Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

How has covid changed your life for the foreseeable future? What do you miss most?

64 replies

AbsentmindedWoman · 22/05/2020 22:51

I've been stressed about my medical appointments in the main. Thankfully, so far I've not had to miss something urgent. It's an ongoing background stress though, thinking about the second wave and impact of that.

But today I've also been feeling such a sense of loss for all the nice things we can't do. Meant to be flying back to my home country this summer to see everyone and for a special occasion at home, it won't happen, obviously I've known that for quite a while but for some reason it's really hitting me today. All the plans to see people, just will not happening.

Then all the lovely little parts of normal life like going to my yoga studio or out for dinner, or just taking the train to a nice place for a stroll and a coffee. I miss this stuff, as we all do, and it's so strange to be unsure about when we can do it all again.

What are you missing?

OP posts:
TazSyd · 23/05/2020 07:15

@okiedokieme

I hear you. DP furloughed and not sure he has a job to go back to. Best friend made redundant in Feb - she was interviewing for 4 roles but they all went on hold in March. A lot of people are going to start struggling financially and that will, of course, have an impact on mental health.

I’m working from home but our new business has ground to a halt so not sure how secure my role is longer term. I think a lot of people are deluded and think this is one bug holiday, especially if they are young and healthy.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 23/05/2020 07:16

I think the most difficult thing is not knowing when it's going to end. If there was an end date where we knew the virus would definitely be gone then I could manage. But of course that's not possible and the idea of this dragging on for months with no end in sight is depressing.

InfiniteSheldon · 23/05/2020 07:17

My health

TazSyd · 23/05/2020 07:18

Yes the uncertainty and inability to plan.

TooSadToSay · 23/05/2020 07:21

I miss having the freedom to travel anywhere in London. All the wonderful museums and galleries that we used to go to. All the super cool theatre shows I used to take the kids to.

The kids dearly miss their play equipment. Yes they can run in the park, but they're missing testing their skills on the swings, slides and climbing frames. That gets to me, that they are missing that taken for granted carefree play time.

We'd be getting together as an extended family soon and that won't happen now.

But we are all here, we are all well, we didn't lose anyone. We have some stable money coming into the house. It's a matter of ticking off the weeks in the best way possible.

I am really sorry to hear about your financial situation Design. It's so unfair. Sending you the best.

AgentCooper · 23/05/2020 07:24

@beela I think the separation between work and home life is what I miss most. I miss looking forward to getting home at the end of a busy day, and reading on the bus. I have a toddler and am furloughed so every day is exactly the same right now. I miss the social interaction with my colleagues. It makes me so angry that so many places are talking about wfh for the long term.

I miss taking DS on the bus to a nice place for a wee day out.

Spamellahamella · 23/05/2020 07:35

I'm.off furloughed with my DH and kids. I don't miss work. I have enjoyed this break and the opportunity to step out of the hamster wheel and just be.
I am starting to.miss other company. I really want to get my teeth scaled and polished and get my hair sortes out. I want to wander into town. I want to buy treats like Percy pigs and sausage rolls. I want to go through the McDonald's drive through for.breakfast and for tea. I want to walk on the fells and go to see the sea. I want to stop doing zoom quizzes with my family and go and see them. I really want to book and plan holidays. And I want to see my kids walking up the street messing about with their friends. Not much eh?

GalesThisMorning · 23/05/2020 07:39

I was also meant to be flying to my home country to see my family this summer. I miss them. I miss going to the beach, camping, seeing friends, restaurants and cafes, taking my little one out places, swimming, playdates, seeing other friends with kids, working face to face with other people. I even miss not knowing where my teen is. I miss seeing him go out to meet his mates.

However I am entirely confident that every last one of those things will return. Meanwhile I do not miss my 50 mile daily commute, getting in at 5.45 and going straight into dinner bath bed, having my days so busy, and spending an 8 hour day in an office.

This is a strange time but not without its benefits and I think that many people will reevaluate what 'normal' should feel like.

dementedma · 23/05/2020 07:59

I miss going to work, going to the beach and just generally getting out of the sodding house and away from family.
I miss having some sort of quality of life.

PileofToss · 23/05/2020 08:20

I was made redundant at the beginning of the pandemic so haven’t had an income for a while. It’s stressful not knowing when I’ll have a job, and I can’t claim anything as I’m married to someone with a decent wage. Feels very odd as someone who’s never relied on anyone else for money!

Our trip of a lifetime this summer has been cancelled, which I was expecting of course, but it’s made me feel quite sad recently. We’re trying to start a family now so maybe won’t get a chance to book this holiday again until we’re in our 50s!

I live far away from my friends and family so haven’t been able to go for distance walks with anyone as most of my friends seem to have been doing recently. I feel very shut out.

I too miss looking forward to things. All the fun plans we made this summer have been cancelled, now I’m just looking forward to being able to visit people’s houses.

I’m stressed seeing other people on social media now breaking distancing rules, mainly for jealousy reasons!

IndiaMay · 23/05/2020 08:25

I was supposed to be married, have been on my honeymoon and now a newlywed. I have none of that, and I can't imagine getting excited for it again as whatever we now end up doing wont be what we wanted or planned.

I miss looking forward to things. Right now I should be looking forward to another holiday, a friends hen do and then wedding, this weekend we would probably be bbqing with friends and family. Now there is nothing

Pleasenodont · 23/05/2020 08:27

I just miss boring normality at this stage. I’m seven months pregnant so I won’t be leaving the house for at least another three months (no way would I risk a newborn going out either!).

I miss DH and I leaving for work, DC going to school, boring nagging over homework and spellings etc.
Miss our weekends visiting NT or RSPB sites, going to the cinema sometimes or eating out.
Miss taking the youngest to toddler groups on my days off too.
Miss pottering around shops, I haven’t entered one for over two months now.

Nothing extravagant really, just miss actually leaving the house.

lljkk · 23/05/2020 08:30

dentist
tip (recycling centre) being available
public toilets
good natter with friends over a cuppa
DS being able to run around the woods with his mates
semblance of job security for me or DC
going to, being in the office
feeling relaxed in any shop
charity shops (to drop off or buy things)
public library

actiongirl1978 · 23/05/2020 08:41

I feel cross that life has been taken away from the DC. Their summer term in yr5 and yr7 which should be so much fun, has gone. The socialising they should be doing.

I am not social and so v happy with the lockdown and the lack of pressure to do anything. But for my children I feel a grief for what they are losing.

The DC dont seem bothered at all though, neither of them have left the house in 9 weeks!

Ripasso · 23/05/2020 09:03

My mum is on chemotherapy for 2 weeks out of every 3, thankfully that has continued. It means she and my dad are classed as extremely vulnerable and have been advised to stay at home until July, I think this will be extended. My 2 year old asks daily to go and visit them as FaceTime is not the same. It makes me sad as mum’s cancer is treatable but not curable so this is precious time we are not able to spend with her.

My brother and family were supposed to be visiting this summer from America which is obviously postponed. I keep hoping for good news on the vaccine front.

Looking at positives our 2 toddlers keep us busy, my husband still has his job and we have a garden so are luckier than many.

Pinkarsedfly · 23/05/2020 09:04

My freedom.

Chanel05 · 23/05/2020 09:06

I miss seeing family. I don't live nearby so haven't seen them since January as I'm pregnant and was too sick to travel in the early stages. I feel like I won't be able to share my pregnancy with them at all.

babybythesea · 23/05/2020 09:09

My sister and her children. We would have been on holiday with them now.
Also feel very sad for Dd who is Year 6. None of her friends are returning to school so her last half term at primary, when she should have been having fun with a group of friends who are then going to different schools, has been taken away from her.

EmbarrassedUser · 23/05/2020 09:20

I’m missing seeing friends face to face, seeing my sister and nieces and being able to go out to places like pubs and tea rooms. We went to the Cotswolds the other day and I would have adored a cream tea but sadly no although my waistline probably thanked me 😂

HesterShaw1 · 23/05/2020 09:27

It's changed every part of my life. I can't drive to see family, who all live 200 miles away and they can't come and see me. I haven't seen any of them since January. It's stopped my work and my income dead in their tracks (self employed, tourism). It has halted my social life (sports). I'm not supposed to meet with my boyfriend. I live alone so really I'm not supposed to see anyone on purpose...socially distance walks with a one other person aside.

I'm not moaning for a change, just saying every bit of my life has been upended.

StCharlotte · 23/05/2020 09:28

Yes to missing stuff to look forward to. I've long since accepted having to cancel our holiday but... just nothing.

zscaler · 23/05/2020 09:32

I desperately miss my parents, and my in-laws. I am used to seeing them every couple of weeks at most, and it has been really hard not getting to do that. I’m so excited for this Thursday when restrictions in Scotland ease a little and I can do and see my mum and dad in their garden.

I’m also missing the office - working from home is great as an occasional thing, but I miss the camaraderie of the office, and the separation between work and home life it provides. My work have said people will be WFH for the ‘long term foreseeable future’ and I will go on mat leave in december, so it will be a very long time before I’m office working again.

I miss just pottering about - having a browse round the shops, grabbing a coffee, going to the cinema, all of that normal stuff that now feels like such a huge luxury.

MissCharleyP · 23/05/2020 09:41

I miss being able to just pop to the shops; now it’s got to be planned to factor in queuing to get in and get served. I miss being able to just do normal things as and when; we used to love taking the dog to the Lakes and had a favourite cafe. Going to the hairdresser and beautician. The sense of peace and safety.

TabbyStar · 23/05/2020 09:43

70% of my income. Also swimming and going to cafes.

CaptainMerica · 23/05/2020 09:43

I hate not knowing when I'll see my mum again. She is in good health, and under 65 so no reason not to, but she is a 4 hour drive away. We are in Scotland, so we still need to "stay local" for the foreseeable future.

I miss visiting friends, but we will be allowed to do socially distanced garden visits from next week.

I want to go on holiday. The kids have been so mature at accepting the holidays we have been looking forward to have been cancelled. It would be amazing to surprise them with a local-ish holiday instead, but I can't see it happening.

I miss the salad bar at my work canteen.

I miss time on my own - between WFH and childcare I'm getting zero downtime.

Swipe left for the next trending thread