Will life ever return to normal?

[lockdownlow]

Just coming here because I'm at home alone with my children after yet another morning of stress and exhaustion trying to WFH and help them complete their zillion tasks set by school, and my 8yo just came to me and said "Will my life ever be like it used to be? I miss it"
I painted on a smile and tried to reassure him that of course, it would be but inside I just had an awful sinking feeling.
I've come into my office for a quiet sob.
Will it? Is this his childhood now?

This is all really getting me down

Not silly at all! I think everyone has those moments and it's especially sad when you see the effect this is having on your children. We've all given up so much, so quickly! I've been feeling up and down all the time throughout this. I woke up today feeling like the worst parent and that my DD is deprived of so much right now.

@Delatron

2025. Don’t be so stupid. We wouldn’t have an economy left.

The OP is clearly struggling. Saying things will be like this for another four years, based on nothing is not helpful.

The vaccine rollout is going well. Restrictions will start to ease come March. Kids will be back at school and doing all the things they love. There will be a few things that will take longer.

There is no way, once the vulnerable are vaccinated that people will accept these restrictions on their lives and the government know that.

They will maybe keep pubs closed until May but kids aren’t bothered about the pub!

Hunt down some of the more positive threads OP. Otherwise you’ll attract the posters who want and think we’ll be in lockdown forever. Lockdown is a temporary solution. Everyone knows that.

I agree totally with Delatron.

Look for the “Good News” thread for example. There are loads of good things happening with vaccines: 10 million jabs administered already, new evidence supporting the delay in administering the 1st and 2nd jabs, evidence showing lowered transmission in those who are vaccinated, new developments everywhere...lots of great news around and more than I’ve mentioned here.

2025 indeed!

Thank you all for your replies. Some days I feel a panic coming over me like there's no end in sight and I have to drag myself on and stay positive for the kids. It helps to talk, I feel better from reading your replies already.
I'm sure once kids are back at school their lives will begin to feel more 'normal' again.

It will never be the same, it will be different. And as has been said we can make it better.

We will need to socially distance for a while and not mix in large crowds and wear masks - but slowly a more normal life will return. We just have to not go mad once restrictions are lifted. Or we'll be back here this time next year.

Definitely come over to the Vaccinations thread. We look at the daily numbers and do a little happy dance every day at 4pm as they go up and up. Today should see the 10 millionth person given their first dose - that means 20% of the UK adult population has been given their first vaccine - amazing when you think about it!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4145954-6-3-million-people-vaccinated-already-brilliant?msgid=104309687

@Delatron If your comment is aimed at me then I suggest you reread my comment and don't jump in with you two big feet calling people stupid. I am not for a minute suggesting this current lockdown will last until 2025 but that the pandemic is likely to last and have some effect on our lives until then. This a mainstream opinion held by WHO for example. That doesn't mean total lock down but things like masks, social distancing, restrictions on travel as required. Perhaps tiers and local lockdowns as new variants emerge or enter the country. I am hopeful that vaccines with make a huge differance to our lives but all I am saying is that covid will still be a feature in out lives for the next few years.

Your really the one stirring things up with your emotional overreaction, you might want to check that if your concerned about upsetting people who are already low.

@Abracadabra12345 another one who can't read I see.

False optimism is worse than so called scaremongering. People believed Johnson when he said life would return in September and look where we are now.

I agree with all who say the aim should be to make things better than before coronavirus.

I imagine those who talk about social distancing and masks remaining for years are nicely set up, married with DC, perhaps not of an age where you have a totally packed social life.

Because what you are suggesting for young people who are just starting out in life, in their careers, or at university, for those who are hoping to meet someone and start a family, is frankly cruel. To suggest that social distancing will be necessary for years, just ridiculous, and this is particularly when I'm glad to live in a country where people won't put up with that kind of state control.

I know what you mean but ‘normal’ is a fluid concept anyway. I’ve travelled a lot pre and post 9/11. How that changed our world in lots of ways. Now I’m not saying that’s the same as you can’t see your friends/family for a year but people are remarkably adaptable and will adjust. There may be some restrictions but we’ll learn to live with them. Eternally hopeful!

I'll have a look at some of the more positive threads thank you

I don’t think things will go back to how they were, some things will change. WFH will be more normal. Hopefully, hand hygiene etc will be better than it used to be pre COVID. People may be more aware when suffering colds etc to WFH if possible rather than spread germs. More work meetings to be done virtually rather than people traipsing round the country/world.

Yes it really will and in some parts of the world it is already back to normal. I cannot see why it will not be the same here. Tough currently though...very tough.

Course it will. Not much longer :)

@ineedaholidaynow

Those are really good things to hope for. I hate working from home full time and am desperate to actually go the office but it will be lovely that in my organisation, the 5 day office week is over and they are looking more at going in to work collaboratively/meetings and for more social reasons. Some of our work is international so zoom has been fantastic and actually makes it much easier to get everyone together for meetings.

I also think it will be great to work at home with a cold rather than struggle on going to the office. Better for the person with the cold and for colleagues obviously too. There are many things that could change for the better as a result, it's definitely one way to be more positive.

@Inthewhiteroom95

Eventually it will but I'd expect more of the same for the rest of this year at least. Things should hopefully start to improve by this time next year and open up a bit more. I think the virus will still impact our lives for the nect few years so things like masks social distancing will remain for the foreseeable future. I think that by 2025 it will be more or less normal again.

What absolute BOLLOCKS! 2025!

OP many countries are already to normal with big events ongoing,nightclubs open,softplays open,no masks, no social distancing.

We shall get there too and soon! I expect few things such as big concerts or big sports events to take some time to get back to pre covid life, but most of our daily aspects of life will be back to normal and definitely not in 2025!
I know how you feel OP and I have my days when I feel the same but trust me lots of good news all around now and even Isle of Man is completely free of all restrictions! We'll get there slowly but surely.

@loulouljh in some countries life is in most ways back to normal but say in NZ and Australia there are still huge travel restrictions/quarantine hotels, so not completely normal. Test and trace still being implemented

OP - I have found my primary school children appreciate me acknowledging that its all a bit shit. I talk about the things I miss and it opens it up a bit for them to for the same.

@shehz21 I give up, so much emotional overreaction for so little reading. No wonder we find it so hard to cope when peoples basic skills are so impoverished.

I think there's a real thirst to get back to normal. For everyone on MN 'enjoying the quiet pace of life' and 'reflecting on what's really important' there are 100 people desperate to get their old lives back - even the annoying, tedious bits.

Some things may change. There will likely be more WFH - although I'm far from convinced that the office era is over - perhaps less business travel, and maybe some restrictions on international travel for a while. But this way of life is not sustainable. I think in March there's going to be a lot of pressure on the govt to ease restrictions, and fingers crossed, nothing will happen to prevent that.

[quote Inthewhiteroom95]@shehz21 I give up, so much emotional overreaction for so little reading. No wonder we find it so hard to cope when peoples basic skills are so impoverished.[/quote]
No wonder we struggle to cope when there's so many who seem to actively enjoy telling people things will continue to be shut until 2025 (because I think social distancing is pretty shit-don't you?). And who seem quite happy to throw younger people under a bus.

Why will we need track and trace still if the vaccines work to stop transmission? Which is looking likely, I genuinely don’t understand? The countries that have got very low or no covid won’t have had the vaccines so might have to continue with that but why would we if the mutations are vaccinated against like flu every year? Op it will get better, it is so hard when it impacts your children.

[quote Inthewhiteroom95]@shehz21 I give up, so much emotional overreaction for so little reading. No wonder we find it so hard to cope when peoples basic skills are so impoverished.[/quote]
Bye.

Of course it will the Spanish flu pandemic killed a lot more people world wide than COViD and they didn't have a vaccine ,I'm hoping things will start getting better over the next 12 months .

Sorry I don't think so
Not when we are being told oh, even after vaccinations still need restrictions, or oh, there are new variations we need restrictions