To ask what the most COVID bonkers thing you did about

[Jay36]

First off this is not a COVID denier thread.

But I’m wondering what was the weird things you did at the start of the pandemic because you were worried about CV. I’ll go first;

Left my shoes outside the house as was worried about bringing the virus ‘in’ in case someone had coughed on the pavement !

Bleached the door handles daily.

Feel like I was a bit crazy now 😂😭

@TheKeatingFive or they were just being cautious and trying to get through it the best they could. Things were changing every day. Let's not play the blame game here it doesn't help anyone

It was a sprained ankle with a clear mechanism of injury which was fully assessed by myself. The not walking was him being weird and he snapped out of it. You are making a fuss about a sore foot.

For those concerned we are a large family so there was no missing out on social interaction or exercise. Just that for me to get a good run in I had to wait for the paths to be quiet as it was ridiculously busy and I also didn't want to freak other pedestrians out with my runner breathing which I'm aware was a concern for people.

Look, like I said, it is weird to look back but I don't believe any harm was done and our families mental health didn't suffer as a result of our choices. The atmosphere at home was calm and we made an effort to keep things very chilled around the kids for that reason.

It that a possibility you are willing to accept. We actually had a nice time.

[quote AarghLessonsMustBeLearnedAGAIN]@TheKeatingFive or they were just being cautious and trying to get through it the best they could. Things were changing every day. Let's not play the blame game here it doesn't help anyone[/quote]
It’s not blaming

And expressing concern for the children that were in these highly agitated and anxious homes for months on end.

It’s concerning

You are making a fuss about a sore foot.

Based on what YOU said

* Waited two weeks of 5yo not walking before going to a&e*

or they were just being cautious and trying to get through it the best they could.

It doesn't mean their response was proportional or didn't impact their kids. I don't agree that their fear means their actions shouldn't be scrutinised.

There was clear data, right from the start, coming out of China, before covid really hit here that should have helped people keep some of those fears in proportion. But a lot seemed to accept media scaremongering unquestioningly.

@TheKeatingFive

We were up against the unknown and reacted accordingly.

That's not a get out of jail free card in my eyes.

Do you honestly think any parent would knowingly fuck up their child's mental health for the shits & giggles?

I think some people allowed their health anxiety to seriously impair their parenting.

This

Plus we knew right from the outset that the vast and overwhelming would have no symptoms or mild and children the massive massive majority - nothing

We knew that.

I didn't do any of this, really. At a push, avoided walking past people on our daily walk, but only 2m. I was super pregnant during the first lockdown and couldn't be arsed.

Look, like I said, it is weird to look back but I don't believe any harm was done and our families mental health didn't suffer as a result of our choices.

Well I hope you're right. You'll know in time I suppose.

Fuck me there are some NASTY posters on this thread .

People were doing what they thought was right to protect their children at the time .

A time which you may recall there were some terrifying scenes in other countries that people were being subjected to on the media .

The point of this thread was for people to have a gentle laugh at themselves. Not for others to give them a kicking.

There seems to be a “get out of free” card re how parenting played out during the pandemic.

I remember one poster couldn’t get out of bed as she was crying so hard as so anxious about getting covid and leaving her children motherless.

All the posters were saying…. Just have a bed day, watch Netflix, let the kids just watch tv and get a take away

I thought… wtf?! Who wants to see their mum like that? Haul your ass out of bed, have a shower and take the kids out for a walk.

And yes, I’m a single parent before anyone asks

* People were doing what they thought was right to protect their children at the time . *

Some weren’t. You don’t like that fact. But some were getting so caught up in the drama, their children would have undoubtedly suffered. Take yourself back to mumsnet in 2020. It was horrifying to read

@Toanewstart22

There seems to be a “get out of free” card re how parenting played out during the pandemic.

I remember one poster couldn’t get out of bed as she was crying so hard as so anxious about getting covid and leaving her children motherless.

All the posters were saying…. Just have a bed day, watch Netflix, let the kids just watch tv and get a take away

I thought… wtf?! Who wants to see their mum like that? Haul your ass out of bed, have a shower and take the kids out for a walk.

And yes, I’m a single parent before anyone asks

That sounds like a serious mh episode though. You can say "I'm a single parent too btw", but if you aren't a single parent with exactly the same MH you can't really compare. You do sound overly harsh in this post especially.

“Serious Mh episode”?

They were two a penny on mumsnet during the lockdowns.

I stand by fact that some children the pandemic was much much shitter than it needed to be. Why? Because of how their parents responded to it

Also slightly bonkers but I did at one point go to bookers and then turn the under stairs cupboard into a sweet shop complete with paper bags.

Try and tell me the kids will be mentally scarred for life for that one.

There seems to be a “get out of free” card re how parenting played out during the pandemic.

I totally agree and I don't think 'but I was really afraid and the media was stirring' just lets people off that

People can think that's 'nasty' if they want, but ultimately I believe people need to take responsibility for the impact of their behaviour.

@GranolaHolmes

Also slightly bonkers but I did at one point go to bookers and then turn the under stairs cupboard into a sweet shop complete with paper bags.

Try and tell me the kids will be mentally scarred for life for that one.

Yes, because that is exactly like the list you posted upthread 🙄

Try and tell me the kids will be mentally scarred for life for that one

That sounds really fun, why would anyone have an issue with that?

“Serious Mh episode”?

Yes, being unable to get out of bed because you are crying so much about something that hasn't actually happened is a serious MH episode

They were two a penny on mumsnet during the lockdowns.

I don't think that's true actually. Although maybe you spend more time on these boards than I do. There were massive overreactions, but I don't think being unable to get out of bed while your kids were there needing to be cared for was at all common.

Maybe because the OPs question was things you did because of worry and not the loads of other things that were fun or amazing or to help manage everyone's mental health or that are examples of perfectly good lockdown parenting.

Just maybe it's possible to have done a decent job in difficult circumstances.

I'm a paramedic and my DD who lived with us then is a nurse. We didn't do anything different. Washed my uniform after each shift as normal but didn't strip off on the doormat. I was a bit concerned about DH as he has a heart condition( and we're both late 50s) but when DH and I caught Covid in May 2020 we were barely unwell at all and the two children didn't catch it off us. After that I stopped worrying and have only followed the regulations I'm legally obliged to.
If other people want to do things differently that's fine but I'm carrying on as normal.
Haven't even caught omicron despite mixing as much as ever.

I'm a great believer in high levels of stress messing with your immune system and making you worse if you do catch things.

Did I manage my mental health by sewing a sparkly outfit for my son to wear trampolining? Did I play endless board games or sew a beautiful teepee so the littles could get some space for himself. Yes I sure did.

Did I go online and consider ordering Steristrips to avoid hospitals should the need arise for me to become survivalist Rambo mum?
Yes it was all me.

And I won't apologise for doing the things that felt right at the time based on the information I had.

I'm sure many parents will take responsibility for the impact of their behaviour @TheKeatingFive but let's try and support them, not guilt them for keeping their children safe- as best they could. It serves no purpose
I think we all reached a level of madness at what was happening in the world

A time which you may recall there were some terrifying scenes in other countries that people were being subjected to on the media .

What 'terrifying scenes' do you mean?

I think some people allowed their health anxiety to seriously impair their parenting.

Absolutely, and that could very much be extended to their interactions with others and their overall behaviour. And I say that as someone who has had significant problems with clinical anxiety all their life. We all have a responsibility for managing the effect our behaviour has on others, but that went right out the window when Covid landed.

The point of this thread was…Not for others to give them a kicking.

I wondered when the “Be Kind” brigade would be along.

@shinynewapple22

Fuck me there are some NASTY posters on this thread .

People were doing what they thought was right to protect their children at the time .

A time which you may recall there were some terrifying scenes in other countries that people were being subjected to on the media .

The point of this thread was for people to have a gentle laugh at themselves. Not for others to give them a kicking.

What I remember was that it was ALWAYS said that it was a mild illness for children. We all saw the same news reports and some of us never acted hysterically.