Mom got laid off.. Need advice

[OUpearlgirl]

My mom went back to work once all three of her daughters were in school, and had been writing a weekly column for 16 years. She recently picked up an extra column a week where she could write about anything she wanted. Her job was not so much for the money, I think most of it went to little presents for us and dining out, etc. But, my mom absolutely LOVED her job. It was perfect for her.

Yesterday, she, along with 130 other employees of her paper were laid off. She cleaned out her desk today and called me crying, saying she feels like something has died. She now has no children left at home, a husband who travels often, and no job. I know that she will find something new to do, but i know right now she doubts she can find something she loves just as much. I feel so bad for her. If you were in her shoes, what would you want from your daughter(s)? I have talked to her a lot in the last two days and she seems so down. Luckily, she is going to our sororities national convention tomorrow and is one of the two "bloggers" so she will be kept busy for a few days.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[steph72276]

Hi, there

Well, wish I could give you some advice, but the same thing is actually going on with my family right now. My parents came to visit us last week...we had a wonderful vacation together and went they went back to work yesterday, my mom got the news that she was being laid off. I feel really bad for her because my dad travels a lot as well and both my brother and I are gone and out of the house and I live in another state. She was so sad and said she was too old to find something as good as she had (she is only 51). Anyway, just give her support and let her know that you are there to listen. Hope she finds something she loves soon.

 

[swingirl]

Encourage your mom to keep writing her column at home and save them. She might be able to use them for another column or it might just be that she can keep up her skill while doing what she enjoys.

And if she had a 9-5 job she probably misses lunch with her coworkers. She might appreciate going out to lunch now and then.

 

[OUpearlgirl]

Well, her column was a society column, minus the gossip. She went to ribbon cuttings, heart galas, anything and everything in the DFW for free and got to write about them. So, I don''t think she can still write the column. It will be a whole lifestyle change for her, because she always had something going on and rarely sat at home on the couch on a Friday night.

Also, I am in OK and she is in TX.

 

[Sabine]

Help her find volunteer projects to get her involved in. If she was used to attending the galas, openings, etc., maybe she would enjoy help planning them/fundraising for them?

And it''s never too late to go back to school or at least take an interesting class or two while she figures out what she wants to do!