“I’m part of a texting chain with other moms in my town who are really upset by how the school has handled COVID and deciding to close and go all virtual. There’s also a Facebook group and everyone keeps posting really negative things, plus the texts are non-stop. I’m not saying I don’t agree with them fully, but the text chain and group have just become overwhelming. Is there a way to respectfully remove myself from both without causing drama or sounding upset? I’m also kinda worried I’ll be completely out of the loop if I hit the unfollow button. Help!” — Carolyn, 36, Texas Lauren Smith Brody: Oof. I feel this, Carolyn. We have all been living in a state of high-alert for almost a year now, and I relate to that feeling of “needing to know all of the details of the developments of the things that can affect my children immediately and without delay.” It actually reminds me a lot of the hyper-vigilance I felt when my oldest son was born and I had postpartum anxiety. I learned, years later, that the intrusive, scary, and obsessive worries that many moms experience are actually not a sign of weakness but of strength: Our brains, by imagining the worst, are priming themselves to be protective of our beloved children. But sometimes we get too primed! Right now, the best thing we can do to protect our kids is to keep mama feeling less stressed! So, for sanity’s sake (and your kids’ wellbeing) I definitely recommend opting out of the text and Facebook deluge. Some strategies: Trying to help your child with distance learning? Here are the best learning apps for kids. As an entrepreneur who can’t quit journalism, Brody writes regularly about the intersection of business and motherhood for, among others, The New York Times, Slate, Bloomberg Businessweek, and Elle, and pens advice columns for Parade Media and the children’s brand Maisonette. Brody is on the board of the early education nonprofit Docs for Tots. A longtime leader in the women’s magazine industry, she was previously the executive editor of Glamour magazine. Raised in Ohio, Texas, and Georgia, she now lives in New York City with her husband, two sons, and rescue puppy.
