To be “peopled out”

[Sexnotgender]

Having a down day and I think I’ve realised it’s because there’s someone here ALL THE BLOODY TIME.

I love my family but dear lord what I wouldn’t give for a few hours solitude.

Aaaaagh. Half an hour ago, DH asked what music I would like. I said silence, actually. So he played unfunny Mock the Week videos on Youtube for a bit (loudly) then had to talk to me about menu planning.

Now he's put bloody Delius on the stereo, while DS1 is playing something else in the kitchen. I am going to lock myself in the bathroom without even the dog.

I came upstairs to listen to music and stumbled across a perfume thread. Decided to splash out on my fave Chanel Cristalle as I’ve barely spent anything in lockdown. Can’t get it anywhere(not buying perfume on eBay or amazon) even Chanel website not playing ball. Now I’m really pissed off!!!

Another who is missing time by myself. I miss dropping the kids at the childminder then walking to work with my headphones in, listening to my choice of music. I miss coming home and having a lovely hour to myself before I have to pick the DCs up from school.

I miss being by myself. I miss quiet.

I've started getting up 30 minutes early purely to have that time, by myself, before anyone else gets up. It's lovely and peaceful. Even the dog doesn't stir.

I've started getting up 30 minutes early purely to have that time, by myself, before anyone else gets up.

I’d love to. But DS is 15 months and gets up anywhere between 5.05 and 6.15🙁 I value sleep more.

@happytodayhappytomorrow - Yes!

I started to feel really down and angry with everyone on Weds. H and I started discussing separation just before the lockdown so it’s been tense. Then add the 3 Velcro children who only sleep with me and don’t go to bed till I do at 10.30. Add the fact that H has decided to use his time to learn the guitar, ds1 obsessively telling me about mine craft, ds2 making constant pirate noises and dd rejecting the potty and pooing in random places around the house for me to find, and I just want to set my head on fire some days. I have been averaging about 3 good toilet cries a day I reckon.

I‘m really lonely too. I realised I’ve only spoken to a handful of other people since this all started. My mum and dad, the dr, 2 teachers, a checkout man in Lidl and my neighbour over the fence.

I’ve not had a chance to go for any walks or exercise alone but I think I’m going to have to start as I can’t go on like this.

On one hand I'm SO grateful we are all together and safe and well. On the other hand I wish they'd all vanish for a day or two. Or three. I'm going to bed later than usual just so I can enjoy a couple of hours of complete silence.

That sounds tough @MrsKoala

Single mum, 2 DC, wfh. My living room triples up as my office and bedroom. Been getting up at 5am to carve out some time alone before logging on at 6am to get 2 hours uninterrupted work before ‘school’ and being Mum. And working some more. My DC are the most lovely, lovely creatures but god, it’s relentless. I crave solitude. The hardest thing is not letting it show.

Sending ((hugs)) @MrsKoala sounds tough.

Dp and I have had a row. We never argue but it's just getting too much atm, nobody to blame we've both been shitty, anyway...

When he came in at 8pm from work, I was like 'I'm going for a walk bye'. First time I have been alone in 9 weeks!!! I went to to corner shop bought bread because we have none, plus chocolate, ate it on a park bench (I know I shouldn't eat out of the house) walked for an hour, came home dp is upstairs so I poured myself a glass of wine, sat down to watch something I want to watch (haven't watched anything of my choice since way before lockdown), 2 mins 44 secs in ds arrived with a sore foot. He had to walk past dp to come to me, wtf!! I told him to go rest it, 4 mins 57 secs into my show, 'mum my foot still hurts' 😠. Would everyone just leave me the fuck alone!!!

] @MrsKoala that sounds super hard, I’m sorry I cried on my tesco delivery man at Easter as he was the only other person I had spoke to in weeks. He was SO lovely about it and stayed to chat at end of my drive for 5 mins. I think they are doubling up as counsellors at the moment

Yes yes yes t everything here. I feel like I might explode soon.

I'm constantly on a "powersave" mode, trying to juggle kids, wfh, school etc. Not fully able to perform 100% at any task due to distractions, tiredness and life.

Ugh, I get you OP. I am thoroughly peopled (well, toddlered if you want to be accurate) out. Touched out as well, which I think may be worse for me. I love DD dearly but she is a very tactile child and I need to just not be touched and be on my own for a bit. I've been getting up at 6am just for an hour or so on my own to wander around the house, enjoying the silence.

DH has 12 days off work coming up and I intend to get me some space, get out for some dog walks on my own without wrangling a toddler. Some peaceful, solitary fresh air would be LOVELY around now.

I'm constantly on a "powersave" mode, trying to juggle kids, wfh, school etc. Not fully able to perform 100% at any task due to distractions, tiredness and life.

Absolutely this!

I get it. My kids have got to stage where all they do is fight and bicker. It’s relentless. I’m so fed up with it!

Reading these I realise how lucky I am. Currently sitting listening to the dropping kitchen tap. Cat, dog & DD11 upstairs, shes on xbox with headset on. It will get noisy soon as I go & make her go to bed. Usually we watch films together every night. In a.m I start her off on her schoolwork after breakfast & then try to do mine....& I get loads of interruptions then, but we both get lots of quiet 'me' time too. I do get lonely & would love to see my family & my boyfriend....he & I very briefly thought about moving in together for lockdown but decided it wasnt a good plan. While my DD & his DS13 can get on very well, they also argue well too. We all like our own space & never having lived together before, being stuck together could have been a disaster.
I do wish I could fix the drippy tap though.

I am baking all the time (never before). If someone comes to bother me I ask if they want to help and they scarper!

I feel your pain. I want a few hours on my own.

Being stuck with people constantly sounds like the only thing worse than being stuck alone!

This! Completely!

Thanks guys. I’m just being a moaner and feeling sorry for myself. Lots of people have it way harder than me. for everyone craving some solitude.

I do wish I could fix the drippy tap though

Get on to youtube, there's nothing it can't show you how to fix - even a recalcitrant roll of masking tape yesterday. More to the point I repaired a wobbly tap this way. I felt so proud, and now have some insight into the back-breaking life of a plumber.

Back to the thread, it made me sympathise as well as laugh, and glad that despite living alone for not nice reasons (widowed and feeling it a bit at the moment) I do like my solitude.

It's made me wonder if lockdown and open plan is the ultimate nightmare. It isn't, that would be the post-Covid-19 novels tat will surely be heading our way. :o

I’m sat here. I really should go to bed but it’s the only time that the house is quiet...

I have an early rising DD and a late going to bed DS. Getting out on my own helps it I’d love to just be in the house on my own...