MrsMC works at the sharp pointy end of children’s services. Ridiculously stressful, ridiculously long hours, often feels as though our family comes second to those she deals with at work.

Got the usual “will be late home, can you do the kids taxi run” text at 4pm, and felt really pissed off about it tonight.

Came home to find her and the eldest knee deep in kids toys she has collected from the local radio stations Christmas charity collection so that she and her colleagues can distribute them to families next week that otherwise may have nothing to open Christmas morning.

Feeling a bit of a **** for kicking off earlier now my first world problem has been put into perspective. I’ll not complain when I have to pick the youngest up again at 9pm.

Say sorry and get on with your life. Too much shit around no pint you feeling crap as well.

Merry Christmas.

No pint? No wonder he feels crap.

Just heard that a lovely 9 year old lad my sister in law’s family foster, had an operation to sort out his spine, it hasn’t gone well and is now paralysed. He’s got no family (bar our extended foster family). Heartbreaking. And here’s me complaining of anxiety on here earlier

I work in children’s social care. This year we have distributed over 4000 presents to children on child protection/child in need plans, children on care orders living at home, children and families receiving targeted early help services and best of all…young people that have left the care system and often get overlooked.

It’s been busy, hectic but heartwarming.

The pint will be after the driving around finishes for the night!

Houns – yeah. Sounds like we’ve had similar experiences with mental health, and stuff like that forces you to take a step back. In what appears to have become a polarised and negative world, the work my wife does, and the selflessness of foster families, are truly humbling.

Yup, my hat is off to them

No pint? No wonder he feels crap

Ha, ha, exactly!

My best mate’s relationship broke down last year due to her job working with screwed up families. Not the sort of job you leave at work when you knock off.

Not a job I could do.

Respect to her, but can also understand how you might feel… My mate felt the same some of the time.

You lot are Awesome..

Never forget that.

You shouldn’t feel bad. We all need to look after ourselves and enjoy what you have been looking forward to, if we don’t, supporting others will eventually grind you down. I can’t imagine what work some people take home in their minds, I just worry if I’ve locked vehicles and a container. The fact you feel bad just shows you’re a decent person.

Houns Member
Just heard that a lovely 9 year old lad my sister in law’s family foster, had an operation to sort out his spine, it hasn’t gone well and is now paralysed. He’s got no family (bar our extended foster family). Heartbreaking.

Please try and make sure he gets as much help as possible. He needs to go to a spinal unit and get in touch with Back Up Trust, a spinal cord injury support charity.

* I’m a MTBer that went and **** it by breaking my neck, leaving me paralysed below the neck. I also volunteer for Back Up. They will be able to help going forwards.

Houns – Just because somebody is in a worse position that doesn’t mean what you’re feeling isn’t real and doesn’t matter. All the best.

Cheers, he’ll be moving from Birmingham children’s hospital to Oswestry soon

MC she sounds amazing. Well done for supporting her, good lad. Don’t be grumpy.

Several sacks of the presents that were supposed to be delivered yesterday by my partner and her children’s services department are now in our lounge. Someone crashed the van they were going to use! Now she has to run around on Monday instead.

Which bit annoyed you? Her having to work late or you having to sort out the kids?

We don’t have any kids so her having to work late at last minute doesn’t bother me as it normally doesn’t impact me. (Other than eating tea alone and watching TV).

@geuben it’s the fact that neither me nor the kids can rely on her being there when we would like her to be – our kids are 13 & 16 and understand the importance of what she does, but a few times she’s missed events as she’s working late and I’ve seen the disappointment on the kids faces.

I’ve ended up going part time to ensure that there is someone around for the kids when they need it – both do activities at county level. I’m looking to try and get my career back on track but it has to fit around her unpredictability.

This year’s highlight was when I crashed on a ride on the day I needed to take daughter to a music exam.

“Can you leave work to do the exam run – I need to go to minor injuries to get checked out?”
“No, I’m in court, can’t get away.”

So I took daughter to her exam with what I thought was just gravel rash on my face and a bit of whiplash. 5 hours after crashing the MIU team found the broken finger and trapped nerves 😄

Kids do certainly complicate your situation. I’ll add this anecdote to my list of reasons not to have kids.

Try to take something from knowing that your kids are in a better scenario than the child your wife is in court about.

I also have a somewhat similar scenario with my parents (in their 70s). My mum runs the local food bank and my dad is her lackey. It never stops. Their house has more food in it than some supermarkets and it’s a constant stream in and out. It takes up so much of their time and dictates when they can/can’t go away. Thankfully it looks like they’ll be handing it off to a new organisation early next year.

Yeah, I feel bad moaning about our situation bearing in mind the kids she deals with at work.