Oh my goodness...you have been handed a plate full. One of the parents that died is your child so please accept my sincere sympathy. My daughter died at age 23 leaving a 2 year old daughter. She is now 16. That life we may have expected is no longer, because we are parents again.

You will need help. Are you married? You and the kids will probably need counseling. And you will need a better support group than this. Try searching on Facebook for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. I think there may be several.

Your situation is 3x the amount of work and emotional toll. I'm exhausted so I can only imagine how you feel. You also need help with your grief. Compassionate Friends is a wonderful resource for parents who have lost a child.

I'm listening so share your pain and confusion.

Thank you, Janis. It's good to know I'm not alone.

Yes, I am married. My sister moved in with us about 2 months ago and that has helped allot. It is still quite a load, especially with the world gone Corona crazed and the new school semester less than two weeks away. Adding the maskite madness to all the 21st century parenting quirks and that is looking like quite the challenge. I am still suffering medical trauma flashbacks when I look at a mask and? ? ? Do you think the teachers will be offended if I ask them to turn up the nitrous oxide a bit?

I haven't been desperate enough to reopen my facebook account and the open CPS/court cases have us saturated on the creative uses of social media. On the mini screen, it's hard to tell a doctor from a social worker from a family court judge from anyone else on this custody food chain. I can't imagine handling teleshrinks with dignity. The support groups are all CFC. Closed For Corona. I don't believe I could calm my flight instincts long enough to sit in a masked, socially distant support group. I believe those options are going to have to wait until the world regains a modicum of sanity.

Thank you for listening, Janis. I don't remember ever feeling more alone than I have since Corona crowned. Are the germaphobes safe yet?

I understand about physically going to a group. I take my daughter to counseling once a week and that is about as much as I get out. That is why I found the online groups so helpful. This group must not be monitored so it really isn't a very good one for getting daily help. It may take some work, but I hope you can find people that are more accessible.

It seems like you have a good sense of humor which should help during the frustration and exhaustion of your new daily life.

I guess I'm not much help as I am in the middle of teen angst and the corona madness isn't helping us either. I truly hope you can get everything settled and you will fall into a routine of sorts. There is an online group called For Moms only which may help with your grief. https://www.formomsonly.org/

I will let you know if I come across a support group for grands raising grandchildren.

Thanks again, Janis. Don't underestimate your helpfulness. In my personal herstory with peer support, being able to find common ground through differing demographics often provides some of the richest support I've experienced. Yes, it helps to know I'm not alone, but we don't have to be twins to empathize.

"Grandfamilies" are among the more productive searches I've done for the quest of finding on-line support, but there, too, I am not finding allot of activity in the groups, etc. I'm putting my hopes into prayer. The Cosmos know what to send us.

I bookmarked your grief support link for later perusal. Three little ones within Corona isolation don't leave me allot of reserve for self-care. Next month is the first anniversary of the fatal accident. It might be time to do something about that. Corona permitting. . .

The 4 and 6 year old were in grief counseling before Corona crowned and I was slated to begin mine, but ya knows, ya knows. . . Onward through the fog.

Wow, Bless you both