To miss lockdown

[globula]

Just that really.

This is my personal view and experience and I cannot comment on the suffering the COVID situation brought to many people however for me it was great (of course the reason for lockdown wasn't great, JUST THE EXPERIENCE of it).

I have a 0hrs contract with NHS but working on a non COVID ward so was able to pick up full time hrs last year resulting in more income (normally only able to do 2 shifts per week due to lack of childcare) and didn't feel unsafe or uncomfortable if anything it was easier with less patients, no visitors and limited visits from other agencies). DH was off on furlough staying at home, doing diy, garden and helping to homeschool.
I loved having DCs here to homeschool- actually think they learned way more at home than they do at school on regular basis- and overall we had more time to spend as a family and enjoy each other's company as there was no external stress and pressure.

We don't have family around and don't go out very often anyway so I wasn't bothered by places being shut.
I loved the empty streets, buses, trains and supermarkets (maybe I just don't like ppl I don't know).

So overall for me it was brilliant. I realise that I sound extremely selfish and wouldn't say it to anyone in RL however my intention isn't to diminish anyone's hardship just needed to share how I feel.

Lockdown makes me want to cease existing.

Life is still not truely normal. The spontenaity is still not back. Relationships are still not recovered, many people I haven't seen since 2019 because people have different boundaries and plans are hard to make because of uncertainty. My diary is still struggling to fill up because events have been hard to plan with regular delays, uncertainty and clashes as the regular rythum of seasons has been broken by events being postponed.

DS2 lost his friends because they continued in school and he couldn't. DS1 has SENs and can't cope with home learning, DS2 copied him because as a 6-8yo he hasn't had the maturity to do home learning when his only peer can't cope. My DCs fear school holidays now because they associate it with the isolation of lockdown after last Oct-April when nothing was allowed to be open.

I struggle to make plans more than 2 weeks ahead because so, so many plans have been cancelled again and again and it's a mental defence against shattered hope.

People who love lockdown have some degree of choice to reorganise their lives to replicate it.
For the rest of us, the consequences are awful in a multitude of different ways

I had a horrendous lockdown, new born, birth injuries, dh who was CEV became very ill and lost job. Came off mat leave early as we had no income and made redundant. I look back and have no idea how we survived….

And yet, I miss aspects of it! Had our life circumstances been kinder we would’ve certainly enjoyed lockdown.

I feel like covid made difficult situations so much more difficult, but if life was peachy lockdowns gave a much needed breather from the chaos of human life.

I'm glad it's not just me then! I totally feel for people who suffered and not saying that it should be a permanent state of affairs but I do have fond memories of it and that's just it.

I do live in a quite remote part of the country already and stay at home a lot and look after the kids as due to my DH job( which is much better paid than mine) I can only do 1 or 2 shifts a week. And it isn't viable for him to stay home and me working FT as this still wouldn't be enough to cover our needs (needs not wants).

I think it was just a really nice change for us as a family. Again my point wasn't to boast that I had it wonderful and others didn't. I understand that different circumstances= different experience.

Just needed to say it that's all.

I liked having the kids and DH home more, but it felt like real life was on pause, which would be seriously debilitating if it went on for much longer. Humans aren't designed to live like this - we are social animals.
I would describe myself as quite unsociable - I am a homebody, don't need to see people all the time, but by the end I was desperate to go out for dinner and just go further than my nearest supermarket!
All the little, joyful experiences got sucked out of our lives - there's only so long you can spend deweeding the garden etc!

YANBU to feel how you feel.

I do find it odd though that people seemingly don't want to take control of their own lives. If you don't ever want to socialise, then you're perfectly within your rights to live that way. Why do you need a lockdown for that?

I've always been able to WFH as has DH but lockdown has been awful for our DCs. They lost all their social interaction, all their sports and education the first time around.
Teenagers need more than just their parents around, they need school, they need in person peer groups so lockdown can go do one as far as am I concerned.

I wish we could have an annual lockdown, just three months or so a couple of times a year - enough to get a good break.

you can make your own "lockdown", it's up to you to create your own little bubble and live as you see fit.

No need for the rest of us to be on house arrest.

I am not too sorry for adults, we have our life, we have built friendships and interest etc.., but it's a disaster for the younger ones! It's bad enough for the little ones, but teens and students stuck home with parents instead of having a life. Very unfair and horrible time for them all.

I loved being with my kids in the first lockdown. We did something together everyday. Their mental health really suffered though (well the eldest 2 and my youngest is a social butterfly so she was a bit demanding!) I loved home school but it's easy when there's a teacher planning the lessons lol and I loved doing my job (teaching, which in reality I fucking hate!) but I was lucky in that my school didn't do all live lessons so I could work round our home schooling.

My husband was out at work. I think I'd have battered him if he was at home so that helped.

I don't miss the January lockdown....longest winter EVER!! I lost all motivation abs we didn't a lot of time in separate rooms. Good weather is definitely better!

And this summer I'm fed up. Everywhere is so busy! Can't wait for everyone to bugger off abroad next year so we can have our favourite places back!!

I often think how could I make it so it's always like the first lockdown?? The answer is give up work which I already did but had to go back due to covid lol. But ultimately that is the plan!!

i do think it made/helped some people rethink aspects of their lives and appreciate a slower pace....and I am not taking about the "family making sourdough bread together" images on Insta. I will NEVER EVER say "oh good came from Covid" but it did move society in a certain direction.

@Needapoodle

Alright if you were furloughed i guess, getting paid to stay at home must have been lovely

It absolutely wasn't, I was furloughed for 3 months. I am NOT a homebody and I am a single parent, work is where I actually get to see other adults. To have that taken away, to be completely isolated from everyone and stuck trying to keep a 6 year old entertained daily was hell, I was living in a flat with no garden and to top it off having to survive on 80% of minimum wage and constantly worrying about whether I'd even have a job to go back to.

No I didn’t enjoy it. Had to close my childcare business and my anxiety spiralled & ive had to go on medication to manage it. Homeschooling was awful and not seeing my parents properly was shit. I’m still cautious about what I do now but I’m happy it’s (hopefully) over.

People who love lockdown have some degree of choice to reorganise their lives to replicate it.
For the rest of us, the consequences are awful in a multitude of different ways

@BogRollBOGOF sums it up perfectly.

I miss when people were cautious. Socially responsible. Now cases are still sky high and rising, but no one gives a shit any more. Very sad.

I miss the empty roads and peaceful walks, the whole community spirit. Now the fucking tourists are back in droves and everything is overrun. Thankfully I've managed to secure a permanent WFH contract.

I do think lockdown was so beneficial for women as a whole.

@NannyAndJohn

I miss when people were cautious. Socially responsible. Now cases are still sky high and rising, but no one gives a shit any more. Very sad.

I miss the empty roads and peaceful walks, the whole community spirit. Now the fucking tourists are back in droves and everything is overrun. Thankfully I've managed to secure a permanent WFH contract.

I do think lockdown was so beneficial for women as a whole.

100% disagree with every aspect of this

‘I do think lockdown was so beneficial for women as a whole.’

Whatever your thoughts, they are valid. But this is clearly batshit.

Was sodding horrendous for me, but I’m glad other people had a better time.

I’d have enjoyed having some furlough time, but worked harder because of people isolating. I feel tired now as not had much time off.

NannyAndJohn
I do think lockdown was so beneficial for women as a whole.

WHY?!?

@HarrietsChariot

Lockdown was brilliant. Not having to get up and go outside in the darkness and rain to catch the bus which was late again and packed again.

Lovely quiet streets, neighbours not having so many late night parties because they couldn't have people round - what's not to like? All the shops that you needed were still open and the non-essential stuff could be bought online.

The only downside was the queues to get into supermarkets, but once I'd worked out 4pm was the best time to go that wasn't a major problem.

I wish we could have an annual lockdown, just three months or so a couple of times a year - enough to get a good break.

You want other people's lives to be ruined through legal restrictions, rather than just adapting your own life to make yourself happier?

People talk a lot about selfishness and covid, but I don't think I've ever seen a more selfish post than this.

I think like a lot of things it’s fine to say that as a novelty it was interesting / enjoyable and that it’s something to look back on fondly. I do myself - I’d actually started a really horrible job just a few weeks before lockdown 1, and the sense of relief when I realised I was getting respite from it was enormous! As it turned out I didn’t ever go back to that role.

But I think there’s a difference between that and wanting another lockdown, which I do think some posters on here want. I find that really odd. Even if it worked for you, wishing poverty and bereavement on others (even indirectly) sits very uncomfortably with me.

Funnily enough, @CloudPop, being au fait with massive case numbers is exactly the thing that's going to lead us into another lockdown.

You reap what you sow.

Agreed SpicyJalfrezi, quite a difference. I suppose it’s like how a lot of my grandmother’s friends all used to talk about the great time they’d had during the war when they got to do interesting war work and go out dancing with American GIs. Not quite the same as wanting another one though.

@isthisareverse

NannyAndJohn I do think lockdown was so beneficial for women as a whole.

WHY?!?

Having partners around the home to help with domestic chores, not having to be in the physical presence of male colleagues, no creeps sitting next to you on public transport, etc.

In other words, women are far safer when men are shut indoors!

@NannyAndJohn

Funnily enough, *@CloudPop*, being au fait with massive case numbers is exactly the thing that's going to lead us into another lockdown.

You reap what you sow.

Not sure I understand your point. Being au fait with case numbers will lead to another lockdown? Do you mean NOT being au fait with case numbers?

In other words, women are far safer when men are shut indoors.

Unless you’re one of the women and children shut indoors with them. Domestic violence rates rose considerably during the lockdowns. Add to that that many women had to both work full time jobs and take on the bulk of the responsibilities for home schooling, and the picture isn’t really very rosy.