What are you missing most from 'life before lockdown'?

[Hannahpearson]

If you could have back 1 thing from pre-covid restrictions... what would it be?

My friends at work

Not worrying about illness every day - either because one of my DC has got it, or just worrying if another of us has caught it

Going out to eat - I usually love cooking but I am SICK of catering for everyone

Being able to make plans

Meeting up with family and friends, but on a purely selfish level holidays abroad.

Living without the fear of Covid

Going to my grandparents house.

Seeing my friends- we used to meet for coffee most weeks.

Not feeling so worried and scared about everything all the time!

Swimming pool & gym
Seeing my family in person
Travel
Going to the library
Being able to go for a long walk and a cafe afterwards

My very depressed ds to go back to work, see his friends, take his driving test

Seeing my children. They live too far away for a socially distanced meet up/walk

Virtual is fabulous, but it's not the same

Seeing my family - they are in the Uk. I am in Europe
Travel
Cinema
Seeing the whole of people faces
A feeling of freedom
I could go on

Threads like this make me so sad.

Not everyone had lives that involved fun and freedom before covid. But people were expected to just put up with having miserable lives. Now the rest of the population is suffering it’s all of a sudden ok to say that living like this is t good for anyone’s physical or mental health.

School.
Swimming.
Riding lessons.
Going to work.
Kids friends hanging out at our house after school.

Spontaneous fun and socialising.

Holidays.

My mum, but i miss people in general.

Other than my dad, who passed away in November, I’m missing weekends away in the caravan with my friends, going out for lunch and being able to get a cheap flight to see my best friend who lives in Spain.

Loads. But I'd feel sp much better if I could see my family. I reckon if I could bubble with my parents and sisters family I could do this for another few years. I mean it would be grim. But it would make coping so much easier.

Options.

Might be a cheat answer, but really it's now with problems it so often feels like whatever issue I or a family member is having, the 'solution' is waiting, far too often indefinitely 'until this is over', as so many options are gone now. It's draining. I had a huge for us fight with DS today, and it's all really about months of all this coming to ahead and there is little I can do to fix anything.

Travel. Last night I dreamt that I paid up front £2700 for a trip to Iceland. Then had to explain to my DH (in the dream) that not only had i not bought covid-cancellation insurance but the plane company was about to go bust.

Iceland was meant to be our big family trip last year.

Schools.

And my parents. Saw them for 5 days in the summer (stayed nearby rather than with them) and that's it since Dec 2019.

They will have missed over 18 months of their grandchildren's lives. That is a huge amount for youngest DC, who is only 5.

Seeing my family, going to soft play, cinema, drinks with friends and date nights with my partner

I've realised I don't miss my family that much really , I just really really want to go out for a lovely meal with my dh, not in my house.

Me and DH haven't gone out just us for years, as youngest was too young to be left, but would probably have been fine for the last 6 months or so. I'm so fed up of cooking, enjoy the odd takeaway but just want to walk to a lovely pub and eat delicious food and not even have to get up off my seat all night!

Being able to pop in to see my mum and give her a hug.

I now see her outside and it's freezing and I can't hug her.

Soon I hope.

Museums. My children and I love museums.

Not everyone had lives that involved fun and freedom before covid. But people were expected to just put up with having miserable lives. Now the rest of the population is suffering it’s all of a sudden ok to say that living like this is t good for anyone’s physical or mental health.
But maybe this will help people like those you described change something?

Meeting friends at a coffee shop or lunch. Small thing but as the only adult in my household it was essential contact. I meet via houseparty now but not the same.

Coffee and cake with friends

Not living in a dystopian horror show.
Camping with friends.
Choir.

My daughter's dance competitions - all packed in a hall for 10 hours watching them fly round the hall, being judged and called back. Such a buzz