Saddest things a toddler has said this year.

[55larry]

My dgs is 3 years old and because of all the rules we need to live under because of COVID he has not been allowed into my house much this year. I do some childcare and on those days he asks his mother if he is allowed to come in our house and whether his mum can come in. On one occasion during the last lockdown I had to do emergency childcare and he thought he was going to have to stand outside my house all day.

What have we done to our grandchildren that he should even need to ask the question can I go inside granny’s house?

I get where you're coming from. I'm a childminder and when the kids say things like, can we go (soft play)when the virus is gone? It totally breaks my heart. They're living such different lives, however much we try to adapt to it for them.

My DD is 6, she constantly asks when she can go to her friend's house and she knows it's "when the virus has gone". What's quite sad is that we'd happily have the friend for a childcare session (older sibling has various hospital appointments) but I don't think they'd be happy even though they are in the same class at school.

My ds is 2 and asks to go soft play or to the gruffalo ride(chessington) and doesn’t understand why. In a way I feel more for my toddler than my 7 year old. My ds turned 2 at the beginning of March and by the time we start to see improvements he will be 3. It makes me feel a little sad that he will turn 3 without our family and friends being able to see him be 2. He saw a few family members in the summer but not much this year and unlike the 7 year old he won’t talk much on zoom/FaceTime although to us he does talk a lot. It’s almost a 3rd of his life living in a pandemic without the usual socialisation, I do hope that when the pandemic eases he can start to bond more with family members because some he sadly now barely knows.

My 2 and a half year old said, I want grandad back from the clouds, please. I lost my dad in July, this absolutely broke me. 😢

I am so sorry that you have lost your dad. Your little one must have loved him so much to remember him and to want to see him.

A toddler asking if he can go in to grans house isn’t the end of the world. He’ll probably barely remember this year when he is older. We’re not “doing” anything to our children, we are keeping ourselves and others safe in an extraordinary circumstance.

He saw a few family members in the summer but not much this year

We live 200 miles from my family. They couldn’t see her much at first because she was in NNICU, then was vulnerable as a baby. Because of her disability, we couldn’t leave her to spend overnight with them until she was nearly 4. We see them maybe 4 or 5 times a year, for a few hours at a time. She has an incredible bond with my sister and my nephew. Your son will bond just fine. This blip won’t make a difference.

My just 5 year old drew a princess and she was carrying something. I asked what it was.. "hand sanitiser..."

My 3 year old was playing with his toy shop, before putting it in the cupboard said something like "now I need to clean the shopping"...

Will granddad come back from the sky to open his presents. Said this morning.

My toddler knows the point on the school run I normally put my mask on, and reminds me if i forget. And automatically puts her hands out for sanitizer in the way in to shops.

But i think my saddest moment was when my 5yo said what she most wanted to do for her birthday was have all her cousins for a party at the same time. I started to explain why that wasnt going to be possible (long distances as well as covid) and she said "No Mummy, I meant on zoom!" She hadn't even considered anything in person.

Mine said will papa get presents in heaven 😭 he passed away last month actually had me in tears then went on to say how much missed papa and if he was watching them all open the presents

My DD got worried she'd made people ill with her "germs" when she had a cold 😔 she's 4

She was asking to go round to peoples houses today.... we are tier 4 so we can't and she sort of accepts it but it's heartbreaking.

My 4 yr old asks nearly everyday on the way home from school if we can go to X friends front yard to have a socionally distant chat!
They arrange it during school time and each ask their mum's on the way home!
We walk home togetherish so after her friend goes inside my DD stands at the garden gate and they giggle at each other and say see you tomorrow.
Its sweet to watch

DD 2yrs has learned what "sad" is this week and has said it and "nanny sad" (she just learned "nanny" too), my dad died on Sunday.

Also her little dry hands from hand sanitizer which she demands every time we go in a shop

I’m with @MintyMabel we haven’t “done” anything to them. That’s a weird way to look at it. It’s just a kid, understanding how to stay safe. 10 years ago when I was teaching my toddler to brush their own teeth to avoid gun disease, I didn’t wonder what I’d “done” to her..

Last week my 10yo and I were playing beauty salons. She led with, “Is it OK if I just take your temperature?” I just find it interesting, and quite sweet.

@designmama and @dugee I’m sorry for your losses 😕 this is quite different, and I do feel is very sad. We lost FIL to Covid earlier this year, but fortunately my two are old enough to understand.

My son cried last week because he wanted to go to his grandma’s and hug her ☹️

DD3.5- "I miss granny so so soooo much. One day when corona virus is gone we can go on a plane to see her and I will hug her lots and play baking all day!"
Also
"Look mummy. I can write my name AND corona!"
She's just learning how to put letters together to make words.

“Don’t worry Mummy, I didn’t hug Nanna.”

What have we done to our grandchildren that he should even need to ask the question can I go inside granny’s house?

We haven't 'done' anything to them! The virus wasn't planned...the rules are just there for safety.

Far better to be brisk about it all and avoid big emotions regarding them. Of course it IS sad...but nobody's done anything to them. It just is.

I just think about children growing up in the Blitz...far worse.

DD is two. Recently we were out walking and saw a child wearing a mask. I explained to DD that children under 11 don’t have to wear them.

DD said “when I’m 11, I’m going to wear a mask”.

What a depressing thought, people still wearing masks in 2029.

@MintyMabel

No one said it was the end of the world.

They just said it was a bit sad.

It's interesting to see the different levels of heartbreak in this thread.

Some are understandably in pieces about DC asking for Grandad etc. whilst others are broken hearted about not being able to visit someone else. It's all sad and it's all a pain in the backside too. A little perspective is called for though.

Not a toddler, but my DD asked if I could buy her the green hand sanitiser rather than the clear for her school bag as it would be more Christmassy.

My niece today at Xmas dinner (age 2) was using her napkin to "play masks"

One of my little dance students asked me when they will be able to hold their friends hands again to dance. It's sad to see them dancing in box shapes taped on the floor and standing spaced out on taped crosses.