To find that the lockdown means more housework and cooking?

[Notcontent]

I probably wouldn’t mind so much if I wasn’t working but I am working from home and seem to have very little of the “relaxation” part of the lockdown... I am a working lone parent and normally have a cleaner and a lot of our meals are eaten at school/work and maybe a meal out at the weekend. Now the house is being very much used as we are at home (so constant mess) and there are so many meals to prepare...

Yes but there is more time to do it. An hour less commute a day for me. No driving the kids to activities. 3 hrs less commute for DH.

100% agree. We normally eat out once a fortnight and probably have takeaway once a week. As well as all of us having lunch outside of the house.
At the moment with all meals here I feel like I'm constantly washing up

Same. My food bill is bigger too.

Agree. 😭

Yes! It’s boring but we are eating better. The cleaning not so much because that seems to have multiplied too.

On the other hand my new feline coworker spends most of the day on my lap. This does not happen in the office!

Yes - definitely but I think that what's it should be like really. Not saying I enjoy housework (it's relentless and boring) but it's good to actually use our homes. Often we are so busy.

Yes!

Plus my hands are so dry and cracked and I am sure it's not just from washing them more it's from all the washing up I have been doing, I really need to get some rubber gloves.

YABU

Why are you doing it all?

It's never ending. DD is constantly making a mess and I can't keep on top of it. I've tried really hard over the weekend but I'm back WFH tomorrow and it'll go to rack and ruin by Friday.
Sick of constantly trying to make sure the dc's eat well too. DD is determined to live off crisps.

Endless dishwasher loads and tidying up after meals. We have had a couple of takeaways but the nearest one has announced that they’re shutting down. It’s hard to judge how much food we need for a week because I keep underestimating how much bread we get through with daily sandwiches.

I agree. I work full time and usually have a cleaner but that is currently suspended. I am still working full time from home, trying to get my 9 year old son to do his school work (which I am having a hard time making heads or tails of), making breakfast, lunch and dinner, and cleaning the house. It's a lot with very little time for relaxation. I will have to put in a couple hours work after dinner tonight because I spent most of the morning figuring out all the school work. But this too shall pass.

Yes. But I have more time as I'm not doing 2 hours a day commuting and I need things to fill my day. cooking can be quite therapeutic and mealtimes are a social highlight of my day. And I can still get my lazy teens to empty the dishwasher or wash up. Cleaning I've not really kept up with much, apart from wiping door handles and doors, the kitchen and bathroom.

Tenterden - I am doing most of it because I am the only adult in the house. I do get my dd to help but realistically it’s down to me.

Extra cleaning, more cooking, organising the schoolwork, checking it's done, being the only person who knows where anything is kept and whether or not we have any and, oh yes, working from home too.

I'm knackered.

Completely agree. Find most of the parents saying it is relaxing etc have older children. A 3 year old cannot “do” an activity for more than about 20 mins without parental input. I still have to fill my timesheet. This is a nightmare. I love cooking but not like this.

My house has never been so clean. DH still has to work and I'm off, so during the week I clean and cook, and he cooks at weekends. I don't have little ones at home, only student DS, so that makes it easier as I don't have to keep anyone entertained. DS helps out too and pretty much looks after himself.

Completely agree OP, lone parent here as well, the DC do help with some chores etc but the amount of extra mess and the number of meals to prepare, cook, clear up afterwards is already driving me slightly mad. They also both want my attention all the time and fight for who has it, so definitely no relaxation happening here

Same here. Working, supervising school work, making and clearing up after 3 meals a day and no cleaner to boot.

Completely agree. House is a bloody tip and the dishwasher is on non stop

Yes, although we have never had a cleaner and DP does as much cooking as me.
But yes there is more cooking and housework with everyone at home. But also no visitors so don't get too hung up on the housework part.

Same here with 4 children in the house. I’m constantly cleaning, cooking, homeschooling and my children are constantly eating. I’m alone Dh travelled for work abroad 3months ago and now can’t get the flight back all cancelled.

No DC here, but suddenly me and DP at home all the time, so lunch every day as well as dinner. DP would happily go all day without eating, whereas I absolutely need breakfast/lunch/dinner. We pretty much split evening meals which is fine, but lunches are always falling to me.

I find myself sticking a load of washing or the dishwasher on, or sweeping the floors, just because I am here. It would never, ever cross DP’s mind to deviate from his designated tasks of hoovering, mopping, bins, and recycling, just because he is here.

On the plus side no one is going to call unexpectedly so the house doesn't need to be spotless, just organised enough that you are comfortable. Deal with day to day life and try and relax and enjoy time with your DD without adding unnecessary stress.

Agree completely! There are 2 of us but we’ve lost daycare, the cleaner, eating out which we would normally do more than we would cook. And we haven’t gained time as we had very short commutes but are now having to work into the evening to juggle full time jobs with caring for the toddler, who is also potty training. If there’s a relaxation part of lockdown then it’s yet to make an appearance in our house.