To go to a local garden centre?

[Thetimehascomethewalrussaid]

I feel like I might get flamed for this. I'm on maternity leave and obviously we're in full lockdown. Where I live is also currently in the throes of Storm Christoph and the rain outside is literally like the wrath of god - so no chance of a walk. My baby is teething and really grumpy and I'm going out of my mind being stuck in the same four walls all day every day. All baby classes have been cancelled, can't even go somewhere for a quick coffee to break up the day. My husband is at work (he's a teacher and over half of the school are in because the government have massively expanded the list of what constitutes a 'key worker' - so it's not really a lockdown, but that's another thread!) We have a support bubble because we have a child under 1 but they're also at work in the week (also teachers). Our local garden centre (2 min drive away) is open - would I be unreasonable to pack the baby in the car and go and have a look round there for an hour? Just to break up the day and regain a bit of sanity? Not an essential journey, but arguably important for mental health! My husband now has weekly COVID tests - he had one yesterday and it was negative so it's highly unlikely we have it! Feel like I'm going mad!

Do you really really want to stay alive (and healthy) long enough to raise your baby?

If so, grit your teeth, and stay home. It's hard but you're worth it to your baby.

Personally, I wouldn’t as you are endangering yourself and the people working in the garden centre who have to work as the government say they can open.

Having said that, I think there are people on here who would say no to your garden centre visit and still send their children into school without a second thought. So I can see why you might think ‘sod it’ as your husband has to supervise lots of children in school, making it more likely you will be ill anyway. Of course, the kinder, more responsible thing to do would be to help keep the garden centre workers safe and keep transmission low. Go on another thrilling walk instead or see if Netflix has something new to offer...

my kids are older now and I would not take them to garden centre or supermarket as they would run riot but I totally remember the need to "get out" when they were small and weather was horrendous so YANBU. Personally I'd go to the supermarket though as arguably it is more important to buy food than mosey around the plants

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

@MintyMabel

Pet food, farm shops, fence panels.

All available in non garden centre stores (and usually at a much better price)

Garden Centres were noted as non essential by the Scottish Government. About the only sensible thing they have done.

Do you have any objections to Pets at Home staying open? If not, what’s the difference the difference between the pet section at the garden centre or a pet shop? The same with fence panels from B&Q or a garden centre (often better quality at the garden centre)?

@TableFlowerss

*There’s been a few examples of the essential things garden centres sell on this post*

@PinkSparklyPussyCat
There’s ‘essential for some’ and properly ‘ESSENTIAL’.

FWIW - I also think shops that don’t sell substantial food should be made to close.

What do you call substantial food FFS?! Should my local corner shop close and go out of business?

Of course some things are essential to some but not others. Are you one of those who thinks only things that are essential to you should be allowed to open?

I would go.

How far do you take these things? Should they just shut all the supermarkets and supply us all with a standard box of items to make meals from? Should I not get chocolate / make up / crisps from Tesco when I do my shopping as they aren’t essential and I’m spending longer in the shop? Maybe we should all have a 10 min time to whizz round before we’re escorted out?!

The whole world has just gone mad. If we want to be really funny about it NO garden centre needs to be open - everything that’s “essential” can be purchased online, even fencing and whatever else.

I’m in the clinically extremely vulnerable group and hardly ever leave the house but Christ on a bike some people need to get some perspective.

Yanbu OP, sometimes sanity is more important, and it's a calculated risk, it's likely to be quiet there.

Yep, go. Catch Covid, pass it to your husband. He can pass it on to all his students who in turn can give it to their key worker parents. Burst those bubbles!! and let’s see how many nurses/doctors/Tesco staff etc can get ill and then not be able to go to work TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE.
Yes, please go. I LOVE lockdown and the longer it goes on the better.

Most of the people saying don't go probably don't follow all the rules themselves. I've lost count of the amount of people who moan about others but are themselves in a 'support bubble' - but don't really know the rules regarding support bubbles. If you need to get out, get out, wear a mask, keep your distance and enjoy the trip.

I am starting to think that the arguments here are because people translated OP in a different manner.

It looks like someone took it as "I wwant to go shop in a garden centre, is that ok" meanwile others took it as "I am bired, I don't want anything there, just want to go out".

There is a fundamental difference in the two. 1 is absolutely ok, one is shitty

@Whydidyouask

Yep, go. Catch Covid, pass it to your husband. He can pass it on to all his students who in turn can give it to their key worker parents. Burst those bubbles!! and let’s see how many nurses/doctors/Tesco staff etc can get ill and then not be able to go to work TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE. Yes, please go. I LOVE lockdown and the longer it goes on the better.

Let's stop with the hysteria, please.

Fair enough, enourage people to be sensible but this kind of shit is half the problem.

Sorry for typos🤦

@openallthetime

Yanbu OP, sometimes sanity is more important, and it's a calculated risk, it's likely to be quiet there.

Do you think so?

I'd have thought the opposite tbh. It will be busy with all the Covidiots doing what OP is suggesting as there is nowhere else open.

Apparently B&M and the likes have been packed with people just moseying around to get out of the house. Absolutely crazy.

YANBU, I'm basically in the exact same position as you and it's mentally exhausting. God forbid you need a break!

Hardly hysterical. More a withering response I’d say. What’s making ‘this problem’ worse is some people’s inability to stay the fuck at home so we can get through it that little bit faster. The virus is spreading exactly how I’ve described and it’s just not ok to make the problem worse because you are bored.

Garden centres should be shout
Not fair making staff work there

Shut ,even ,not shout

Definitely go, most people commenting “don’t go” probably don’t have a small baby and no other adult interaction all day. I think the latest figures are something like most new mums (70 odd percent) are struggling with some form of depression / baby blues / anxiety a massive increase from previous years, people forget how incredibly hard it is and lonely it is with a young baby. The poll was taken on mums net I think so I’m sure someone could link it

I LOVE lockdown and the longer it goes on the better.

I think this actually true of some people. They won’t be content until our front doors are nailed closed.

@Whydidyouask

Hardly hysterical. More a withering response I’d say. What’s making ‘this problem’ worse is some people’s inability to stay the fuck at home so we can get through it that little bit faster. The virus is spreading exactly how I’ve described and it’s just not ok to make the problem worse because you are bored.

Half the problem is that people's mental health and wellbeing is being ripped to shreds.

Jumping on a poster for daring to ask a question does not help. Neither does posting what was hysterical nonsense about someone legally going to a place where, due to the nature of it, the chances of catching COVID are almost nil.

But as I said earlier, there are certainly plenty of people enjoying watching other people suffer.

If they're open then yes, go

Its not really in the spirit of lockdown to go without needing to. You do have my sympathy though, its difficult.

@VinylDetective

I LOVE lockdown and the longer it goes on the better.

I think this actually true of some people. They won’t be content until our front doors are nailed closed.

Absolutely.

On just about any thread you can absolutely bet that someone will be along to say "why are you doing this we are supposed to be on lockdown" whilst foaming at the mouth with glee and excitement.

It's just like all the lunatics last time round who insisted that daily exercise had to be 5 mile death marches and NOTHING ELSE.

@UrAWizHarry well said!!!!