How are you REALLY finding lockdown?

[MinnieAnonyMouse]

Full disclosure, I am very lucky in that I'm able to wfh, we have a nice sized garden and no kids yet. I appreciate my position is very different to some people who have no access to the outside / houseshares / living with abuse / lost jobs etc.

How are you finding lockdown? Aside from the minor issues like I miss being able to go to the shop just because I fancy something and I'd like to see my mum, it's not affecting us too badly. I'm quite an introvert at the best of times and this has reiterated that I am very happy at home and am not all that bothered about leaving. I'm loving not having a very long commute!

I wondered how everyone else was getting on - I can't be the only one who isn't overly fussed by it all? As I say, fully appreciate I'm very lucky. Feel free to rant!

Bored out of my brain. Fed up with not being able to go anywhere, fed up with looking out the window, fed up with having the same conversation over and over with colleagues about when I think this will all be over. Enjoying shopping at the local farm shop, plan to continue that when this is all over. Quite like WFH though.

I can cope with the boredom and the homeschooling for as long as it takes, but I am self employed and can't socially distance for my job, so I am worried sick that I will lose my business and that is starting to cause my mental health to suffer.

I'm coping OK. WFH all the time is a little stressful as my house is tiny so there's always someone else in the room. But otherwise OK. Lucky enough to have a garden

Dull, but at least we've caught a mild dose of CV so by the weekend we can leave the house without fear. We miss DGS terribly.

Really struggling. Lone parent with one DC. Finding the two of us together 24/7 is talking a toll on me mentally. Past few days been very teary and feeling panicky. I wfh and DC is 7.

I'm enjoying it.

I'm on a rota to teach in school so get out of the house and have the good side of my job (ie working with children) without the usual crap that goes with it. When I'm not in school, I'm planning etc but working at times which suit me.

I'm lucky to have a garden and my dd is an older teen who is able to study independently and isn't stressed or depressed by the situation.

I'm reading more than usual and sleeping better. I thought that I'd miss the gym but am getting into running and love how quiet it is when I'm out and about (it's nice being able to just run along in the middle of the road if I see somebody walking towards me).

I miss being able to hug my mum and it will be nice to browse in a book shop, but I could quite happily have another few months of this.

I’m wfh while DH is out at work as normal, we are expecting him to lose his job at some point through all this. I have a preschooler and two older kids at home so I’m looking after them all day and then working once DH gets home, logging off at midnight. It’s shit.

Previously I had a frantically busy working week with very little spare time (self employed). Always wished I had the time to do more gardening, baking, and decorating the house. Now I have all the time in the world as my non-essential business is closed for the foreseeable, but I have hardly any income and so no money to spend on paint or decorating. Am trying to find the motivation to tidy and declutter more, but its hard to do this with a small house when the tip and charity shops are shut, as I have nowhere to put anything and only limited space in the green bin each fortnight. Counting my blessings that we are all well, that I have both of my kids at home and both are too old to need homeschooling, and that we do have a small garden where we can sit outside even if it is a bit neglected, and I am trying to improve it. There are others in far worse positions than me. Have been doing a bit of sewing for the NHS and watching far too much Netflix.

Finding it quite shite tbh! I'm still working so getting out of the house but none of the nice things to look forward to after a week of work like seeing friends/family, going for a meal etc. Glad to still have a job but it feels pretty miserable!

I live in a flat so no garden so I haven't even been able to enjoy the few days of nice weather we've had. I would usually go to my parents and lie in their back garden. I felt quite down being stuck in the house when the sun was blazing outside.

Absolutely fine. But nothing for me has really changed, I’ve never had anywhere to go or anyone to see and the people I did have to see (my dad, dh family) were though gritted teeth anyway so it’s good to have a break.

It’s actually taken a load of with 17 year old Ds. He would have failed this year of his btec if he was going into college. Half the time the teachers didn’t show up so Lessons were cancelled, the kids lost morale so would just skive as well and he was doing no work. He’s almost finished the course work for this year on line now. Just shows what a waste of time face to face college is for his course.

Theoretically I am fine, WFH, no effect on income, DH home and doing housework, house and garden so plenty of space, no children, DH getting all the food we need on his weekly shopping trip BUT I am increasingly finding it hard and I really shouldn't be!

I was really enjoying it. I loved working from home with DH and my dogs, we have a beautiful rural home and large garden surrounded by forest.

The novelty has well and truly worn off and I am totally hating every minute of it. I am very very worried about the economy. It has taken the shine off any of the benefits I have outlined above. I yearn to go back to normality, early mornings and my commute are now things I miss as they represent normality and progress.

I guess the weather turning to shit doesn't help

I feel like I am running a mass catering operation with 4DC. Between husband now in study and needing to support children with study, my work is having to be squeezed in in the evenings - fortunately it can be but I am earning less as a result (self employed). Spend disproportionate amounts of time trying to find out where all the gadget chargers have gone. Middle 2 DC queuing for my phone to contact friends - no one contacts me other than close family. Who I haven't seen since Christmas and have no idea when I will see again (parents over 70 and 300 miles away).

Quite bored in that the days are busy, long but I don't really get to do anything I want to do - craving space alone, and very worried about DC4 who starts school in September and was doing so well at preschool after taking ages to settle in. Now he gets hardly any of my time and I am sad that he will miss the end of his time at preschool.

But coping. Just a bit 'meh'. And we are at least well. But I'd like to know when schools reopen, the children so miss it.

Theoretically we are also fine, but mentally I’ve really really had enough, there needs to be some restrictions eased next week for many people’s mental health. If not I could see myself considering breaking the rules.

@connie222 what course is DS doing? DD planning on a Btec next year so hope it's not the same one?! Initially I struggled with lockdown, but now as a family we have got in to a pattern, I'm actually fine with it. Teenage kids stay in bed until 12 noon ish. Dh is only one working in his office. Near his work is a Sainsbury's so when its quiet he pops in and gets all our shopping. I have been enjoying our garden, it's never looked so good. Although I have now run out of garden bags to take to the tip, as all full. Now weather is rainy i need to start on tidying house. I am enjoying actually reading the books for book club. Plus I am actually talking to friends more as everyone is making more of an effort to call or zoom.

I have hated every second and have been desperate. I think I won’t be able to go out afterwards either. I can’t concentrate, settle to anything, worry about everything and I am so tired of these four walls.

Then I feel guilty because we have enough space and a garden, but people can’t help how they feel and living in a state of constant anxiety, not earring or sleeping much, is so hard. I’ve been nowhere since the middle of March and don’t think that will change any time soon.

I’m worried about everyone and everything.

On paper I've probably got it quite hard. 3 year old and 5 month old. 2 bed flat with no garden. I'm self employed so still need to work and DP is a key worker so I'm alone all day with the kids and working at home the weekends and evenings.

I actually feel ok though. If I could see my mum (healthy and in her 40s so it wouldn't be a high risk) I'd be absolutely fine. We haven't suffered financially at all, in fact we are better off than ever, and I think that makes a massive difference

I'm loving it and have realised I don't want to go back to work and am a much nicer person when I'm just being a stay at home mum. It's helped me to realise that the cause of my stress was work and I have handed my notice in the all my clients. Yes I'll have less money but for me my stress is worth it.

Love just focusing on my own children now. I'm an introvert and like Being at home.

Do miss all the trips we used to do and fun times with friends.

@tumpymummy level 3 business. It’s an awful, bullshit course in my honest opinion having been helping Ds with some of the online work. Insanely repetitive and boring. Unfortunately he messed up his GCSEs so couldn’t do A level and his choices at college were limited.

I was a homeworker before this so my workload has remained the same (heavy) but now I have DH and the DCs at home which I found too distracting at first.

To be honest, I'm now enjoying having the DCs at home as I usually travel round the UK once/twice a week and now all meetings are being done virtually. The only thing is with working full-time and then having new things in the evenings (zoom church prayer meetings, quizzes with friends) and being just as knackered after work I'm not doing anything extra like watching all these free plays/musicals, getting through the pile of books I have to read. If anything, I'm busier. Sorry to all those who are bored and furloughed, and I don't wish myself in their place, but I'm just being honest :(

I feel terrible for others, but I am loving it. I’m a single parent and have been furloughed from my main job but still have a small amount of self employed work to keep my brain ticking over. I’m in touch with the friends who matter to me, but it’s got rid of a lot of the social nicety stuff which I always hated.

Ds and I are in a lovely routine - he was at school 8-6 before, and it’s making me reasses how I want our lives to look like afterwards, because this reset button result has been an insight into how we could be happier.

That said, I’m trying not to worry about the state of the world afterwards - we may not have jobs, I def can’t afford to buy a house and my credit rating is so crap i might not even be able to rent one. For now though, life has given us a pause button and I’m grateful for this time

Hating every minute. On maternity leave with 4 month old who doesn't sleep, 4 year old reception age child with boundless energy and noise. Thankfully DH is at home but he doesn't qualify for any furlough so he's not earning. It's shit. I want to see my family. Grandparents are normally a huge part of DC lives. I am better when I am busy, I love being busy and having a plan. Every single day is the same, relentless and my motivation for everything has gone. I just can't be bothered.

I find the shopping stressful, making sure that elderly parents have enough stuff etc. I wish the kids could see their grandparents and that I could spend proper time with my parents. Work has been tough and quite stressful but it always is, this is just in a different way from before.

But other than that, this has made me realise how much I hate leaving the house and how high my anxiety was before (hangover from birth trauma and PTSD recovery). I’m more concerned about how I’ll feel when it all goes back to normal.

On paper we’ve got it pretty easy. Decent sized house, big garden, no money worries (at the moment). DC are young (6,4 and 1). DH working from home.
It’s shit though. I’m not a ‘homebody’, I like getting out and doing things and seeing people. I like the freedom of being able to take the 1 year old for a meander round the garden centre when he’s grumpy. I like popping round to friends houses so all our children can play together. My mum lives round the corner (alone)... I like popping round for a coffee and a chat, or her coming round to see the DC. I like going out to NT properties at weekends with my dad. I like going out to nice restaurants with DH. I like going to new places, being active, doing things, seeing people. I don’t like being stuck at home day in day out. I don’t like making constant bloody meals and constantly bloody tidying up and looking at the same bloody walls.
So it’s fine, we’re lucky, we’re ok... but it’s shit.

Every single day is the same, relentless and my motivation for everything has gone. I just can't be bothered

^ and this, in spades.