to think that our children seem to be carrying the can for all this so far?

[ChocolateCard]

It seems to me that from a social perspective, it’s our children who have, so far, given up the most in order to support the country through this crisis.

They have sacrificed their education; their friendships; their sports events; concerts, shows, and end of term celebrations.

The most vulnerable groups of adults will have had to make the difficult choice to self-isolate.

And meanwhile, our fit, healthy grown adult population continue to go to the gym or the pub.

Mooch fair enough that's my opinion you don't have to agree. The OP needs some perspective.

Those that have died, and their families & loved, have given up more than an end of term party.

Everybody has had to give up on sports events, theatre, cinema.
Why have the young lost friends more than anyone else? they seem to be as adept on line and with phones as other age groups, possibly more so.

This is gutting for many kids, and it's okay for them to be upset and frustrated with it, and it really is not at all helpful to be dismissive of what they have lost - as much as anything because if we are dismissive of their concerns, they're far more likely to be dismissive of ours. If we want them to listen and hear what we need them to do, we need to not shut down communication by refusing to listen and hear what they are saying.

I'm absolutely bloody gutted for my kids, I can't believe that for a second time in their short lives, they are on a disaster footing, with their lives severely disrupted.

Having said that, my daughter said today that she was going into town - um, no you're not, why do you think school is shut, and Dad is working from home? What matters most is doing everything we can to minimise loss of life.

But be a little bit gentle on the kids - they really genuinely have a very limited understanding (most of them, the lucky ones) just how serious the situation is, how big the risk is, and in many cases, the cold hard finality of death.

Good grief. Get a sense of perspective.

I can't believe people lack so much sympathy for children.

Loneliness and isolation are incredibly damaging....there's a reason why solitary confinement is used as a punishment.

And ok, so children with siblings living in nice big houses with gardens will be ok but not all children are so lucky.

Imagine an only child living in a tower block? Think how lonely and isolated they could become.

Imagine an widowed over 70 in the same tower block. Think how lonely and isolated they will be with the added stress of trying to get supplies and possible life saving regular prescriptions.

At least the child has its parent. Who does the widow have?

yanbu

Speak for yourself. I have given up my degree to ensure my children complete work set by schools. No family support whatsoever. I am a year behind graduating and a year behind working.

Older people have no one . They are told to isolate. How lonely they will be is really sad

Imagine an widowed over 70 in the same tower block. Think how lonely and isolated they will be with the added stress of trying to get supplies and possible life saving regular prescriptions

It's not one or the other...you can have sympathy for both.

You are being silly OP. Everyone is suffering in some way shape or form; not just children.

I don’t agree at all. Older people face social isolation, lots of people are unemployed. Children will bounce back. It’s sad of course but no way in hell are they the worst off.

Actually, the elderly and immunosuppressed and disenfranchised will "carry the can" death wise, and the health sector workers and key workers all the way across society will be baring the brunt of keeping the country and society going. The children will be affected, but luckily they will be best placed as a group to come through the other end. Hopefully, they will learn from our mistakes.

Yes you can have sympathy for both but the op says it is the children giving up the most.

If her post just said to feel sorry for any child stuck on the tenth floor of a tower block for the next 12 weeks then yes I would agree but not that they are giving up the most.

Nope. So far my seven year old is fine. Ok this might disrupt her life for a while, but children are resilient and they bounce back with support. It’s my job to shoulder the worry, whilst juggling work and educating her on my own as a single mum. (And she is in the more higher risk group, she has asthma so it’s not like I can be blasé about this altogether). It’s our job as adults to help our children adjust to this new normal, they’re not carrying the can at all.

@OnlyFoolsnMothers. My dc are 14 and 11. They have seen enough of what is going on to understand that there are bigger things at stake for society than the Y6 leavers party. They've been in isolation since last weekend because their father has an underlying condition.
Of course I'm sorry for the disruption to their lives, and naturally they're a little adrift at the moment. Children adapt quickly, and this odd way of living will become their norm before we know it. It's what happens next, when we try to revert to normal, that will be toughest.

No. Yes they’ve lost a lot, but many people have. Isolation, money, their jobs, their lives.

I really hate when people say that children are resilient. I actually don't think they're any more resilient than adults...I think they just can't often express their sadness and worries and are good at masking it.

Ah, the 'r' word, and children.

I remember telling our school principal that if he chuntered that line at me one more time I would bloody will tear him a new one at the PTA meeting. And got applauded.

Probably people losing their businesses, who have lost their job or God forbid family members. Please don't make out to your children that they are martyrs leading the country to safety, they haven't done it out of selflessness, but because they have had to. I do feel really sorry for them that they have missed out, but let's get perspective that it's crap for everyone.

I don’t think children are more resilient at all. Why would they be? But they are also no worse of then others. It’s shit for everyone.

What I do think is that children have their whole lives ahead of them to overcome this and make a life for themselves. Some adults will bounce back less quickly.

I think you need to wake up and smell the coffee. Was it unfair for children to carry the can during the war?

Op, this is not a game of top trumps. Each of us has to make what ever sacrifice is within our gift to try to protect each other.

I get that children are sacrificing their school and social lives. I also get that employers are sacrificing their businesses, everyone is sacrificing their own social life and some are facing real hardship as a result.

It's tough for everyone.

Now is not the time to attempt to draw up a hierarchy of suffering. Now is the time to think pretty seriously about what we can each do to get all of us through this with the least possible pain. Though I acknowledged that there will be pain, in different ways, for most of us.

I said something similar to OP and got told I was being insensitive about older people. I still feel the same way, poor kids.