To be sad that so many rituals of the year will be list in 2020

[Carbosug]

Not a major issue in the bigger scheme, but there's always something comforting about the small rituals that mark the progress of the year. This summer there'll be no school sports days, prize-givings, Wimbledon on the telly, loads of people departing for beach holidays in August and then that feeling of life reverting to its normal pace in Autumn.

AIBU to miss all these things?

God I won't miss summer fete or dd3s sats. Alrhough she is gutted about swimming and birthday parties. But sad for DD1 missing out on her GCSEs that she had worked bloody hard for. Also all the end of school stuff. Plus all her activities such as NCS and sports stuff.
Also will miss spending time with family members but there is always next year.
Miss the seaside too as had holiday booked.

YANBU, I'm pregnant with my first baby and I'm so sad that my mum won't be able to be at the birth of her first grandchild in a few weeks. I'm sad that my midwife and antenatal classes have been cancelled. Im sad that mine and DH family won't be able to visit baby when it's born. I'm sad that my sister who is also pregnant and only a few weeks behind me is also missing all these things and we can't shop together. I'm sad and terrified that my DH is still having to go to work in London everyday and he might bring this virus home to me.

I can cope with the stuff I’m missing, it’s the kids. Particularly my Y6, who saw her older sister leave primary and was so excited to have her turn. She’s actually had a bit of her life stolen and it makes me sad.

I can cope with the stuff I’m missing, it’s the kids.

That’s how I’m feeling, especially for the youngest who is 4 and finishing nursery. They do so much for the leavers that he was so excited about - summer play, outings, sports day that I have so many happy memories of from when the eldest did them. Now I’m just hoping he gets to spend a little bit of time back at nursery before going to school.

My final child’s final day at school ever... turns out to have been the day she had a bit of a temperature, a week before her school shut.

She didn’t get the subdued ‘here’s some cake and music, off you go and good luck’ day that the lovely staff hastily rustled up for those still in school.

She was meant to be performing at the Fringe as a post-A levels reunion.

She hasn’t yet applied to university and was planning to do July open days.

Essentially she’s in limbo.

But the thing that’s hit her is that she sits next to an extraordinarily good player in her school orchestra (one of the country’s best for their instrument) and now never will again.

It reminds me if that thing..,when your child stops holding your hand and you didn’t realise that the last time they held your hand would be the last time they ever would.

It’s sad to have been sort of ripped away from what should have been theirs. If somebody stole my child’s bike, I could replace it. I can’t replace this stuff.

You're not being unreasonable at all. I love summer term at school. Trips, sports day, prize giving, leavers' assembly, prom, all the fun stuff. Even if schools reopen, most of these things won't happen or won't be in their usual format. Not important in the current situation but it's still ok to miss them

Will there even be Bake Off this year ? :(

@Daffodil101 That made me tear up a little, it’s so exactly how I feel.

As adults every year is essentially the same, we all know we can do stuff next year or the year after but for the kids they only get one year 6, or one chance of being the year that does the main parts in the school play or being in the year that school elections, or finally getting to be in a particular sports team, for some kids this will have been the last year they believe in the Easter bunny, or for some kids the first year they would really have been aware of the Easter bunny and the fun and anticipation of Easter egg hunts, some kids will have turned 10 (double digits) or 13 (teen) or 18 or whatever milestone and they won’t have been able to celebrate as normal.
Childhood is full of firsts and lasts. It’s a constantly changing life for them and so for them to miss out on some of those is heartbreaking, even if they are tiny insignificant things to us adults.
Now we all know that it’s better to miss out on those things than to catch the virus or to spread it around but doesn’t make it any easier.

My daughter gave birth to my first grandchild last week and I'm longing to hold her.I have no idea when that will be possible

First Easter we were going to have in the Sun with my daughter. Long hol we had planned for summer since they were due to finish school on 2nd July so wdve been cheap. definitely not missing this term at school as i hate the place and with any luck we will never see it again!

I'm feel sad that my yr 11 son is missing the end of year 11 and I will miss sports day and activity week at the school I work in, The Olympics and the running races that I entered. This year was going to be my first in the local half marathon.

This year is also Mayflower 400. There have been lots of events organised between here and the US. They will probably not happen now

Yes the year will have no structure.

No end of term, no summer holidays to look forward too.

What if families can’t meet at Christmas??

My niece turns 3 this week she has spoken about her birthday party for over 6 months - since her DB birthday.
She had it all planned out and asks everyday is it her party. My sis had started a count down thing so she would stop banging on about it. When we realised party couldn’t happen my sis explained and took the countdown away she cried for 2 days until it was returned. Now every day when I face time she takes me to it and says x amount of days till my party. It’s such a shame on kids that don’t understand

@Verily1 I’m concerned about Christmas / winter. If there is a second peak in late Autumn (very possible) then surely we could be doing this all over again, throughout the festive period.

Lockdown in winter will be 10000 x harder with a toddler (and a newborn for me at that point).

@verity1 - look on the bright side - at least we won't be spending huge amounts of money on stuff that nobody wants!

My eldest DC would have been over the moon to miss sports day for DC 2 its their favourite part of the school year. I'm sad we missed being with MIL on mothers day, we had a street party planned in May, and a family 80th birthday party.