Rant on: 6 Moms on What’s Making Them Seriously Angry Right Now
Dear Moms navigating, well, the impossible during what continues to be an “unprecedented” time (um, the kindest way to describe the hellscape we’re all living in as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, new variants crop up and parents are left fending for themselves when it comes to school decisions, childcare logistics and more). Wouldn’t it be great to scream into the abyss? Have a therapist on demand 24/7? Basically, just a way to let all the stresses out unfiltered? We asked 6 moms to sound off on what they’re livid about right now.
1. Nobody’s Taking It Seriously
“I am raging over members of my community not taking COVID seriously. I just found out that our preschool teachers opted against vaccination. That they would not even try to keep our children safe despite it being their literal job to do so makes my blood boil! (We pulled our child out of that school despite having only very inconvenient alternatives.) — Mary, MA
2. Where’s the Mask Mandate?
“Our governor allowed parents to opt out of their kids wearing a mask at school. I can’t even put into words how that makes me feel especially given the numbers of COVID-19 cases within children. Luckily, our school seems to be predominantly wearing masks, but it still makes me mad that there’s even an option on the table.” — Carolyn, TN
3. What Kind of World Are We Creating?
“Current rage comes from the terrifying ban on abortions in Texas and the Supreme Court’s unwillingness to uphold Roe v. Wade. Current rage also comes from the severe weather we are all experiencing due to climate change and its disproportionate impact on our poorest and most vulnerable communities. What kind of world are we creating for our kids?” — Sabrina, OH
4. Decision Fatigue X 1,000
“Having to make 100 decisions every day about my family’s health and wellbeing with zero to little guidance is driving me crazy. Can I have indoor playdates with a kid whose parents are vaccinated? My kid has a snotty nose, do I keep him home from school for three days? A whole week? We only want to eat outside at restaurants, but over the weekend, there were no outside tables, so we sat inside—is that OK? The lack of support and guidance has been infuriating…and exhausting.” — Alexia, NJ
5. Why Is Testing So Hard?
“How is it still so hard to get tested, a year-and-a-half into this? Our local testing facility has lines around the block, and while I love the over-the-counter antigen tests, it costs $50 to buy them for a family of four, which just isn’t feasible for so many folks. I feel like we should be encouraging parents to test their kids regularly, but it’s really hard to do that right now! — Jillian, NY
6. Can We Just Bone Already?
“We used to chat about each other’s days, TV shows and more. Now, it’s all—did you put hand sanitizer on at the playground? Book the kids’ haircuts? RSVP for that school volunteer assignment? We were actually having sex the other night and, not kidding, I stopped to ask: “Did you remember to email so and so back?” I’m so angry that COVID has robbed us of all our down time, but also the ability to just relax and let go.” — Stephanie, TX
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