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.

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

Are you taking the P OP? Thousands of people are losing their jobs (or getting ill/dying) their homes are at risk and you're most upset by kids not being able to have a party and other fun?

Yes their education might have to be delivered in different ways or be disrupted, but I bet grades will be generous this year to make allowances for it all. Exams at unis are just being held online, so, if they can, I imagine that's what schools will do too, with some provision for those that don't have the equipment at home.

We want them out in the fresh air. Most DC enjoy screen time. If the worst that happens is they get square eyes then I really don’t think that rates highly in a list of global concerns ATM.

so wheres the op??

prob came back and saw how bloody stupid she sounded

And it certainly speaks volumes that schools were shut before the pubs were

What rubbish - when I was a kid we barely had any sports events, concerts, shows, and end of term celebrations. Missing a few social events while the whole country is in crisis won't do today's kids any harm.

OP, sorry but get a grip. They’re one of the most privileged, looked after generations ever. And they’re kids, they bounce back, they have many, many years ahead of them to go to school, play a sport, do activities.

They aren’t losing livelihoods or their lives over this.

Not all children love school, on MN their children do, but in the real world lots will be happy not to go in, just as some love the social side and a few really love the studying! School as we have ended up with it in the UK is very stressful and mental health surveys of our young people have poor results. Who is to say these won't actually be better after a period off school, after an initial period of anxiety? Or worse as they feel the chaos around them. We simply don't know.

Those in vulnerable groups or with a key worker parent are still being allowed in anyway.

All around the world, something 'unfair' happens to little children. Some have to drink dirty water. Some have abusive parents. Some don't get proper schooling. Lots of female children live in period poverty and without proper sanitation.

Our generations have grown up thinking everything stays the same, but it doesn't. It didn't in the Wars, it didn't in the recessions we've had of the economy. My husband was brought up in a country where the power was cut off all the time and you had time slots for electricity where you quickly tried to cook/put the machine on for an hour or two.

This doesn't make anyone 'happy' in a simple sense but perhaps it might help them see beyond their own lives a little, and also understand that life often does throw curve balls. We have been cushioned in recent years and it's hard to take the cushions away, but they are still, mostly, not badly off.

Yes yabu

Have any children died? No. The people who have lost the most are those who have lost their lives followed closely by the bereaved. They have lost so much more than any child loses by school closures and exam cancellations.

Disdain for children? Please. Children adapt, all their friends are in the same situation and most children will cope with more hours to do the things that we usually try to limit like gaming, watching inane stuff on YouTube and constantly messaging friends.

I feel sympathy for those DC for whom school provides stability and whose home lives are chaotic. I feel sympathy for those DC who have additional needs and who’ll find the changes to their routine very distressing. I feel sympathy for parents who don’t know how they’ll be able to work and bring in money with their DC at home, who worry about having enough money to feed them and who don’t know how they’ll cope without the respite provided by special schools. I don’t feel sympathy for the parents who are wailing on about their DC missing a few weeks of school as if they’ll be emotionally scarred by not sitting exams or missing play time.

Hardly know where to begin, so I'll just leave this here.

YABU.

Blimey I’ve read some rubbish on here recently but this takes the biscuit

@amandalives
I have to say I was annoyed when I went into town today to see hundreds of 70 plus having tea and cake saying how ridiculous it was they've been asked to stay home and be cautious
this is getting so repetitive - so there were hundreds sat in the cafes all over 70 (which you knew for a fact) and you heard what they were all saying the same thing.
I assure you I am over 70 - I am self-isolating for at least 12 weeks - I am not sitting eating tea and cake in any outside cafe.
I am having my mothers day visit from my son and his family disrupted as well as any other meetings with anyone for the next 3 months - another thread to hide methinks.

They aren’t losing livelihoods or their lives over this.

Don't the dead/ill/unemployed have families?

I think the majority of people are giving an awful lot up and we need to just be pleasant to each other.

In my family, I feel sorry for -

1. Sorry for my children to miss school, foreign trips, plays, exams, socialising
2. Me - I've given up my business, can't see friends or family, exercise (which is good for my mental health).
3. DH - who has lost a huge amount of our money and is working constantly so that other people have a fighting chance of getting a decent pension.
4. DM - whose partner has cancer and has to go into having treatment in a hospital probably riddled with corona. She has to go too and is 70.

I don't think there are many people who are not suffering at the moment.

DD is really happy about it. I found out today that I'm a key worker (bit weird, as they've been acting for years like they would prefer if we left). I told DD that she can go back to school if she likes. She said she preferred when it was the apocalypse.

Yes they have - but not yet, what they have given up will impact them over the next decades as the country struggles under the weight of the debt now being accrued.

Errm but they will go back to normal. Where as many adults are losing their jobs as well as friendships, family relationships hobbies and leisure activities.

Also it's not a competition

“Timing is everything”
Says the government which doesn’t carry out mass testing and therefore has poor data on which to make decisions. Says the country with so few beds available. Why can’t this country be more like Germany? Why can’t we elect sensible and numerate politicians?

They aren't the only ones making sacrifices but I think the impact of all of this on young people shouldn't be underestimated. That doesn't mean I think what we're having to do is wrong though.

My DC are young adults now.

This situation has underlined to me how privileged and lucky and easy they have had their life so far.

DS asked me just now, Is this the worst thing to happen in our lifetime?

I said, It's the worst in ours, and I hope it will be the worst in yours too - but you've still got 80% of it ahead of you, so we don't know,

@OnlyFoolsnMothers you clearly missed my point. This isn't a competition and we ALL will sacrifice things. The children aren't making the biggest ones either

young children benefit from socialisation hence why certain 2 yr olds get funding. Their brains are still developing.