to worry about the effect might have on toddlers?

[TinyStripe]

Not complaining. Happy to lock down. I'm sticking to it, stringently. Going slightly insane with my 17 month old at home but that's life. I do worry slightly if this does go on like this for 6 months plus as they suggested it might on the news, that mine and other toddlers may miss out hugely on experiences that really shape them (for example, interacting with other children, socialising, seeing family regularly, visiting different places from beaches, parks to events etc). AIBU to be slightly concerned about this? Am I jumping the gun a bit? Maybe I'm just used to being out every day with him. Guess it's just a niggling worry I have...

I totally understand your worries and was thinking the same to be honest!

I think 3-4 year olds are at a difficult stage for this. They often do have strong friendships but can't really do video chat. They are verbal but can't really understand what's going on.

At 17 months, it will be a huge pain to keep him occupied but he will be fine emotionally

They'll be fine, might be a bit of an effort to reintegrate them so to speak after... my little one is tiny, 4 months, and I'm a bit apprehensive about how clingy he is already without possibly 6 months of never being away from me but generally he won't be any worse off.

My 5 year old though is struggling a lot, it will be harder for the older ones both now and when we can start relaxing things.

We were in far far more than is probably average when my DDs were little, but they are teens now and I don’t think it has had any adverse effects. Love and attention is what really matters and you can pick up on the rest later.

My DS is 2.9, I can definitely emphasise with this post. He normally has a mixture of nursery and grandparents and has been asking when he will go to both. It is obviously impossible to explain to him.

We are extremely lucky to have a garden, but he is definitely getting bored and not sleeping as well. I wonder if because he isnt out and about as much.

As others have said though, whilst I think this age is probably the worst to have during lockdown, they really wont remember or be too impacted. Try not to worry, hard as it is!

I’ve got slightly older children (reception / KS1) and I’m worried about the psychological impact if this goes on too long. Although I try to downplay it all, constantly being told to wash hands and not go near anyone, as well as their whole world being turned upside down, is surely going to make them anxious

My 3.5 year old is outrageously happy. We're all at home, there is always a parent in charge (we alternate). The siblings are bored enough to play with her. We let her watch tv whenever she wants, which is about 3 hours a day (because 10 hours of talking to her seems plenty).

The kids will be fine. They are resilient. In many countries they don't start school until they are 6 or 7.

The way someone approaches or socialises with other people is mostly in place by around the age of 5. But even if this goes on for another 6 months that shouldn’t be long enough to severely impact socialisation

I do feel bad right now for my 2.5 year old he had just started nursery in Jan and settled in so well and was really loving it. His speech and social skills had started coming along too. It's a shame but we are muddling through and I find I'm thinking up ideas every day that I would never have thought of before (through sheer boredom or desperation?! 😂)
Today I turned his old travel cot into a den for him. I'm calling it his gremlin cave.
Im glad he won't remember any of it though as someone said before I think it's gonna be more emotionally difficult for the older kids

Im more worried about my 7 year old severely autistic son and the regression thats going to come after with no social contact nor education, rather than worrying about my 4 year old

My daughter will be 2 next month and ive been thinking the same, we're usually either at the park or softplay most days. The quicker this is over the better

Mine are 2 & 4 and I do feel sad that they will be missing out on so much, especially the 4yr old, she starts school in September and I planned on doing quite a few day trips, museums etc, before that before she's in full time education. However these issues are so small fry compared to most and I do feel quite relieved that they don't really know what's going on. The 4yr old has asked a few questions but is entirely unbothered by it. I think it's harder for older children who's social circle means more. Really they don't have much of a sense of time and they won't remember any of this.

It's driving me nuts having both of them at home all day every day though obviously. 🤣

@blackcat86 children's progress on walking and talking isn't linear.

I think its much harder for you than the toddler. When my dc were small toddler groups and soft play didnt exist (at least not were i live). I didnt have a car and there were no playgrounds nearby. None of my friends had dc until a few years later so aside from a short daily walk and perhaps a weekly visit to my mum we didnt go anywhere. It didnt do her development any harm at all, she did well at school, got a first at uni and has always had a great social life. When i was a toddler myself we didnt even have preschools, so it was straight into school with very little socialisation. Of course times are different now but it really won't harm your child or their development as long as they are happy and engaged at home with someone they love.

My twins are 3.5, both are autistic and one has other disabilities too. Nursery helped them both so much, and kept me alive - I’m worried what will happen to all of us without it if it continues for many months. I wish it had happened when they were smaller, pre-walking ideally! Back then they were happy in their play pen with a load of toys with cuddles for one at a time - those were the days 😂

They will be fine

@littlelittlelittle no it isnt. Dd is 19 months and an advanced talker (2-3 word sentences and a large vocab) but she's picked up even more words and has started labelling emotions. Now maybe she would have done it anyway but I wonder if its doing different things with me and learning 'leaf', 'flower', 'plant', 'happy'. She's a bit behind physically and is non walking but is pulling herself on everything now. Again maybe its coincidence or maybe its because I encourage her to do supported walking (holding her hands) when GPs and nursery dont. She's loving being at home and keeps saying 'happy'. This is her ideal in many ways but financially I need to work so I worry about getting her back into being cared for by others again and feel enormous guilt that maybe she isnt getting the attention or stimulation she needs given how quickly she's responded positively to lockdown.

I think it will be fine, for children with happy, stimulating home environments.

Think back to my childhood, my mother didn't work, so I didn't attend nursery, I started school at age 5. I didn't have cousins my age and mum didn't have lots of friends, so it really was just my mother and I. I think dhs early years were much the same.

@TinyStripe, I am sorry to hear that. I wasn’t being flippant. It’s really tough and it must be so difficult on your own. Look after yourself and don’t try to be super mum. If he’s fed and warm and loved, he’ll be absolutely fine.

My 2.5yr old definitely doesn't give a toss. He's loving all the attention.
If I have to buy one more plastic banana from him this week then I'm going to start isolating by myself in the shed.

It's not that nursery is essential for development but a 3 year old who has been going to nursery for years and has formed strong bonds to other children and the staff is going to miss that a lot