My 20 year old son, Nick, called me yesterday asking me what I could suggest to help him. He had fever, chills, body aches, vomiting, headache, congestion, etc….he felt horrible (obviously) and didn’t know what to do. I told him to Doordash the grocery store to get Gatorade, saltines, Tylenol and chicken broth (his girlfriend was at work). He was freaking out about trying to get a Covid test..no rapids were available. Finally, his girlfriend was able to get him an appointment at a drive thru place…he went there and got the results today that he is positive. I have to say that I am VERY proud of myself for how I handled this situation!! My model was:
C- Nick sick (has Covid)
T- He’ll be ok, he has what he needs. (He’s in CO and I’m in NYC for those that don’t know)
F- calm
A- talk to him and give him suggestions to help him feel better (he asked for this), text his brother to tell him he should get tested, chat with my life coach via text a bit about this, text his girlfriend and she got home from work to see if he is ok and if she needs me to send anything to them, check in with him before I go to bed, recognize that he is an adult and can go to the ER if he needs to (that’d be horrible…but he is capable!)
R- I’m ok.

In the past I would’ve been losing my mind! He’s across the country and he’s sick and I’m not there!! What kind of mother am I? This is pretty much what my model would’ve been then!
C- same
T- I am a horrible mother!
F- guilty
A- ruminated, beat myself up, cried, drank a lot , over ate, stayed up all night worrying, texted him every few minutes, texted his brother and girlfriend every few minutes, paced around the apartment,
R- I’m horrible to me! (As if any of that would’ve helped my son!)