What have you learnt from this pandemic?

[pawsies]

For me I am a naturally cautious person and tend to think of worst case scenarios on a daily basis. I am a catastrophiser.

Therefore I'm very reluctant to book things far in advance. I wouldn't book a holiday years in advance. Maybe months but more likely weeks.

This pandemic has reinforced that. I can't see myself booking a holiday for 2022/2023. I want to go away in January but probably won't book anything until December.
Seeing the hassle people have had to go through to get money back/travel insurance etc puts me off booking anything earlier.

What about you?

That my DC dad is a heartless man . That i live a very lonely life ; It re enforced my belief that I could never be a teacher

I'm dead organised. Bought masks in Feb.

We're a really shit family. No cosy film evenings, no meals together. All sick of each other.

That I dislike more people than I originally thought.

@shinyredbus you are not the only one 😏

I've learnt that my raison d'etre is lifting weights in the gym

That it was hearwarming and aweinspiring that so many people in our small town really wanted to help the vulnerable, by doing their shopping, or dogwalking, picking up their prescriptions or just chatting with them.

That there are far more social problems and deprivation in our town than I'd ever realised.

That despite many people being lovely, some will still use the situation to utterly take the piss.

I've learnt that the country is not run for the benefit of the people, rather the country is run for the benefit of powerful groups that seek to exploit and profit from the people
That the government will lie through their teeth at the drop of a hat and are not even particularly clever or strategic about it

Never to trust politicians

That people still expect women to pick up all domestic and childcare-related tasks and it never crossed the minds of the people who run our economy that "home schooling" would disenfranchise those children who aren't lucky enough to have a parent at home who is free to do everything.

That my husband is incredible. I’m on mat leave and had terrible PND. A baby, 2 year old and husband WFH in a full on job. He has been absolutely amazing on a level I never knew he would or could be.

That I love getting dressed up. Not fancy but wearing nice clothes, make up, having an excuse to ‘get ready’. I don’t necessarily miss bars etc hugely but I miss looking nice.

As times gone on and I’ve overcome PND that I’m actually a good mum to two kids and coping well. DC1 is at nursery now but we have such fun even doing the limited things we can do. I’ll definitely reduce how much swimming/soft play etc we rely on in winter and make our own fun.

That I need my family and, when I do need them, they are unfalteringly there for me.

@Orchidsindoors

That people harp on about mental health too much. And that people use their kids for their own means saying need to get back to school because of their mental health, when most kids are probably fine, and just want to get back to work. I suspect a lot of people just dont like their kids too much.

Bit harsh 😂

That feminism failed.
That even among women there are an obnoxiously loud cohort who believe women should only take jobs they can drop at a minute's notice when schools close for fucking months (little hobby job for pin money).
That people are vile.
That attitudes toward mental health and disability are just performative wokeness and many people would now openly like them marked out in public and locked away.
Just HOW authoritarian states where people will turn on their neighbour for crimes like not clapping or going for a walk twice happen.

How despicable sections of humanity are basically.

It’s confirmed that I’m an introvert that likes, but most definitely does not need, other people.

That I really value life and my connection to, and position within, the universe.

That I value being alone sometimes.

That I love learning.

I’m good with external change and very happy accepting the ebb and flow of life.

My DH and DS are much more chilled out and adaptable than I thought

A lot of people have raised science to god-like status, but have very little understanding of what it actually is.

That I am very fortunate and my dh does a lot more than I gave him credit for.

That I drink too much.

That 'we are all in this together' is patronising bollox.

And the disparities in people's situations makes them behave in very different ways. 'Sticking to the rules' was easy for me and mine because ;

I wfh. My eldest DD works from Home. My son is furloughed and working a second job and my youngest is furloughed from her part time job so gets £100 a week 'pocket money'. DH is WFH.
No young kids
Youngest had A levels cancelled.
So no home educating.
We all get on really well and have enjoyed the break.

We live in an idyllic spot.
Kind and mutually supportive neighbours.
No longer spending £1500 a month commuting for three of us but still paid the same rate.

How my life can said to be 'in this together with ' someone made redundant, or in UC , living in an inner city , no garden , three kids of school age .. and a difficult home life /relationship.. is beyond comprehension.

I have realised how fortunate I am. Despite being required to shield from the outset.

just HOW authoritarian states where people will turn on their neighbour for crimes like not clapping or going for a walk twice happen.
My real life i dont know anyone who did this , nor saw anything like that on social media, just on MN.
MN has come out this really badly and should be ashamed of itself. It allowed trolls to run riot with these type of posts

That people assume that anyone who disagrees with them or who can see that an issue is more nuanced than black and white must be thick.

Likewise, when people talk of others not knowing how to risk assess they mean that either they do it differently to them or they are prioritising a different risk.

@bruffin

just HOW authoritarian states where people will turn on their neighbour for crimes like not clapping or going for a walk twice happen. My real life i dont know anyone who did this , nor saw anything like that on social media, just on MN. MN has come out this really badly and should be ashamed of itself. It allowed trolls to run riot with these type of posts

And the "REPORT!!! REPORT!!!" threads are still going strong. These idiots have either lived a completely blameless life (have they bollocks) or they are talking shit, which is more likely.

All these tossers should just have the guts to tell the person face to face they are going to report them.

Both physical and mental health is more fragile than we think. It's very reliant on our work, hobbies, friendships and family.

That I'm not who I thought I was, I'm selfish and a coward.

That I need time alone.

That too many people have forgotten how to "be kind" and delight in being judgemental twats.

@trappedsincesundaymorn

That too many people have forgotten how to "be kind" and delight in being judgemental twats.

They always were - just they were being judgemental over people not "being kind" enough.

That my employer doesn't give a fuck if I contract covid, as long as the work gets done. Apparently the NHS shielding letter is advisory and mandatory so there is absolutely no reason why I couldn't have been at work dealing with the the general public all this time.

The Government doesn't give a fuck that employers were allowed to refuse to claim furlough to shielding workers as a punishment for following the shielding guidance. Apparently I can live on SSP even though it's considerably less than my salary.

They always were - just they were being judgemental over people not "being kind" enough

True, a neighbour who had "Be Kind" all over his fb page in February, was the same person who verbally assaulted me for visiting my dad on the day my mum died. Going into peoples houses back then (late March) was against the "roolz" and I should be ashamed of myself.