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Original poster

My 5 year olds future

204 replies

JuneMoonstone · 22/01/2021 21:15

I'm really worried about what the future might be for my 5 Yr old daughter due to coronavirus. Is she ever going to be able to go to dance classes with more than 6 pupils allowed per class, each standing on a circle that they can't move from? Will she ever be able to go swimming without me having to book weeks on advance and without strict, complex rules? Will she be able to complete a whole year of school without school closures? Will she ever be able to go on a school trip? Will she ever be able to go to the theatre or to see a pantomime at Christmas? I'm seriously worried about what her future will be like. Life has changed beyond recognition. Is life going to be this shit from now on, or maybe not this bad but nowhere near like it was pre covid?

OP posts:
SeldomFollowedIt · 22/01/2021 21:18

I feel the same for all three of my children aged 10, 8 and 5. 😢

BeanieB2020 · 22/01/2021 21:20

It's not going to be forever? Realistically I think it will last through Spring 2022, but it's not going still be like this in 5+ years time.

Beetlebum1981 · 22/01/2021 21:21

No idea but I'm feeling the same tonight. 5 year old DD has sobbed her heart out tonight as she's fed up of the 'bug' and she wants to go back to school. It's the first time I've felt truly useless as I had no answers for her.

Katya213 · 22/01/2021 21:22

I feel the same too. The first lockdown we were fine, this lockdown she seems okay it's me that's struggling, I feel so depressed for her missing school and normal life.

MoiJeJous · 22/01/2021 21:23

This week alone, I know of 5 people who have died. Thank your lucky stars that the biggest worry about all of this is being able to go to the pantomime.

Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow · 22/01/2021 21:25

I genuinely wish I hadn’t had my children and brought them into this. I adore them but climate change and this - it feels hopeless

This is MASSIVE for our children. Massive. It’s no point saying others have it worse. Our children have it worst of all

midgebabe · 22/01/2021 21:26

Children are resilient. Children learn from everything. By the time your children grow up they will be enjoying renewed opportunities. They will see things getting better.

nicolllaaaaaaa · 22/01/2021 21:26

Pandemics don't last forever everyone! This will be a very bizarre memory soon enough.

GambasPil · 22/01/2021 21:27

@MoiJeJous

This week alone, I know of 5 people who have died. Thank your lucky stars that the biggest worry about all of this is being able to go to the pantomime.
I think this response is as near to peak Mumsnet as it’s possible to get. Congrats.
TempsPerdu · 22/01/2021 21:27

This week alone, I know of 5 people who have died. Thank your lucky stars that the biggest worry about all of this is being able to go to the pantomime

Oh for heaven’s sake, I’m sorry for your losses @MoiJeJous, the whole situation is truly awful, but we are allowed to feel anxious about our children’s future. It’s not a trivial issue.

smoothchange · 22/01/2021 21:29

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Original poster
JuneMoonstone · 22/01/2021 21:29

I'm so sorry to those who feel like me. I really do feel hopeless.

OP posts:
midgebabe · 22/01/2021 21:31

It's not a trivial issue , it's probably a none issue

Try not to over worry the biggest risk your children face is growing up assuming their lives will be doomed because of covid ... that will hinder them more than covid

ParkheadParadise · 22/01/2021 21:32

nicolllaaaaaaa

Pandemics don't last forever everyone! This will be a very bizarre memory soon enough.

Agree 100%

Wingingthis · 22/01/2021 21:33

I understand-
I have a 3 yo and a baby born in April 2020. I feel awful for both. And this is all my baby has ever known :( she’s never even met most of her extended family

PowerslidePanda · 22/01/2021 21:33

I know things suck at the moment, but it's been this way for less than a year - and there's a heck of a lot more light at the end of the tunnel now than there was even 6 months ago. It's quite a jump to go from that, to wondering if things will be like this forever more!

Amammai · 22/01/2021 21:33

I think things will get better, it just might be a while longer. I really do miss planning lovely things for me and my DDS to do. Other than a walk. Or the park. Again!!

atomt · 22/01/2021 21:34

Of course this will end, pandemics always do!
We have several vaccines and more in the pipeline, and treatments are improving all the time too.

In many countries children don't start school until they are 7 even in normal times, so there is plenty of time for your 5 year old to experience school and other activities around it.

OverTheRubicon · 22/01/2021 21:36

@nicolllaaaaaaa

Pandemics don't last forever everyone! This will be a very bizarre memory soon enough.
Agree with this. Vaccines will roll out, and frankly, societies will not condone this kind of restriction in the longer term for a disease where the average age of death is over 80. I say this as someone who supports the current lockdowns, is worried about my vulnerable parents and my vulnerable child, and am concerned about the likelihood of a crap 2021... But this just isn't going to go on for years.

With time and vaccines the odds are overwhelmingly high that we will have a covid season like we have a flu season, and it will.be a bit shit but fine.

Northernsoullover · 22/01/2021 21:36

Nah, I'm with Moi on this one. I'm not denying its tough and horrible at the moment but I really find it quite selfish when all people can think about their poor child being inconvenienced at dance class.
I've got two teens who should be enjoying life, I quite enjoyed my life too. I think your post is quite selfish.
My friend lost her mother this week to covid. I can assure you she isn't thinking about the fucking pantomime.

3littlewords · 22/01/2021 21:41

As a Mum of 3 I feel everything you are saying. Of course it's tragic the amount of deaths there has been as a result of this pandemic but it doesn't mean the effect on our children is any less important. Never ever has it ever been ok to keep our children withdrawn from the outside world, now its expected to be done without any repercussion long term and we are supposed to be ok with it and accept the damages. Our children overall will be the ones who suffer the most in all this, long term, its an issue no one seems to want to address .

Jay2020 · 22/01/2021 21:42

I hear you. It is really difficult. We are all coping as well as we can,with the resources we have.
Another April 2020 baby here too. It's been a frightening year to be a first time mum. I go through days of being so sad for my baby,to being so grateful for this gorgeous bundle of joy.
No answers,just an unmumsnetty hug OP

SeldomFollowedIt · 22/01/2021 21:42

You’re not selfish OP 💐

Santastealer · 22/01/2021 21:42

It’s so depressing. People keep saying “it won’t last forever” and that’s true, but childhoods don’t last forever and so many are being ruined by this.

As an adult I can lose 5 years and not be too bothered. As a child that’s enormous. Even 2 years is enormous.

Children not learning to play in large groups
Not learning to swim
Not being able to see their grandparents and form meaningful relationships with extended family members

It makes me so sad for my children. They won’t get their childhoods back and they have missed out on so much.

I also feel sorry for young adults who are missing out on university as they thought it would be. On travelling the world. On socialising and meeting new people.

It’s such a shit situation for so many people.

toocold54 · 22/01/2021 21:43

Children are resilient. Children learn from everything. By the time your children grow up they will be enjoying renewed opportunities. They will see things getting better.

This!

I hope you don’t act like this in front of your DD.

If your daughter was terminally ill then I’d get you being upset about not doing dance classes but this is a temporary issue just like if she broke her leg she’d have to miss out on dance for a few weeks. Yes she’d be disappointed but you just do something different instead until she can rejoin.

Kids can literally have fun with an empty cardboard box so I wouldn’t be worrying about these things at all op.

Why not do things like practise her dancing for when she goes back to dance so she can show her friends her new moves.