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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Anyone actually enjoying lockdown

150 replies

Gre8scott · 05/05/2020 22:46

I am loving it no rush to school no rush to get to work no rushing about get kids to clubs.
Being with my beautiful family all day every day.
Not having to worry about the fact I dont go out at weekends
Love it

OP posts:
maresydoats · 05/05/2020 23:06

It is a different experience for everyone. Some are loving it, but then again may not have to juggle a long day WFH with kids all around them. Some have kids in school as key workers, and so on.

Selfishly I am coping quite well, but I so empathise with those who are struggling.

I took early retirement a few years ago, and obviously have no young children, so it's easy enough for me. I often feel very guilty about that though. Strangely enough.

Peachy92 · 05/05/2020 23:06

@WhatWouldYouDoWhatWouldJesusDo nearly wrote the same thing, except I'm now working from home not an office.
But yes am loving being home with my family not in an office all day or sat in traffic, missing my son.
Do wish I'd been furloughed along with DH though.. all the jobs and sorting I could be getting on with... clearly there really will never be enough time!

Disquieted1 · 05/05/2020 23:06

Tens of thousands dead. Millions out of work.
But there's always a silver lining OP.

Runbitchrun · 05/05/2020 23:08

Yes! Of course there are downsides, but I’m really enjoying this pace of life. No clubs to rush off to, no fitting a rushed dinner in between various activities, no constantly forgetting something because there’s so much to remember and no one to share the burden with. I’ve reached the bottom of the washing basket for the first time in forever, I’ve read twice as much as I normally would, we’ve played board games or cards nearly every day and despite the odd gripe, we’ve got along well as a family. I’m well aware it’s an unpopular opinion, but I’ve loved lockdown. I’m also well aware how lucky I am to be able to take this view.

user200000000 · 05/05/2020 23:08

Everything's just fine by Leafyhouse though.

JamesNesbittsBrows · 05/05/2020 23:10

I am really enjoying the slower pace of life, spending time doing things I enjoy with people I love and daily walks.

I'm sad about how much of my usual life involves being pulled in many directions. Can't ever complete anything or do something really well, with work, kids hobbies, demanding extended families.

The constant guilt of not being a good enough daughter, daughter in law, Mum, wife, colleague, manager, friend. All gone.

For the first time in years I'm stopping to think what do I want to do, I have breathing space, dh is around to help cook etc so I can run, walk, bake, garden. I need to make changes into the future.

This isn't to say I don't miss friends, beer gardens and days out. I do. I just love the rest I feel I'm getting from the guilt, grind and trying to be all things to all people.

Probably a sad reflection of my old life!

AnathemaPulsifer · 05/05/2020 23:11

I like it when my teenagers are around, not so much when they’re not.

GiraffeWithSwag · 05/05/2020 23:11

Me.

OneandTwenty · 05/05/2020 23:12

I am trying to paint the situation in a positive light Grin
so yes, I am kind of enjoying it when I try to focus on the positive and forget the rest!

I don't know how Spanish people coped being locked in for weeks, life doesn't feel like a lockdown here, so we are very lucky. Even the advice is that you are allowed to drive to exercise!

OneandTwenty · 05/05/2020 23:13

That said, I am a bit jealous of people with free time. I do work, so between that and the kids, I am exhausted and I haven't had time to read more than a chapter. I still have an hour of work to do at least, but I have had enough for tonight...

Littlepond · 05/05/2020 23:14

I enjoyed the Easter break as I wasn’t working at home and the kids didn’t have school work. I’m looking forward to half term for the same reason. But I won’t enjoy it as much as a normal half term holiday when we could go away or have days out.
Sadly working from home full time while the kids try and get school work done isn’t conducive to enjoying time at home at all and weekends feel like such a waste as we are used to going out and doing stuff.

Life was much more enjoyable pre lockdown for me! There’s no positives at all to lockdown in terms of enjoying life but I am glad we are all safe and get to lockdown together.

FeelinFagin · 05/05/2020 23:15

Me. But I think if the kids didn't get along brilliantly all the time I might be saying something different.

When lockdown ends I think we'll stay as close to this way of life as possible.

Nottherealslimshady · 05/05/2020 23:15

Loving it. Dreading going back to work. It's actually made me and DH realise we hate our jobs and we're planning to get out of it as soon as we're able.
Would quite like to see a few members of my family and go to a few places we usually go in summer but I'd rather continue as we are.

OptimisticSix · 05/05/2020 23:16

My silver lining is that we've finally got something done in the garden. Our neighbours, with their beautiful gardens, must have been in awe of how quickly our garden deterioated after we bought this house! Not that it looks anything like theirs now, but its less of a barren wasteland and theres hope it might one day be reasonable.

Mawi · 05/05/2020 23:16

I am loving it.

One downside is not being able to see DS but he is with his lovely girlfriend so we just have to wait until whenever it's possible.

DH and I are walking 2 hours every day. We go out every morning with DCs (teens/tweens) and the dog after breakfast for an hour and every evening about 8:30 for an hour, just the 2 of us and it's being great for clearing our head, moaning about whatever it is we have to moan about or just having a laugh.

We are cooking from scratch and really appreciating our meals and family time. We eat every meal together now and have had some amazing conversations, some really strange ones too.

We have had some real shit times in the last few years so it's being nice to stop and breathe and take stock.

I doubt there will be any work anytime soon for us but we are trying to keep positive and walking is helping with that and DHs work has always being seasonal so we have a winter budget which is very low so we are used to having no money for extended periods so that has made it easier for us to adjust.

And I have lost 10lbs since lockdown began so that is making me very happy. I have about 60 more I go (I think) so it's a nice start. The realisation that I was making myself very vulnerable I decided to get as fit as I can before the winter.

Sorry that was long.

DamnYankee · 05/05/2020 23:18

No. You're not evil for enjoying it, though.
We never did all the running around/too many after school activities. Each child got to choose 1 "extra" a semester.
However, they do miss their friends...a play date or sleepover would mean so much to them. And mine miss school. DD is missing out on the traditional celebration at the end of her elementary/primary school career Sad. DS earned a trip to Paris with schoolmates. Not happening until ????
We're in a good situation and our state is taking baby steps to start to open up.
But no.
Selfishly missing dinners out, the gym, grocery shopping without the f*cking mask...
And I'm not evil, either Wink

Eskarina1 · 05/05/2020 23:21

When I go back to work, plenty of my colleagues will have been front line. I'm protecting my mental health so I can better support them. I wouldn't choose this, but no-one benefits by me avoiding any positives. For me, it's a break from a family situation that was too stressful to cope with. And while stressful, it is an opportunity to spend more time as a family.

peachesandclean · 05/05/2020 23:23

Me, I'm extremely lucky I've been furloughed so I have a paycheck coming every month, I'm enjoying not having to spend my weekends at work and just relaxing (as much as I can with a pandemic lol)

Hadjab · 05/05/2020 23:24

90% of me is loving it. I’m at home with my three kids - husband passed away two years ago - and we are all enjoying the time spent together. My oldest is pregnant, so that makes it all extra special. The 10% of me not enjoying it is worried about having been furloughed, and whether my job will still exist, and missing brunching and wearing clothes that aren’t leisure wear.

DamnYankee · 05/05/2020 23:24

Embracing positive lifestyle changes going forward is great. Glad to hear so many are embracing a slower pace!
The ones I worry about are people who let their fears get the better of them and will refuse to engage with others/life, even after the penultimate solution - a vaccine!- has been found. This kind of trauma could tip an already anxious person into an unstable state.

JemimaShore · 05/05/2020 23:24

I wouldn't say I was enjoying it - but I do think it's necessary.

I've drank too much wine, become quite lethargic, and am worried about getting the bloody virus, or losing loved ones to it.

Bertucci · 05/05/2020 23:24

I miss some things - friends, the gym, restaurants and pubs.

But mostly bloody loving it.

BrutusMcDogface · 05/05/2020 23:29

No.

Just no. I’m so depressed.

Foxes157 · 05/05/2020 23:29

I'm hating it. I'm still working. My teens are mooching around bored rather than going out with friends and being at school.

I'm missing my lovely slower pace of life pre lock down. The peace and quiet of my house, my peaceful afternoon coffee in the garden before they come home.

I also miss my social life with friends.

Quartz2208 · 05/05/2020 23:30

50% of me is enjoying it. We have a rhythm to it, when school work is done, when my work is done, walks out and DD in particular has zoom activities most days. The fact that there is no pressure to do stuff is very nice

The other 50% is aware of what being on lockdown actually means if I step out of my bubble and what it means and some of the things my kids in particular are missing