to think that this is really sad for the young children?

[PrettyLittleLiar20]

I’ve got a young child who is so so bored at home. Constantly asks if we can go to the playground. I say no the playground is closed. Can we go to the beach mummy? No because we’re not allowed. Mummy can we go to McDonald’s? No because it’s closed. I’m just so so sad for my DD and im constantly feeling bad because she doesn’t understand any of this.

Settlersofcatan I think it's a subset of people believing children are best at home with their primary carer (rather than women are best at home with their kids). And research says it's true. Many kids will be missing their normal but that doesn't mean that being at home with their parents isn't what's actually best for them. We don't always like what is best for us. (Both DH and I work full time and the kids are in full time nursery normally, doesn't mean that what I say above isn't true though. We've just decided not to do what's best for our kids, but what is best for the whole family overall)

@Candyfloss99 is this your new boredom buster ?
I see you on every thread saying the same thing .
Is no one allowed to be upset at anything else that’s come from this because nurses and doctors have it hard ?
May I suggest crosswords ?

I feel much more sad for older people who are totally alone and now unable to go out or be visited, as well as being frightened for their lives.

Young kids are fine, they're a bit bored but most have a lot of toys and now their parents are at home all day too. Tbh I feel more sorry for parents that are having to deal with bored kids 24/7 than I do for the kids!

My DCs are 9 and 6. I'm glad this happened at tjis stage in their lives rather than earlier on, although would love to be back to normal.

They can get dressed by themselves, eat breakfast without fussing, eldest can run a bath and they can both wash themselves and brush their teeth. They just need nagging to do it.

They have longer attention spans than tiddlers and will sit and enjoy a whole film.

They have Lego, craft sets, colouring etc which will occupy them for some time. Board games too. They enjoy baking with me and caring for our pets.

They are able to use my phone with supervision to video call family members and friends, or write them a letter or email and read the reply.

They understand basic hygiene and how germs spread, so accept why the park, cinema, cafe etc is closed.

They have school work to get on with which takes up an hour or so each day and adds as one structure. I let them play on the xbox as well though.

It's still sad for them. I teach at their school and their classrooms were such finely tuned places of purposeful learning, with all the daily routines in place. It makes me sad to think of the classrooms empty with all their work still on the walls. Their friendships are suspended for a little while.

We are lucky to have a garden and fields with horses (not owned by us but on the doorstep). I'm not working so they have my at terr. There are times when they are grumpy and sad, don't want to do school work, they bicker sometimes, they resist the daily walk and can be oppositional because they miss their normal lives. But I think if they were younger we would all struggle more.

How much do you remember if your childhood? Do you really think a couple of months is going to have that much impact?!

I take it you're not an expert on child development?

Won't somebody think of the children!

Of course you can feel sorry for your dd, don't listen to the keyboard warriors.
I'm feeling sorry for my two. Dd was enjoying her work placement and living independently in a flat share. ( she's come home as she has an auto immune disease and her flat mates weren't exactly keeping to the rules). Ds was six months into his apprenticeship and now bored at home as they haven't much work they can send him.
Added to that we were all due to fly to the Caribbean this morning for Easter.
But we are all alive and healthy.

I feel sad for my 18-year old whose A levels are kinda fucked up. He'll be alright, but he's worked so damn hard towards these exams. OFQUAL has managed to sew a wonky but passable silk purse out of a sow's ear. It's less than perfect but it is what it is and it's manageable.
On the sunny side, DS is fine and dandy about it! More gaming and sitting around in the same joggers until they rot! He's quite fine, thank you!
Really, in the greater scheme of things, the kids are going to be alright.
I read a book called First They Killed My Father while recovering in hospital recently... err, that puts shit into perspective! I don't feel sorry for ANY of our children after reading that book (unless they are ill/abused/suffering--- those ones get all of my sympathy). But kids missing out on Bo Jangle's Baby Bopping Soft Play Time in the church hall do not get my sympathy. Sorry.

I felt sad for almost 3 year old DS at the start but he seems perfectly happy. Turns out kids don't need to be lugged round the country to various playgroups and activities all day.

I feel sad for everybody that is finding this hard .
Kids, parents , the elderly , frontline staff , telecommunications engineers ,business owners .
Everyone has a right to feel like this , it’s human nature ,not a competition to see who has it worse

I think it's probably harder for parents of children age 0-5 than the children themselves. (Although for people with no outside space, if we are stopped from going out to exercise I would say that is going to be detrimental to all, including children) I'm not sure many children have memories of baby groups or play school- while they are obviously beneficial to children, in the long term they wont remember them. I'm lucky that my DC are older and can entertain themselves and are old enough to understand what is going on, but they remember very little about nursery or play school.

Young children are the luckiest ones right now. They're oblivious to the seriousness, they won't remember it, they have no responsibilities...I wish I were them!

It’s sad in one way, but a golden opportunity in another way. We have gotten so used to getting what we want, when we want it, everyone in society is perhaps starting to understand how 99% of our lives consist of privilege.

How lovely to have the excuse to create food at home together, maybe design your own happy meal box together, create your own playground in the living room, make mud pies in the garden rather than sandcastles or play doh ones if you don’t. What a great opportunity to show your child about the importance of resilience and adaptability, how it’s exciting to try new things rather than being trapped by doing the same old same old.

Exactly Lifeisgenerallyfun Lovely post. And meanwhile, cut them and ourselves some slack.

The whole situation is sad. And yes it is difficult for children to understand. I was sad for my dc when all their clubs and hobbies were cancelled, along with dc2 first beaver sleep over. I'm not going to apologise for feeling sad for my dc and wishing things were different. Yes it does feel like we should just shut up and not moan about anything else. You can't help how you feel. I say this as a front line NHS nurse, who has spent the last 2 weeks feeling like myself and my colleagues are being sent out like lambs to the slaughter without enough PPE! Some of my colleagues have tested positive to covid and our patients are dying. I feel on the verge of tears most days but I can appreciate everyone is feeling the effects of the pandemic in different ways. I don't think its fair to tell the OP she can't feel upset.

I feel sad for everybody that is finding this hard
Surely this is the empathy level we should all aim for. Are you finding it hard right now? Then I feel for you. I don't care if you're worried are "first world" or if people have it worse. I'm capable of enough empathy for you all. It doesn't mean I'm goinf to indulge you a pity party, but I can take a few minutes to except that this is hard for you right now.

Our kids had to a poster for of their best best friend. My friends son, 5, cried his eyes out afterwards cos he missed everyone. I feel sad for him even though he won't remenber it. His Mom will give birth with little support in a few weeks, and can't see her family afterwards. I feel sad for her, even tho all that really matters is a healthy baby. My friends wedding and reception ended up being a ceremony with 8 family members present. I feel sad for her even though they. made the most of their day.
None of that compares to how I feel for people losing loved ones in this or dying alone or worrying of their disabled dependent will have equal access to a ventilator if needed or who have lost their business and risk being homeless at the end of this
But human warmth and empathy shouldn't be about winning trauma top trumps

There's nothing wrong with recognising this is hard for children as well as adults. Never seen so much contempt for children on a parenting site of all places. I think it's especially hard for older children who's friends are a huge part of their lives. My ds usually plays about 20 hours a week of football and races home from school to rush out to play with his friends every day. A daily walk or cycle doesn't make up for that. Also only children who are sociable like mine will no doubt find it harder than those with siblings to play with. And we are definitely one of the lucky families, we have a small garden and he's taken up skipping to keep up his fitness. We are making the most of this and other than a wobble when the school's first closed my DS has kept his spirits up and shown his resilience but for a lot kids trapped at home with abusive parents this will be hell for them, you don't have to live in a refugee camp to suffer.

It amazes me how many people seem to think you can only show empathy for one set of circumstances.

If you can’t understand that sympathy doesn’t need to be rationed then it’s quite concerning.

Parents can actually take DC out of the house! Walk around and invent games as you go. We used to do letter games. Even at 3! What can you see that behind with the “c” sound? Eg: car. Etc. Look at colours. Are there any interesting houses or front doors. Things in gardens? Can you walk by the beach? Learn about different things together.

When I was young, nothing at all existed for pre school dc. We were with parents all the time. Married Women who worked in my small town, (a handful) had grandparents to look after DC. Hardly anyone worked with dc at primary school. One of my friend’s mums did because she was a widow. Everyone else entertained their own dc. All the time!

20 hours a week at football is huge! That’s 3 days a week equivalent. Or 4 hours after school every day. I can see active dc will miss this but he could go out for a run.

It's also sad for children living in poverty or in war or in refugee camps who can't have these things all the time.

It's only temporary and it's to keep people alive. There is loads you can do to distract and make this an adventure. Not many of us get to live through history being made. It's a privilege.

OP ....

It's no more sad for the young children than it is for anyone else. Especially frontline workers who may die because of their job.

This. With. Bells. On /\

Get a grip. Everyone is in the same boat. Be thankful you aren't working in the front line & having to come home every night possibly infecting your family. Doctors & nurses have died.

@lottieloop Lovely heartwarming post there .. ffs ,you can have empathy for EVERYONE , it’s not an ‘either/ or ‘ situation .

Hardly anyone worked with dc at primary school. One of my friend’s mums did because she was a widow. Everyone else entertained their own dc. All the time!

Well not all the time...the children went to school.

I'm sorry you have such a limited supply of thoughtfulness lottieloop