Covid taking away special times with kids that will never get back

[beammeupsc0tty]

It may be trivial, and i know people are going through so much worse but the longer this goes on the more I feel robbed of such a special age with my kids. Obviously we are still making the most of it and trying to be inventive with activities but i can't lie it really isnt the same and it makes me sad.

This is just a rant really there's nothing we can do as the situation is what it is. I just think my 5 year old is at such a lovely age where if life were normal, we'd be doing lots of lovely things together - bday parties, playdates, family holidays abroad, even just a fun day at the soft play without worrying about social distancing / hand santiser, being paranoid!

Obviously people going through so much worse but it just sucks sucks sucks all the same. Anyone else feel like a rant?!

One other thing to remember during lockdown there was those families who were both furloughed, who had time for family fun, able to take a child each for home schooling.
There were those single parents who had a horrific time trying to WFH, homeschool, and care for preschoolers. OMG how did they do it?

I was somewhere in the middle and struggled.
I'm WFH, half way through a two week isolation period for my 3 yo and I'm struggling. Hes changed so much in the last 6months but he's been watching far more telly than you'd ordinarily allow, hes learned by watching how to work the DVD player.

Kids are kids for 18 years, a few months when a kid is 5 is nothing. You've plenty of time left to "make memories", believe me.

Everyone is allowed a moan. You don't have to pass an exam to show that you're the worse-off.

Dad's 13th birthday is in the next few days. I felt sorry she can't do something with her friends, then realised I don't have to clean the house and host a sleepover. I cheered up quite considerably at that point.

@puffinkoala

Kids are kids for 18 years, a few months when a kid is 5 is nothing. You've plenty of time left to "make memories", believe me.

A few months? Is it June 2020? Gosh the time's dragged. It feels like November.

• and kids over ~11 just love going to see Santa and doing all the magical make believe Christmas stuff with their parents 🙄 and they can totally have a redo on finishing primary school or whatever other milestone has been a bit flat 🙄

I don't understand why some people seem so desperate to downplay childhood and the emotional / psychological effects of lockdown and covid restrictions on young children and the parents and carers of young children. It's really unpleasant.

I agree it's the 16 - early 20s age group who are truly losing out. And parents with a baby/toddler as their development is so rapid, there are so many firsts that won't be repeated in quite the same way.

I have a Dd about to turn 18 during this lockdown. She's doing well considering but is continually stressed and doesn't have any of the fun, normal things to weave around the disappointments and uncertainties which she's facing. For me, it's all-consuming trying to keep their spirits up whilst feeling this stress and these disappointments alongside them.

However, it's sad for all parents. A year is a long time in the life of a 5 year old and of course you will feel like you are all missing out. I am sure your 5 year old will bounce back and you'll enjoy these things all the more when you do them. All young children really want us the attention of their parents, and you can still provide that.

I'm quite sure your 18 yo will bounce back and probably isn't actually that fussed about not sitting exams.

I don't envy parents of young children - it must be difficult in different ways.

The first five years of a child’s life are so important to their future education and mental well-being. I can’t believe how many people are dismissing 8 months (and counting) of missed experiences!

Sorry... dismissing the importance of 8 months

I do think we need to be kind to each other.

People's experiences have clearly been very different, and we can respect that.

The outdoors are still there, for those lucky enough to be able to get with them. I went for a bike ride through the forest with my son, who's stuck at home currently been homeschooled. He loved it.

As long as my family are alive and healthy as can be everything else can go hang, but I do think we are very lucky in lots of ways. We are down on income but we have each other and we can manage.

My heart goes out to anyone having a rough time.

It is such a shame that so many of the lovely things that were fun are now not possible.

I am trying to organise Santa calls on Zoom with our primary school PTA and this sort of thing.

I have made a Xmas cake with my daughter, I practised Xmas biscuits today, I have a small Sylvanian army on standby for Xmas day. And a load of games.

I just hope I don't get the virus as that would potentially cause a lot more problems for us than being in lockdown.

I don't understand why some people seem so desperate to downplay childhood and the emotional / psychological effects of lockdown and covid restrictions on young children and the parents and carers of young children. It's really unpleasant.

I'm certainly not down playing it and I think for some it has been awful. But as I said earlier, our experience has been overwhelmingly positive. I know we've been lucky for that to be the case. And that we have also experienced negatives of lockdown/ COVID as well but not in the case of my childrens experiences.

I’m just grateful to have my kids in good health. There’s lots of time for parties and celebrations in the future

My sister's GC missed out on parties and celebrations with my parents this year.....there won't be any next year as both my parents are now dead (Mum on 31st March, dad on the 1st of November). Maybe think before being so flippant.

Trapped I'm so sorry to hear about your family. Will take a long time to get over that.
I know another family in the same boat. One before lockdown and the other during. People don't seem to get it that life for some will never be the same.

Bikingbear

Thank you.

Yes I agree OP my DS in year 11 has been and will continue to be affected, GCSEs with little teaching, worrying about results, having to change a level choices based on mock results etc and my FIL passed away from covid too earlier in the year, we can't visit MIL as much as we would have liked to for support etc, lockdown funeral was awful. I can't see as much of my DM as I want, they're all getting on in age, It's shite all round but I do think your DC is young enough to forget and not affect their future.

@Letsgetgoing888

I do think it may (hopefully) change some things for the better.

Like proms, which had become ridiculously expensive, a bit like a mini wedding.

And Christmas, which plunges some families into a years worth of debt.

Likewise unnecessary travel when the same outcome can be done via other means and less damaging to the planet.

Small weddings where the focus is on making the commitment rather than the big day.

I think what makes this pandemic and living restrictions hard is that there’s no definitive end game. No one truly knows how long we will live like this for, even with a vaccine on the horizon.
It even depresses me to think that vaccines for this will be the normal, ie incase we have have to take them on a regular basis, like a flue an but much more ‘policed’.
I hate living with these restrictions, particularly when I hear people saying that we will have permanent social distancing, of some kind.
It’s utterly depressing.

Hearwego, that's it exactly the restrictions are sucking the joy out of life. I'm starting to get depressed, nothing to look forward to, everything is a maybe, i can't see my Dmum this weekend DS is isolating. I suspect that we'll be in full lockdown by next weekend. I really need to know that some from of relaxation will happen for Christmas. I'm desperate to share Christmas with my young kids with my DM.

They'll bounce back. At such a young age they won't even remember this

A five year old will forget . It’s the kids supposed to be sitting exams I feel extremely sorry for . It what you work up to all your school life to sit exams and say I achieved that 😩

I feel the same op. I know it's not the end of the world and other people have had it worse, I'm still entitled to my feelings. I don't go around complaining to others except a bit of a whinge with my dh or mum about it.

What do people mean a 5yo will forget?

Do they mean they'll forget they never saw DGM for months, what it's like to have that hug from her, will they forget they never got to go out for Hallowe'en, forget they never saw Santa on one of the few short years they were old enough to understand and young enough to truly believe. Young enough to not remember what it's like to play in a soft play. Young enough not to remember being able to go to groups, gymnastics, dance, swimming, tkd, football (some pools are still closed, parents are limiting the bubbles they are exposed to), young enough not to remember what a playdate is, never get the chance to play in a friends house, young enough not to remember their cousins who they never see because of SD. Yes young children are missing out. They are missing out on life experiences. Did you read the report that 7 yos are hardest hit, did you read the teacher comment this years intake are hard going.

I'd bet the vast majority of teens are probably quite glad they don't have their future determined in an exam hall and even at that school exams aren't the be all and end all.

Teens are more able to met pals on the street corner and supposedly SD. Teens are more able to chat and play games via zoom. Young children need the interaction of other young children.

You need to change your attitude to covid. There’s lots of fun to be had but it’s different type of fun. It’s quite unique she’s living through this historic period.