to think there will be a lockdown divide

[coronamoana]

Firstly understand why it's necessary & will comply.

After talking with family, friends & colleagues it seems that for some lockdown will be hell on earth, for others heaven.

Hell
Older people who may live alone and will miss social interaction, etc.
Vulnerable people who really on particular services
Families with children, particularly young ones. Plenty don't even have gardens

Heaven
Healthy, childfree adults/couples who can look forward to diy, organising, netflix etc.
Rich families who plan to retreat to huge 2nd home & garden despite the fact they should stay put.

I have 2 young ones at home & we fortunately have a garden but not a big one or a big house for that matter. One will need schooling to continue which DH & I will attempt to facilitate around our jobs (can wfh). Dreading it!

You missed out the wfh crowd. We are in a more fortunate position than many as we still have jobs (for now) but we have to figure out how to work whilst simultaneously homeschooling our childrenconfused. It's not going to be Netflix and family walks in the woods for us. In all likelihood we will be doing both things badly and working until midnight to get through it all.

Quite true.
I get up and work 6-8am. Partner gets up and does 8-9am. I do 9-12pm. Partner 12-2pm. Me 2-5pm. Partner 5-7pm. We both do bedtime 7-8pm, and then both work from 8pm-11pm.
Have to do shopping and cooking and other life admin while looking after kids. It's not a pity party, but an adjustment.
Nanny and parents not able to help and have to stay away.
It's going to be really really hard. I'm knackered already and it's only day 4...

However, we're all healthy still, and both me and partner have well paying jobs with very large firms.
We're going to try and get an au pair for 6 months. Hopefully the offer of a (small) income, but a room in London and meal etc will be tempting to someone who has lost their job recently.

@daisychain01 did you miss the part where I said after talking to others?

My colleagues who are saying they are looking forward to catching up with diy aren't toffs.

But crack on if you want a bit of entertainment. You sound bitter.

Bitter about what? I've spend the last few days trying to facilitate fsm for vulnerable children whilst we close, I'm well aware of my privilege.

It will be hard for everyone in different ways, although the medics most of all, so don't cut any corners because you are finding hard. Every extra precaution you take reduces the stress in the hardest hit

Those with children will at least have a distraction which singles and couples may miss

Those still having to work outside the home will still sense the strangeness and are at increased risk, and few people ever want to be a brave hero

Those over 70, may be worried they are running out of hours left to live and wasting them in lockdown

Those with kids , good luck

Probably clear from the above that I’m definitely not in the rich/second home category despite being ok at the lockdown prospect!

If anything I actually feel lucky that I’m already not able to work and have UC set up and secure housing etc. Even though the health issues mean I’m knocked flat by a simple head cold so I’m scared of the actual virus)

I'm in the second group as I have no kids at home and wfh. Our flat is only a two bedroom but we're ground floor and have got a garden (thank god). I've also been thinking about how easy it is for us to stay indoors and how difficult it will be for others. If we get forced inside I'm going to give the rest of the flats above us a key to our garden. Some of them have tiny flats and small kids and will have a nightmare of a time.

I’d say the people, who have to go out to work and frontline workers would say you are the one, who has it easy. Most people, who can go on complete lock down are very privileged as this means they are able to access support from outside. And I know there are caveats to this statement. I’m disabled and chronically ill myself. And very worryingly there are people in abusive relationships for whom this will be a nightmare.

And ffs I’ve basically been self isolating to a great extent for the last 8 years due to being largely bedridden, have had major surgery twice. And need more surgery. The second time my dh had to go straight back to work. I had to look after my dd and you have NO IDEA how hard that was. Get over yourself.

Those still having to work outside the home will still sense the strangeness

I was the only person walking to the car park last night at 5.15, usually there are loads of people milling around. It was so bizarre. I'll be honest, I was freaked out, not helped by a car alarm going off as I walked past it!

I'm hoping to Go that we have a very wet summer - not only because it'll be less constricting staying in, but because with all of the necessary hand washing, we are going to be using an enormous amount of water, and we have been low on reservoir water for the last few years anyway.

To suggest that people fall into one of two groups is far too simplistic. There are so many possible situations that people will find themselves in. It may well be the case that people will find themselves dealing with situations that all into "heaven" and "hell"

@definitelygc that's a lovely gesture.

I'm a home edder and also run a business, plenty of us do. Although our groups are cancelled it's pretty much business as usual and it can be done. Today we will do any shopping early, I've been working since 5.30 and lessons go on around work throughout the day until DH gets home. He works in supply chain so is being asked to do 6 days per week. It will be strange at first but get into a routine and it will soon feel less strange.

Let me make it clear I'm not suggesting people only fall into certain groups. This is a thread based on talking to people I know & their views which some I was surprised at. I'm not sure why there can't be a discussion around it? I may yet still find myself back at work which I'm happy to do.

I'm in your 'heaven' group and can honestly say that I'm not looking forward to it. My challenges may be different to yours but there are challenges: trying to care for a recently widowed and severely depressed parent from a distance, trying not to go stir crazy as I live alone and won't see anyone from one week to the next. I don't think that my challenges are worse than yours but I don't think that you are thinking through the reality of some of the people that you appear to be envying.

I don’t know anyone that’s looking forward to a lockdown, child free or not.

Just because you’re child free doesn’t mean you don’t have elderly parents to worry about or hate the thought of being totally unable to see your friends. Being stuck at home alone is really hard.

Don’t make lazy assumptions about other people’s lives.

I’m still going out to work in a medical practice (admin). It feels so strange, we’re discouraging patients coming in and the usually crowded waiting room is empty. It’s good talking to the doctors who think we’ll get through this. I’m usually quite an introvert and like living on my own but the situation makes me want company! DD is coming home from uni this weekend and won’t be going back until September. I hope we can all adjust to the new normal and come out of it a kinder and less selfish society.

Not envy, not assumptions, I literally put this in my OP

After talking with family, friends & colleagues it seems that for some lockdown will be hell on earth, for others heaven.

Heaven Healthy, childfree adults/couples who can look forward to diy, organising, netflix etc.

I know 2 couples like that. Just started wfh and both couples ready to kill each other

You’ve said that healthy, child free adults/couples will find the lockdown heaven.

How many friends/family/colleagues who were in that position said that? It’s a massive assumption to assume it’s generally true. There’s only so much diy and tv you can do before you go stir crazy from having not seen another person.

I fall into your 'heaven' group and for me it will be for about a week as I repaint the front door and clean the house.

The gnawing anxiety of having lost 80% of my work will set in after that. Not to mention all the plans to grow my business are now on hold for probably 6 months.

You have to do what is necessary. There is nobody else.

The other group that wont be on lockdown are the homeless.

Hell = those in abusive relationships,

those who's abusive partners are now royally fucked off that they can't drink or go to sports events,

kids stuck at home 24/7 with their abusers and kids who now get no hot school lunch to look forward to if that was their only meal if the day.

@SchadenfreudePersonified - Low on reservoir water?

Are you kidding? It has literally rained for months and months on end - as it has for about 3 years!

You’ve said that healthy, child free adults/couples will find the lockdown heaven.

No I've said after talking to my friends, family & colleagues it seems for some. I also haven't extrapolated that for the entire population.

Anyway i'm in work now so gotta go.

kids who now get no hot school lunch to look forward to if that was their only meal if the day.

Our school like many others are doing all we can to facilitate this through supermarkets but logistically it's hard.