How do you tell a child they life they knew is over?

[Anonymous]

You don’t plan to ever let her see her grandparents? Most people are still seeing relatives. Ours live far away so it will be more challenging, but we’ll find a way to visit safely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, OP, you don’t know anyone who isn’t following strict precautions? I must know a bunch of rebels. I’m not condoning it, but you would be shocked at how many people are just going about like it was the summer of 2019.

I don't have local friends, so I'm not 100% sure what people are doing. My friends on social media are in hardcore lockdown mode, yes. And stores are becoming more restrictive with mask mandates and such. So...yeah. From where I sit, things are getting more restrictive.

Wearing masks is NBD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It won’t ever go back? Are you this dramatic in real life? Life will eventually go back to normal. That’s how you explain it.

Odd that you've never heard the term "new normal" over the past few months. Is your hearing always this selective?

Oh for gods sake. The new normal after all this won’t even be noticeably different. Stop being overly dramatic. A year from now people will be doing everything they did before the pandemic. Frankly, probably in less time than that.

This. In fact, it will probably be closer to Nov 5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It won’t ever go back? Are you this dramatic in real life? Life will eventually go back to normal. That’s how you explain it.

It won’t. The half-life of antibodies is 36 days. There will never be an effective vaccine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It won’t ever go back? Are you this dramatic in real life? Life will eventually go back to normal. That’s how you explain it.

Chances are ops dd will not step foot in a classroom for at least 2-3 years. Possibly never hug a grandparent again . This is not going away for at least 2-3 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It won’t ever go back? Are you this dramatic in real life? Life will eventually go back to normal. That’s how you explain it.

Chances are ops dd will not step foot in a classroom for at least 2-3 years. Possibly never hug a grandparent again . This is not going away for at least 2-3 years.

Is this a troll? I can’t figure out what’s going on here. I’m pretty conservative with covid and we still see grandparents who are in their early 60s, they are the only ones in our “pod.” And yes I do think our lives are going to be impacted and different for 2-3 years while we cycle through this but most people are finding ways to have a good bit of joy and social interaction while also trying to keep interactions as low risk as possible (yes not 0 risk but OP didn’t mean things anything about family members being extremely high risk, so those of us without that are mostly taking some small calculated risks right now). I feel like I’m on the anxious side but this thread makes me feel quite reasonable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD (6) thinks things will go back to normal soon. She obviously can't grasp the full impact of the situation yet, and thinks that one day she'll be able to see her grandparents, not a wear a mask, travel, hug friends, attend school. I've been very non-committal about the future because I don't want to negatively affect her mental health, but at some point she'll need to understand that things are different now and won't ever go back. I'm actually wondering if I'm doing her a disservice by putting it off, but I'm dreading it.

Anyway, how and when do you plan on having this conversation?

Listen - and I'm not being ironic here - you need help. Do you have a therapist you can talk to?
People freaking WILL (and some still do!) hug friends, attend school (some privates will be open as soon as this August), travel, and even ditch masks, eventually. A year from now, everything will be back to normal.
Reading some posts here, you'd think an asteroid hit the Earth and the surviving 50 humans all frequent DCUM. "Things are different now and won't ever go back". Geez.

Interesting. You've not heard the term "new normal" either? And you do realize the government never drops restrictions they institute, right?

I think you should go back to your social studies class. Seriously.

You should all stop engaging with OP. She’s a troll, and not one of the fun ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD (6) thinks things will go back to normal soon. She obviously can't grasp the full impact of the situation yet, and thinks that one day she'll be able to see her grandparents, not a wear a mask, travel, hug friends, attend school. I've been very non-committal about the future because I don't want to negatively affect her mental health, but at some point she'll need to understand that things are different now and won't ever go back. I'm actually wondering if I'm doing her a disservice by putting it off, but I'm dreading it.

Anyway, how and when do you plan on having this conversation?

We have been incredibly cautious about this whole thing so we don't think the virus is a hoax and my husband is a pessimist but even he wouldn't say these things will NEVER happen again. Come on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It won’t ever go back? Are you this dramatic in real life? Life will eventually go back to normal. That’s how you explain it.

It won’t. The half-life of antibodies is 36 days. There will never be an effective vaccine.

Oh geez. You have no idea what you are talking about. The half life is a lot longer for some people. And the vaccine are creating T cell responses. And people have B cell. You are either a troll or really dumb. I vote troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So... mine is 6 too. We talk about it a lot, but in a certain way. Factual but light...we set the tone, they adopt it. "yeah this might be one really weird school year! but one out of life isnt that bad right? at least we get to hang out!" "Its so awesome we have zoom to talk to grandpa during the germ problem, imagine if we didnt!" and I tell them we do not know if a vaccine will come for years, but, the scientists are working and will probably find some good treatments and things will ease up in a year. We have sprinkled these comments throughout the last few months adn it has helped. At first they thought it would be better by summer, but now they know its taking longer and we all just float on.

Problem is, DH is telling her we can go see people next summer without masks. This is super irresponsible since we all know the restrictions won't ever be lifted, but I'm the one who'll get to comfort a crying child when she finds out he lied, so what does he care?

Seriously, what are you talking about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids are resilient and will deal with it, just like we will.

Hi, this is actually not the case for permanent life changes.

Hi, so you don't think kids ever get over divorce, losing a limb, someone dying? Because they do, and those are definitely permanent life changes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD (6) thinks things will go back to normal soon. She obviously can't grasp the full impact of the situation yet, and thinks that one day she'll be able to see her grandparents, not a wear a mask, travel, hug friends, attend school. I've been very non-committal about the future because I don't want to negatively affect her mental health, but at some point she'll need to understand that things are different now and won't ever go back. I'm actually wondering if I'm doing her a disservice by putting it off, but I'm dreading it.

Anyway, how and when do you plan on having this conversation?

Listen - and I'm not being ironic here - you need help. Do you have a therapist you can talk to?
People freaking WILL (and some still do!) hug friends, attend school (some privates will be open as soon as this August), travel, and even ditch masks, eventually. A year from now, everything will be back to normal.
Reading some posts here, you'd think an asteroid hit the Earth and the surviving 50 humans all frequent DCUM. "Things are different now and won't ever go back". Geez.

Interesting. You've not heard the term "new normal" either? And you do realize the government never drops restrictions they institute, right?

So like when Northam ordered all hair salons closed and then he...allowed them to open?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So... mine is 6 too. We talk about it a lot, but in a certain way. Factual but light...we set the tone, they adopt it. "yeah this might be one really weird school year! but one out of life isnt that bad right? at least we get to hang out!" "Its so awesome we have zoom to talk to grandpa during the germ problem, imagine if we didnt!" and I tell them we do not know if a vaccine will come for years, but, the scientists are working and will probably find some good treatments and things will ease up in a year. We have sprinkled these comments throughout the last few months adn it has helped. At first they thought it would be better by summer, but now they know its taking longer and we all just float on.

Problem is, DH is telling her we can go see people next summer without masks. This is super irresponsible since we all know the restrictions won't ever be lifted, but I'm the one who'll get to comfort a crying child when she finds out he lied, so what does he care?

Seriously, what are you talking about?

She is a troll. Stop engaging everyone!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP you’re either trolling or need therapy

Not trolling. Just very concerned about her mental health when she finds out the things she's looking forward to aren't going to happen.

At this point I am also very concerned about your child's mental health because of you. You seriously need to talk to someone about your anxiety. It is not healthy. Your poor child. Also, I have six-year-old twin girls, so I appreciate where your daughter is at.

[Anonymous]

Chill. HER life ISN'T over. Children survive wars and famine elsewhere, you'll child will survive this.