Hi Matilda

I’m sorry to hear about your mother’s passing and your difficulties with isolation due to covid.

Would you like to talk about how you are coping or not coping with the grief of your mother’s passing? I can hear how much you loved her.

It must be very difficult for you not having that close family support.

I hope the following will comfort you, but feel free to disregard it. Your mom is a part of your memory, being with her shaped your personality. She is a part of you and you will never lose that.

How do you think your mother would advise you on this situation?

Hi Celeste!

Are you hoping to start another business or enjoy retirement?

Please tell me about your interests and hobbies!

How are you feeling after the knee replacement?

Hi Samuelward!

Generally agree, except for never leaving the dog alone. Training it to be alone and happy for a short period of time is valuable as it prevents separation anxiety. Walking a dog before doing this and giving them a chew toy guarantees good behaviour. Most likely they will happily  fall asleep. A responsible owner will create a safe place for the pup to wait where they can’t get up to any mischief.

As for toilet training, it depends on the breed. If it is a larger more intelligent breed they can take to toilet training very quickly because their bladders have more room and they have the facility to learn. Also, it is the owners responsibility to learn the dog’s elimination schedule. If the owner is attentive there won’t be a lot of accidents.

I have the good fortune of knowing a dog walker. Most people that are working away from home  hire one. I have heard of other strategies like taking the dog for a walk before work and if you live quite close going home on your lunch break. Some people put cameras in their home to check on their dog. It should be noted that not everyone works full time.

Hi Lea!

How did your exam go?

I don’t know about you, but when I have an exam due, my anxiety increases. Were you feeling anxious about the exam the other day?

I have a couple of friends with ADHD. One said that it can take some time to find the right medication.

One interesting thing about ADHD symptoms is that they are similar to the symptoms of other conditions. A doctor might test you for other conditions as well as ADHD.

Did you know that stress can cause difficulties with memory? It wouldn’t surprise me forgetting to take out the trash even when reminded, if you were feeling stressed about the exam.

ADHD can sometimes be hereditary. Are there any older adults is your family that you suspect might share these traits?

You can tell your mom that ADHD is a neurological condition. It’s not a reflection of parenting styles. She may be more receptive.

I have heard anecdotal reports of physical repetitive simple tasks being soothing for adhd. Like chopping wood or kneading dough. Some also find that coffee helps with focus, but others do not.

I feel like comments like these can be hurtful and slowly chip away at you. Have you tried asking your parents not to make this type of comments? Do you think they would be receptive?

• This reply was modified 1 year, 12 months ago by Helcat.

Hi Greenshade!

That is a very noble goal! Potentially, one of the few reasons to stay. If you left the role, would someone else take over and likely achieve that goal? Perhaps you can still help people outside of this role?

I can empathise with how you feel about HU1. In my old workplace management criticised people behind their back. It made me feel anxious and distrustful.

I think there are a lot of managers like HU2.It sounds like a combination of personal habits and the nature of the role. It sucks when it feels like management doesn’t value your ideas. But this doesn’t mean that they aren’t good ideas. There are likely a variety of factors in play.

What I liked to do when being given lots of responsibilities is ask which is the highest priority and communicate expected time frames for each item. If HU2 gets upset when you are doing that, it is not your fault. As you said, it would be a lack of organisation on their part.

1. I can understand why this is upsetting. It sounds like they don’t value the time of their employees.

2. I can understand since you explained HU2s nature. I am imagining somewhat stern and fatherly why the tone might sound different from other people who might genuinely hope to see you there. It would sound to me like someone wagging their finger sternly. “I want you to go to this.” It would have been more polite if he asked you “Would you be able to attend the event?” or “Would you like to attend?”.

3. It is understandable why you weren’t there. Was your supervisor present at the meeting? Did you give notice to the meeting host that you wouldn’t be able to attend? My husband likes to message and let people know when he doesn’t attend meetings. The micromanaging seems a bit much. Personally, I don’t enjoy that management style.

4. I think this links in with the theme of this company. They expect a lot of you. They expect you to sacrifice and they don’t seem to respect your time. It doesn’t sound like they have been receptive in the past when you communicated difficulties with a high workload. You are somehow expected to manage everything perfectly all of the time. When the reality is that we are all human, we all get tired and occasionally make mistakes.

I wish you luck with your freelancing! Or in your current role. Whichever you decide, I am sure that you will be successful. You strike me as a professional that cares about their work.