A few months ago, the New York Times set up something called the Primal Scream Line. This is how they explained it:
“Are you a parent who is tired as hell? Welcome to the New York Times Primal Scream Line, where the floor is yours to yell, laugh, cry or vent, for a solid minute.”
Here are some of the messages that people left on the Primal Scream Line:
I just wanted to say…Aaaah! Aaah!
I’m so sick of my kids.
This pandemic has made me realize that maybe I’m not cut out to be a mother.
I am doing my sixth load of laundry today.
God, every day I think I can’t do this again, but then I do. I get it, I get up and I do it. Because that’s just what parents do, right?
All I hear all the livelong day is ‘Mom, mom, MOM! Mom, MOMMMM, mom, MOM, mom!! MoM, mommommommom, MOMMM!!’
I learned of the Scream Line through a recent episode of the podcast, The Daily. There is no narrator for this episode. You just hear the voices of the parents. A high percentage of them are calling from the bathroom because that is the only place they can go in their house and have any privacy.
Listening to the voices on the Primal Scream Line made me realize again just how hard this pandemic has been on parents of school age children. With three fourths of the school year done, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the challenges of this past year for all of you. I’m going to repeat something we said at the beginning of the school year, something that you may need to hear again as this school year enters its final weeks.
We see you.
We love you.
We support you.
God sees you.
God loves you.
God supports you.
If you are parenting a school age child, what would you like to say to the Primal Scream Line? If you are not parenting a school age child, what message of support would you like to give to parents?
Awesome show of support!
I listened to that The Daily podcast too. I’m not a mother, but I sat in my car and cried for all parents and especially single parents. I anticipated hearing of exhaustion and frustration but hearing mom’s doubt their competence and their worry for their kids was heart wrenching. I’ve offered help to my friends with kids, but clearly not enough space to just “see” them. I stand in solidarity with all parents – I just have less peanut butter on my sleeve.
Don’t hesitate to tell your kids that You, even You, need a time out once in a while to help make your mood better. Call for reinforcements for a half hour time out, if you need it (a friend, neighbor, the old lady down the street or a church member). We all need breaks for silence and to breath in that which makes us new again. ( or sane again)
Now that we have the vaccine, call for help. Call the grandparents, ask for time off. Take care of yourself. Also, never ever get caught in the trap of thinking that you are not good enough. In their eyes you are everything, (at least until they are 13!) and you just need to love them the best you can. Did I mention call the grandparents for help!?!?