Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

How are you REALLY finding lockdown?

171 replies

MinnieAnonyMouse · 30/04/2020 10:07

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!

OP posts:
SunshineCake · 30/04/2020 22:11

What would your answer be, *@wanderings? I'm genuinely asking.

Runbitchrun · 30/04/2020 22:19

Quite enjoying it to be honest, which maybe sounds hideously selfish. I’m working from home, but nowhere near the hours I would normally, with 2 children who homeschool themselves mostly with very little intervention from me. I get out for a walk or run with the dog every day, and do a supermarket shop twice a week (once at a big supermarket and one, smaller top-up shop). Recognise I am lucky to have a house and garden so we were able to make the most of the nice weather the last few weeks. I’m quite a homebody anyway and don’t have a huge social life, so no huge changes for me. I’ve always said I would like to work from home and now know that is definitely true and I don’t miss the social interaction from colleagues.

wanderings · 30/04/2020 22:22

Getting testing sorted out, so that those who have tested negative are allowed to mix. Talking to us about exit strategy would be a start, and might do something for mental health. I know that their thinking is "if we talk about easing measures in advance, you're all going to go out and have parties right now", but I do also foresee that happening if they keep stubbornly keeping schtum, making it impossible for people and business to do any planning. At the moment they're "talking about talking about talking about talking about exit strategy".

sociallydistained · 30/04/2020 22:29

No kids. Just me. Away from partner but I've got on board with it now and I'm actually worried about going back to work now. Feel safe in my bubble. Fitter than ever and losing weight as I feel
In control. Definitely have bad days though!

TiddleTaddleTat · 30/04/2020 22:35

I'm struggling with not having in-person contact in my work. It's much more convenient to WFH but I can't do my job to the usual standard. This is frustrating and worrying for me - it has an impact on other people who are vulnerable.
Happy with being at home and not having to commute, though.
Spending much more time with DD than usual. Previously I was working manically, leaving at 7.15 before she woke and home at 6ish totally shattered. Now I'm working 9-5 in the home office and am much less stressed and tired overall tbh.
I did have symptoms of the virus starting about 5 weeks ago. I am still not completely recovered, so I'm grateful to be in lockdown if I'm honest as I would probably be signed off work if I was having to move about, drive etc. And exert myself more.

480Widdio · 30/04/2020 22:42

Absolutely hating it,I will not be complying after next Thursday.

I have only been out of the house once a day for the past six weeks to walk my dog.In isolation.

Not spoken to anyone in real life,so fed up now I can’t be bothered to video call or speak on the phone,even to my family,it upsets me to much.

Need a dentist appointment,don’t see that happening in the next few months

Need blood tests for renal problems,they are not being done until this is over.

My car is giving up the ghost.

The fallout from this is going to be way worse than the virus.

Tumbleweed101 · 30/04/2020 22:49

I've been doing ok. I'm working still but for fewer hours. That means I get out the house and have a change of scene and some grown ups to talk to but working fewer hours means I can manage all the house, children and home teaching stuff that needs doing.
The nice weather has meant ive had a chance to get stuff done in the garden. I'm far less stressed than I have been in a couple years because we're not so busy and there is no pressure to interact with others - for example, I don't feel like a bad mum for not taking the children to some activity or other because I want to stay and potter at home because that isn't an option at the moment.

Obviously I miss seeing family and friends socially and having the freedom to go and do what I choose when I feel like it but I don't think I ever really made full of use of that freedom. That might be something that changes when we do get the opportunity to do those things again.

bellabunny · 30/04/2020 22:54

I am grateful that my DC are back home from university- this is a time that I thought I would never have again. I look on it as a blessing.
On the other hand I have vulnerable parents and my father-in-law passed away last week and that has caused untold amounts of sadness as nobody was with him in his nursing home and only my husband ,his brothers and my mother-in-law cam attend his funeral tomorrow.
Hard times.

Murinae · 30/04/2020 23:00

I was enjoying it while the sun was shining, doing gardening and painting. Now it’s raining and my mother in law passed away today in a care home after catching the virus. Very quick death, mild symptoms only started on Saturday and dead at 9am this morning. Husband can’t go to hisMum‘s funeral. All got too near and real now.

RoseMartha · 30/04/2020 23:02

Tough
Depressing
Mentally draining and stressful because of responsibilities to dc (one with sn) and people not in my household.
Bored of walking with the kids to the couple of same places or round the block.
Missing proper coffee. Instant is just not the same.

DonnaDarko · 30/04/2020 23:02

I hate it. I'm so bored of being indoors all the time

DP and I have both been furloughed. We have a preschooler so the days are full of trying to keep him occupied. He seems to have developed separation anxiety, most likely as his routine has been completely disrupted (full time nursery since he was 7 months old). He also keeps saying he doesn't have any friends. I really feel bad for him and I hope he can see his nursery friends again before he starts school in September

BlessYourCottonSocks · 30/04/2020 23:03

Loving it. I've always enjoyed my job but being at home has made me realise how much I prefer not to have to leave the house, not to have to commute, not to have to interact with so many people. Wfh but enjoying pottering about garden if I feel like it. Realised I really want to retire - I'm 50s - also aware I can't afford to. I think I won't enjoy my job so much in the future knowing I'd prefer to be at home. It's also brought home to me the ridiculous hours I do normally work in a week and how much healthier I feel now I'm not doing so many.

averytiredmom · 30/04/2020 23:05

I’m really struggling. I’ve been it for a couple of weeks longer than the majority as I had to isolate earlier as my DC are shielded. I’m a single mom to 3 aged 3 and under. It’s so difficult entertaining them, without going out of the house. We can go in our garden but the weathers making that difficult as DS2 is fussy and hates the rain and cold so doesn’t enjoy being outside. I miss my family so much. And my anxiety is so high wondering how we will get out of this. Especially for my kids, will we have to isolate until there’s a vaccine?. So many unanswered questions. I’m still trucking on and will continue to do so until I’m told I’m allowed out, but what I’d give just to be able to go to the park and let my kids run around.

Crunchymum · 30/04/2020 23:09

It's been hard.

I'm WFH, I have 2 primary aged kids and a disabled 2yo. DP works out of the home.

We don't have much outside space, we don't have much tech (personal laptop broke so we use my work laptop / Amazon Fires). We are bored, fed up and demotivated but in the grand scheme of things we are OK. We aren't going to lose our home or our jobs. We are healthy, we laugh everyday, we are finding ways to use our time (who knew how long a game of I Spy could last? Or what you can fashion from the recycling bin), we are managing to get some school work done. We couldn't do it forever but we're OK.

ScreamingKid · 30/04/2020 23:09

Fine until this week,just starting to feel hemmed in.

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 30/04/2020 23:13

Struggling now, I'm a nurse and have been redeployed for 60% of my time, I'm also a single parent to a teen dd who has some additional needs.

I resent not being able to go to places because I feel like it or see my family and friends. I feel ambivalent about the lockdown in general and have been surprised that so many people have gone along with it.

I have quite liked the opportunity to explore new walks local to us, discovered a nature reserve that's a 20 min walk away Ystd that I didn't know existed before lockdown!

Ltdannygreen · 30/04/2020 23:16

Horrible, I’m used it being me and kids at home most of the time so DP has been getting on my nerves quite a bit. Don’t get me wrong I love him to bits we just aren’t one of them couples that has to spend every waking minute side by side.

IGottaGetOuttaThisPlace · 30/04/2020 23:28

I'm loving it, it feels like a long family holiday. I know I'm very lucky.

LimitIsUp · 30/04/2020 23:30

I have a large house and glorious garden and my own gym. Whilst there has been some effect on household income it has not been too severe. But I have the nous to realise that nobody will be secure in the long term from the economic consequences of this - it will have a ripple effect through all sectors and everyone's standard of living (other than the super rich) will be affected in the end. So no I can't enjoy it - despite being in a relatively advantaged position compared to many

It's also underlined to me that our lives are built on fragile foundations

randomguy12 · 30/04/2020 23:38

Terrible, some days have been good, some bad. My anxiety has been increasing and I’m eagerly waiting for the restrictions to be lifted to relieve the trauma I’m suffering

gandalf456 · 30/04/2020 23:39

Mostly, it's tough but have good days and bad days. I am still working but it's shifts so am with the kids on my own a lot.

I'd be ok if it were just me but the kids are bored, ratty and missing their friends, which is reflected in their behaviour .

I generally like my own company, too, so being with them 24/7 when they're not at their best is hard and I feel anxious and claustrophobic much of the time

UnicornRainbow83 · 30/04/2020 23:40

I'm still loving it. No more getting up at 7am to do the school run, we have a great routine, DC are well behaved and play well together, income hasn't changed, we have a good sized garden. I'm pregnant with DC3 and loving the fact that I will not be allowed any visitors at the hospital/at home for weeks after the birth. I do however miss seeing my mum and dad on a regular basis, DC miss them too.

JustStayHome · 30/04/2020 23:42

Im struggling.

7th week of shielding. Doesnt end till June

And there is a serious rumour its going to extend for another 12 weeks.

That's mid September.....

That gives me huge anxiety

CoodleMoodle · 30/04/2020 23:44

Mostly okay with some bad days. I'm a SAHM, DH is WFH. We've got DD(6) and DS(21mo).

She's missing school but reluctant to do any of the work that I provide (school not terribly helpful but that's fine), although she is doing it... and he's just intent on ruining everything she tries to do in general. He wants to copy her and she doesn't want him to, he can't talk yet and gets frustrated very quickly, and he's trying to drop his nap. It's great!

All I hear is "Nooooo, DS!!! MUUUUMMM!!!" all bloody day long. It could be a lot worse, I know that. We've got a garden and a big enough house, and we're all healthy and have food. But it's mind numbing and I miss my Mum terribly. Today was a bad day, yesterday was better.

The weather is shit at the moment as well.

BreconBeBuggered · 30/04/2020 23:44

It just feels like survival to me.DH can wfh and DS is able to get on with his studies, but we each have our own mental health issues and the veneer of calm we're each trying to maintain for the sake of the others is very very fragile. DH is the only earner and works in the private sector, so there's always the threat of the company failing or making cutbacks if business falls off. We're fortunate enough to have enough space and resources for everyone to carry on as best they can, but there's no sense of it feeling like a holiday.