternoon right there.
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someassemblyrequired
> TheRealBicycleBuck
03/17/2020 at 11:09 |
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This is why I enjoy living in a “closed-concept” house.
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someassemblyrequired
> Thisismydisplayname
03/17/2020 at 11:10 |
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Gung Ho is great. Remember those good times when all we had to fear was Japanese efficiency
?
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TheRealBicycleBuck
> someassemblyrequired
03/17/2020 at 11:15 |
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We’ve lived in several older houses and prefer them over this house . We ended up in this one because we had three days to find a new home and the market was dried up. This wasn’t long after Katrina and everyone was looking for housing in the Baton Rouge area. This house was still under construction, but the completion date fit with our timeline for moving. We’ll take more time to buy the next house so we can get what we really want.
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Grindintosecond
> someassemblyrequired
03/17/2020 at 12:21 |
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My company will be fine, it’s the measures along the way that we shine with. Where others use bankruptcy routinely and furlough as a staffing tool, we've never been bankrupt. Never furloughed....the f word might come into play if it gets nasty, but I think we'll still weather better.
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someassemblyrequired
> Grindintosecond
03/17/2020 at 12:30 |
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Good to hear
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foghat1981
> Thisismydisplayname
03/17/2020 at 13:00 |
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I can’t recall the exact quote, but when he’s looking for a job and it turns out the opening is in texas he says something like “OK! I can be there....in 94 hours!” another high utility type of quote.
fintail
> someassemblyrequired
03/17/2020 at 13:58 |
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Classic movie. “You’re doing it wrong”. Lots of then -new early 80s Fords in that one, must have been product placement.
That facial hair would be considered normal around here.