I feel like I’m at my wits end with my family about this COVID stuff.

I’ll start with my mother. She works in a hospital so that automatically puts her in a higher risk category for exposure. Then on top of that she starts dating some asshole during all of this that works at a fedex hub, also large amount of exposure. Then they both start going and getting to get her with other people (they went to party at my aunt’s house), they went and met his family, they went to the beach as soon as restrictions lifted and met up with another couple for dinner. As I write this, I’m looking at FB pictures of my mom going out yesterday with 3 friends and they met 2 more coincidently. All of these people work in the healthcare field, including one who is a nurse in a large city hospital that has not opened up like the surrounding counties.

I have no problem with this other than I worry about her safety, of course, she’s my mom. But she is making her own decisions and that is fine. What isn’t fine is when she doesn’t understand why I don’t want her to come see my family, or why we don’t want to go to my uncle’s house for a family Fourth of July party, or why I let my father come do stuff with us outside (he’s not high risk, works from home, and has been following the safer at home model).

This all started because I told her I didn’t think it was a good idea for her and her asshole boyfriend to come eat with us at some park so we could meet him formally, because there isn’t room to socially distance ourselves while eating. My compromise was that she alone could come down just like my dad did and we could go walk in the park. She claimed that was fine but then threw a bunch of “but just so you know” asshole boyfriend gets temp checked at work, and they have been following the rules, blah, blah, blah. So I point out everything I just laid out in this post to her and then she comes back with “well then following that logic it doesn’t seem like you should see anyone at all”. No shit, mom. I don’t feel entirely comfortable seeing anyone right now, but I understand that I can’t keep their granddaughter away from them forever and was willing to do things with terms which she clearly doesn’t respect or she would have just gone along with it. I’m so frustrated and I’m tired of having to justify my choices over and over again or feel guilt over them. What don’t you understand?!? You work in the healthcare field, I would have thought you would be one of the most conscious of this issue.

My little cousin asked me yesterday if my family is coming to her college graduation party in August. There’s supposed to be like 40 people and I know there won’t be masks. As much as I want to go and celebrate with her, I don’t think it’s a good idea. Not to mention she lives in Florida and several of the party members are flying up with her from Florida. Of course I’m going to get shit for not going from my family, I’m sure.

Anybody have some advice or just want to commiserate together? It’s not like I don’t want to go out and have fun and see people and go to parties. That’s exactly what I want to do, but no one seems to understand that my family is choosing not to do those things to be safer. I’m just tired.