DS1 was 18 when lockdown started now 20yo

[Headyhurty]

It feels like he's missed a key part of his growing up. Last time he went "out out" he was a child, tonight he's going out with a group of proper grown up young men, but he hasn't had the transition. No social contact or development to speak of between leaving school and turning 20.

I'm sure he'll be fine, but it does feel very strange.

Get your tin hat ready, there was a post about teenagers and lockdown recently that turned a bit nasty, very unnecessarily

YANBU it is a strange period for everyone but teenagers/young adults seem to have been forgotten in a lot of the hype.

I was just thinking yesterday that is bought concert tickets as a gift for a 14th birthday in 2019, it's been rescheduled for the 2nd time now and if all goes well next year the recipient will be almost 18! Thankfully it wasn't a kids pop band 🤣

My dd was 15 when this all began, very much still a kid, at school working towards her GCSEs. By the time it's finished (fingers crossed) she will be 17, a young woman who has just applied for her first job and nearly completed year 12, looking at university applications and where she will live etc.

She's a very young almost 17 year old. Never been out out, never knocked around on parks etc cos covid, only been to a few teen parties supervised by parents, never had a boyfriend and I don't think even snogged a boy (tho she may have it's not something she'd particularly tell me).

At the other end of the scale my daunt started lockdown a bit unwell and is now weeks away from dying at 62. Life beginnings and life endings missed.

I feel so sorry for these young people who have missed such a huge part of their development. I remember when I was that age my life was a social whirl, I was never home.

Compare that to DS who turned 20 during lockdown it's like he'd just discovered this whole new world and then had it taken away from him.

It's so hard for young people. I agree that for the age range you mention they have missed a huge part of growing up around their peers. For little kids it has been so many missed birthday parties and family events that are often huge highlights for them.

Lockdown hasn’t been two years so surely he had some considerable time as an 18 year old before match last year.

It’s been a strange period but he’s here and has the rest of his life to socialise. Everyone has missed things but health and lives were at stroke and mine know there will be plenty of future occasions once’s this is over.

Sorry to hear about your D aunt @HighlandCowbag.
I agree with you @Headyhurty it has been tough . My DD also has concert tickets which were bought when she was 17 and she will be almost 20 when she gets to use them next year! Not sure she will still like Harry Styles!
I think the younger and older generations are definately the ones most affected by this pandemic . My DD was 17 when the pandemic hit. She has still not yet had the opportunity to go to a nightclub and she will be 19 next month. University has been a non event with the first year almost over without even stepping in the student union and most her course members are still a mystery. and she has still not had the opportunity to sit her driving test after her first test was cancelled last April. All of these rights of passage missed. But onwards and upwards hopefully we will be out of this nightmare time soon and they can make up for lost time!

I started a thread recently about how i think lockdown has been so awful for young adults. I still feel the same but a few people tried to make it out like a competition. Its not, but a 20 yr old doesn't want to be stuck in for a year, it must be awful.

It is awful for them. Poor kids, they have had a bum deal.

Same here. Ds was 6 months into his apprenticeship then ended up working from his room.
3 cancelled driving tests, still waiting for his first holiday with mates.
I'm gutted for them

Same here too. Dd1 was 15 when it started, is 17 now. As a pp said, she's a young 17 and is quite terrified at the idea of going to Uni in just over a year.

They've all missed out a year's worth of social development. Dd is talking about repeating Year 13 and dh and I are completely supportive of that.

DS has some Greenday concert tickets bought nearly 2 years ago, supposed to be last June, moved to this June & now June 2022. Hope he still likes Greenday 3 years on!

I feel really sorry for those students at uni who have had their first two years of their degree ruined. Year 1 was cut short, year 2 all remote learning and now they are heading to year three, where with fingers crossed, they will hopefully have a better experience.

Two years without the fun, partying, proper lectures, socialising etc and paying a top whack for it as well. This is miserable.

I don’t have a child at uni btw so no vested interest but I really think they have had a tough time.

@cookerhead DS1 is the same! He's just applied for a refund because he hasn't listened to so much Green Day in the last 6 months and isn't sure he'll be fussed about going in a year's time

@cookerhood that should be, sorry!

I feel for that age too, between a part job, socialising and college I was barely home other than to sleep at that age.
I remember coming home from parties on Saturday mornings, having a shower and going to meet my friends for breakfast before our part time jobs.
I have no kids so I'm not being partisan I just remember being that age and how much more important your peers and romances are than anything else!