There is nothing in my children’s lives

[Howdydooo]

It’s all been taken away again.

I know it’s a pandemic. I know it’s temporary (but don’t know how temporary).

Screens are no substitute for friends.

They will not be fooled again by home structure and schooling. They have nowhere to go, no one to see and nowhere to go. And they know how long it went on for last time.

I know it is difficult, it is difficult for everyone BUT it is happening for a reason. Would you prefer it if one of your children got sick and died? No of course you wouldn’t. It is being done to protect us, I know it’s really tough but there is an end in sight. As others have said your children are fit, healthy and you have a lot to be thankful for. Switch your thinking otherwise you are going to get very fed up...

Haven’t read the full thread but just wanting to show support OP. I too have a child that is feeling very defeated by lockdown. The younger one is primary school and isn’t too bad. Sometimes a bit bored but not too worse for wear. The older secondary aged one told me life is horrible now and he’d rather get the virus and die than just sit home in the flat all day because the virus is never going to go away. To him there is no point doing schoolwork or online classes etc because he doesn’t see the future happening any time soon. It’s hard to try and motivate him and cheer him up.

My son is in contact with his friends most of the day via Houseparty they sit and do their work together as a group and they play as well is a set up like this possible?

I’m quite astounded (& appalled) at the number of people who have been admitted into my local hospital for minor surgery or other illnesses, tested negative on admission more than once then caught Covid whilst in hospital.

@WhatwouldAnneFrankthinkofus

Yes, it's a change to routine and everyone's usual lifestyle. But you need to get some perspective .I am assuming you live in the UK, a rich country which gives children plenty of opportunities and a reasonably good welfare system to fall back on. Your children have electricity , gas, screens ,clean water, food in their bellies and a warm bed to sleep in. You can't say there is nothing in your children's lives. They are very lucky to have what they already have. You need to look further afield to see what children from poorer countries have to deal with. You'll see real suffering. You'll see children who truly don't have anything in their lives. Then you'll realise you have no right to complain. The children in this country have a lot in life - its just never enough. I was complaining that I had no shoes till I met a man who had no feet

Whatwouldannfrankthinkofus That’s really not helpful. A person doesn’t need to be living in a war zone to experience real distress. As a social worker I only need to work in the next village to mine to witness suffering for both children and adults . You shouldn’t assume anything and if the woman feels like this don’t criticise her, just don’t read it or respond. Nobody knows what’s going on in other people’s minds or lives.

@Dongdingdong you do realise schools have only just closed again. Kids had periods of time in school since March and plenty of activities available.
Yet shielding families have had to either deregister from school or send kids back despite the risk to health. Many families have also had to balance kids activities with risk

There's nothing much in anyone's life.......

my son is crying all the time saying he hates everything because of the lockdown, hes 13, hes no interest in the school work, or anything, when he starts its heart breaking , i told him i'm going to record him and send the recording to Boris letting him hear what he is doing to the kids, he was such a happy kid sept to dec, i hate to see him like this it gets me down too, try to help but its hard. Their childhood is being taken away, they don't stay kids for long, they grow up too fast as it is, we always say your childhood and school years are the best years of your life, not any more for the kids of today. hopefully once the vaccines out more the deaths will go down hospital admissions will go down and the kids can be kids once again, just hope its not too late for some.

Just don’t understand why you palm your teenagers off to school to socialise rather than get an education...some students don’t see education as a means to bettering their lives or creating a future for themselves. Our education system in the UK just teaches children to be reactive rather than proactive. If they don’t engage or disrespect themselves by not trying to do the best they can while remote learning why not teach them life skills - how to cook a meal each day rather than Uber Eats or wash their clothes, budgeting for the real world, talk to them about their goals or helping them discover where their GCSEs/A Levels/Uni degree will take them. If you are negative they will be the same. Be the adult and don’t pander to the teenagers are having a bs life - they aren’t disabled, being bombed or dying from Covid!!!

There's nothing much in anyone's life.......

Speak for yourself.

Just don’t understand why you palm your teenagers off to school to socialise rather than get an education..

Then surely your own education was somewhat lacking, if you can't understand the very simple fact that school does both.

OP i can totally understand how you feel :( and its the uncertainty of how long this could go on that makes it difficult to see any light at the end of the tunnel. One thing I have done that has helped is to remove myself from social media. I've also removed myself from a group chat where one of my friends constantly banged on about covid. Its not that I'm being ignorant, I know its happening I just don't want reminded about it every day. I feel its really improved my outlook and in turn makes the aura of our home feel better. I hope your feeling better about the situation soon and have people you can talk to.

I agree it's hard on kids and parents but during wartime kids were often in danger and/or sent away to live with people they'd never met before, sometimes for years at a time. There are many children currently in war torn countries whose lives are completely disrupted but they come through and are often stronger for it.
If we as parents act like it's a catastrophe then our kids will see it that way too. We should try to be as upbeat as possible (hard though it is for us too) and flexible. I personally don't like my child being online for too long but now I have to look at it as connecting with peers and friends and have relaxed the rules. Also I try not to stress too much about homeschooling - I tell myself I'm not an educator but a facilitator which tends to help somehow. We can only do our best and know that our kids will survive this. One day they will be telling their children and grandchildren about the pandemic and how they managed to get through it.

My mantra is "this too shall pass" - it may be corny it but works for me

When I read a post which starts "During the war..." or similar, I immediately switch off and don't read any more. Not sure if that is what you were going for

My son got a little boost today his County cricket fixtures timetable came through for spring. He was so smily and excited. I just hope they go ahead. Something for him to look forward toat last.

These are difficult times for everyone at the moment in completely different ways, but to say there is nothing in your children’s lives is a bit ridiculous. I highly recommend listening to some historical podcasts to put things into perspective. There are so many children at this very moment living in war torn country’s or suffering from famine / living through in extreme poverty. We are so privileged that staying in our own homes is considered such a hardship. I have a daughter who just turned 6 and she has had less than ideal start to her school / friendship learning journey but compare it to air raids and living off rations I’d say she’s got it pretty cushty.

I mentioned it earlier upthread but ‘Contagion’is a good watch to put this pandemic in a better context and feel at least it’s not that bad 😂

I watched Contagion at the beginning of this

I thought they have good PPE

and b) you know you’re stuffed when rubbish piles up

@MarshaBradyo

I watched Contagion at the beginning of this

I thought they have good PPE

and b) you know you’re stuffed when rubbish piles up

And when all the nurses just give up

Oh yeh totally

‘We were just putting well people next to sick people’

I may have watched it a few times

Funnily enough before the pandemic it was billed as disaster movie the last time I watched it I thought is that part right? Hang on... tbf it was mostly right

@MarshaBradyo

Oh yeh totally

‘We were just putting well people next to sick people’

I may have watched it a few times

Funnily enough before the pandemic it was billed as disaster movie the last time I watched it I thought is that part right? Hang on... tbf it was mostly right

It was quite disastrous 😁 It was eerily prophetic and it does show how much food standards and the poor treatment of animals is pretty disgusting and very dangerous

I feel the same for Ds1 (boxing) and Ds2 (football).
It's a bit shit if it really is going to continue until after Easter, which is what many are now suggesting.

True it was and very prophetic

I read on here it was based on a real virus with awful outcomes, can’t recall name

I thought it was based on SARS 😷

The woman that tested the vaccine in herself!