How often have you been leaving the house?

[firebirds]

Not a TAAT but inspired by another one!

How often have you been going out of the house over the past few weeks? And what's your situation wrt schooling / kids / work etc?

I work pt and have young kids (youngest is a baby, eldest mid-primary) and we go out every day otherwise I'd LOSE IT. Having thought about this, I realise that with the ice, DH isn't getting out for his usual morning cycles and so has spent all day every day Mon - Fri in the house for the last 2 weeks.

[Labobo]

Almost every day for a walk unless work prevents it. But that's about it. Maybe once a week to do some shopping, if that.

[ginsparkles]

2 days a week I go to work, I meet a friend for a walk once a week. Other than that I have been to the hospital once, my local pub for a takeaway a couple of times and to a farm shop twice.

Will take a walk in the local area as often as I can convince DD and elderly Ddog that it's a good idea.

[ShirleyPhallus]

Some of these responses are really sad. I really feel for people who are too anxious and nervous to leave the house.

Hope you have some real life support and things pick up soon

[Shelby30]

Not a lot! I haven't really been out since Thursday when I took the kids to the park.

Friday wfh only left house to drop and pick up kids from nursery.
Saturday we were going to go sledging but snow started coming down thick and fast again. DH took the 3yr old out for a little bit I stayed home with 1yr old.
Sunday weather awful again another day in the house.
Monday only left to drop kids off at my mums and then wfh.
Today I'm off work and need to go out to supermarket to get food, how exciting.

I am soooo fed up. At least during first lockdown the weather was getting warmer and dryer. I was on mat leave and dh was furloughed so it was a lot easier.

[EileenGC]

How can you not go out? I know rhe message is to stay at home but if I don't get some fresh air I would be so depressed.

I just asked my teenage siblings who did not go past their front door for 7 weeks back in March-May 2020. They said 'you just do it'. That's how they locked down in Spain, no one was allowed out except for work/medical reasons/shopping. Constant police monitoring on the streets.

Most people there live in flats. No houses with gardens. When they started lifting restrictions, children under the age of 12 were allowed out with one parent only, during a designated 2h time slot each afternoon. That lasted until June. Each age group had a 1 or 2h designated slot when they could go out. Yes they were all depressed but the country got on with it. Thank goodness they haven't locked down again.

I've had to travel for work several times since March. When I get back home I need to isolate, each and every single time. For days and weeks. When you isolate for one reason or another, that implies not leaving your house. It's doable.

[NothingIsWrong]

Every day. I work and my kids are in school. I'd go crazy if I wasn't out at the weekends. I run 3/4x a week and take the kids out.

[TwirpingBird]

I am on mat leave. I have a 2 year old and a 3 month old. I go out walking every day that it's not lashing rain. Admittedly, I only go to one of 2 playgrounds, but its vital to my sanity. It makes the day survivable.

[Wtfdidwedo]

How can you not go out? I know rhe message is to stay at home but if I don't get some fresh air I would be so depressed. Even a walk around the block where you go nowhere near other people and touch nothing?
I don't stay in because I'm anxious, I stay in because I've walked the same path outside my house so many times, I have no interest in doing so again. My children are both young and can't walk any further than about a mile at their pace. It's also been -5 or hammering down with rain here for about a month now.

[RedskyBynight]

@mootymoo

I go to work 5 days a week, not everyone has the luxury of wfh!

How can you not go out? I know rhe message is to stay at home but if I don't get some fresh air I would be so depressed. Even a walk around the block where you go nowhere near other people and touch nothing?

I feel like that too but the view from the others in my family is that by the time they have finished work/school they are too tired and it is too dark/cold to go out anyway. Plus going for a walk locally has been rather done to death over the last year.

[RedskyBynight]

Hmm, random quote there. Though I think it's the other way round - you have the luxury of going out to work and seeing people, rather than sitting at home staring at the same 4 walls and 3 other people day after day after day.

[huggzy]

I'm still working three days a week, DD is going to school on those days. I go to the supermarket once a week, last week I also needed to pop in to Poundland. That's about it- I'd like to go out for a walk every day, after a couple of days I end up craving fresh air... but sometimes it's not worth the hassle of persuading the kids!

OH is working as normal so out every day.

[orangejuicer]

Definitely going out less than I was in earlier lockdowns (have stuck to the rules throughout).

Working from home fulltime, with DP and 2yo DS. One click and collect shop a week. Maybe one high street shop for forgotten bits. I also take shopping to my dad once a week. That's about it. Trying to find more time for outside exercise but it's tricky with everything else going on.

[HelloDulling]

Almost every day. Long walks on my non working days, short walk into work three day per week.

[ImFree2doasiwant]

Single, 2 small children, work part time , 1 day in the office. My mum has the DC on my day in the office. WFH the rest of the time. Most when they're in bed.
We got out every day , for my sanity and theirs (they are the bouncing off the walls sort ) also we have horses so go to them twice a day.

[HerMammy]

Work 5x per week, on day off do any shopping needed, have dogs to walk. Only on MN have I seen ppl who never go out even if not shielding, GF in his 90s shielding we drop off his shopping etc for him.

[HelloDaisy]

I wfh part time, but have done that for last 15 years so no change. Dh though is shielding so wfh in the last year. Teenage dc are now homeschooling.

I go out for a walk with same friend every day for my sanity and exercise.
DS walks our dog every day or goes for a run.
Dd has recently started going out every day but has a long time hardly leaving the house!
Dh rarely goes for a walk...

[KenAdams]

Every weekend. I'm not really leaving during the week because I have a lot of work on and it's been so cold.

[Eviebeans]

Work from home all the time and have done for years. During lockdown got used to going out for a walk at least once a day sometimes more in good weather. Mostly doing on line shopping atm. Noticed recently that because of the snow, ice, rain etc over last couple of weeks that I've been going out less and less. Also finding that the less I go out the more reluctant I am to go out. So will need to make a change to that.

[AuntieMarys]

I walk every day between 3 and 8 miles. I'd go mad if I didn't.

[GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER]

No dcs to worry about, but have been out virtually every day - unless icy pavements or really tipping it down - for a walk of about 45 minutes. Have still gone in light rain or drizzle. Often don’t feel like it but make myself go so I can feel virtuous afterwards. 🙂 Food shopping maybe twice a week, sometimes combined with a walk. We’ve never had deliveries.

Dd with 3 little dcs much the same, takes them out to run around virtually every day.

[Nitw1t]

WFH FT. So is DH. DCs are 5 and 7.

We hardly go out at all. Once a week to the shops probably - but we take it in turns - so fortnightly?

I workout every day at home (so does DH). DCs go in the garden, but have only been "elsewhere" 2 or 3 times since early Dec.

We're lucky to have space, but I didn't realise people were going out so much!

[AdventureIsWaiting]

I go out every day for a short walk. DH is more nervous than me so maybe goes 4 times a week. We check on his shielding parents in person once a fortnight, bring them any odd bits they can't get in a supermarket delivery. We've been able to get deliveries for several weeks now. That's it.

I'll be going back into the office 1 day per week in a fortnight or so. I'm running out of work I can do at home and building up a huge pile of work that has to be office-based (not been in since November).

[itsgettingwierd]

I go 'out' everyday.

I work in special education so I'm still working.
I then try and get out for a walk at least 1 day if the weekend and the other day 'out' might just be supermarket!

Ds (16) is college from home 9-4.30 4 days a week.
He doesn't get out these days because it's been dark when he finishes but he runs on treadmill daily for 30 minutes and then does workout on tower gym.
He walks with my dad on his day off and at weekend with me.

I'm hoping as weather improves and it gets lighter in evenings we can get out more after work/college for a walk - even if just half an hour fresh air.

This week is half term and I have to admit I'm not getting out as much as I should.
Walked Saturday down beach and to dr today for blood test. Meeting support bubble tomorrow and will walk then.

I'm not going to deny despite the risks work has been my saviour through this for getting out (more playground time than usual too) and adult social contact.

[LaVitaPuoEsserePiuBella]

WFH, three teens who are not at school BUT REALLY SHOULD BE.
Every day. Once, maybe twice, sometimes even three times. Walking/shopping/get a takeaway coffee/keep my sanity/looking at the trees and escaping the teens.

[itsgettingwierd]

@Plump82

I work from home and I've been out the house 3 times for a walk since the 19th December. Ill be honest my anxiety is through the roof and it makes me feel worse being out than in. But i know it isn't good for me. My skin looks awful, im not sleeping well, I just look terrible. I just need to pluck up the courage to get out.

Sorry to hear this

Do you know what's causing the anxiety of getting out?

My friend has been going through this and actually got a dog Walker because she was struggling with this. Her OH shielding which is what's adding anxiety.

I meet her at least fortnightly to walk dogs with her to help her get out and not feel alone.

Do you have a friend who could support you this way?