I'm a single mom with a 1st grader at home. I have not had the same experience as you, OP. Thankfully, I can do my job from home, but I work at a professional services firm and my boss is terrified we will lose revenue this year so my workload has gone up since we've gone to a remote work format.

On a typical day, I have 3-4 hours of conference calls (mostly video calls) so my DD is sitting by herself (mostly in front of the TV) waiting for me to be done so I can play with her or make her lunch. Once I do that for a while, I try to catch up on client work before my next call. Rinse, repeat. If we're lucky, we get outside for 30 minutes to play in our front yard.

My house is a mess — there's no time to clean — and I feel like I now work 2 full-time jobs. And yet, I'm one of the lucky ones, because I still have an income and we haven't gotten sick.

So, in answer to your question, OP, no. I do not secretly like this.

The being home with no pressure to go back to work (I’m on maternity leave) is great! The friends freaking out about their businesses going under and losing jobs keeps my sense of privilege alive and well. Getting texts from my sister about her health (into week 3 of a presumed covid-19 infection) is terrifying.

So mixed bag for me.

Anonymous wrote:Yes!! I love it too OP. But I'm a SAHM. I would never say this out loud to my WOHM friends that are having to juggling homeschooling and working from home.

Same situation here! I actually offered to two of them to send their kids over if/when the isolation guidelines easy up but schools are still closed. But for my family, personally, this is heaven. But Iam an introvert, homebody. It is like winter break but we can actually go out 2x/day for a walk.

I love it. The roads are empty and my commute is cut in half.

Yes!! I love it too OP. But I'm a SAHM. I would never say this out loud to my WOHM friends that are having to juggling homeschooling and working from home.

OP you're totally entitled to feel the way you feel. But be careful about expressing these feelings to others. My employment is secure, my kids are old enough not to be a total nightmare for us to be WFH. But even for me, I can't escape a sense of much wider tragedy - my family in NYC who are cooped up and really frightened, the millions of people who are losing jobs and whose lives have become infinitely harder overnight. My own organization is already belt tightening; I'm spending my days making lists for possible layoffs.

So yes, even though I'm not personally impacted in a very negative way, I feel sick over all of this - and when an acquaintance happily told me how lovely it is to spend so much time with her husband and kids, riding bikes and making pancakes, I wanted to throw up. And never socialize with someone so self-involved and clueless ever again.

Anonymous wrote:If you’re going to make posts like this, you must acknowledge, even in a pro forma way, your privilege and the sufferings of others. It’s almost monstrous not to do so.

Ugh. Op didn't cause the schools to be closed or the work from home environment.

This is her experience. If you have had a different experience, post about it. Don't expect Op to apologize for not being miserable, herself, though.

Yes, minus the deaths and suffering.

Things are going okay for us here too, but I miss my friends! And eating out, and seeing my kids play with other kids. And I miss seeing family.

I’m a teacher and was having just an awful year, about ready to quit. I was tired and burned out from admin. I’m so glad I don’t have to be around the adults I work with. Teaching online has been a fun adventure and my kids are going with the flow, being patient, and generally enjoying it. I do definitely want to get back to school ASAP because it’s best for kids (and of course families). But my mental health has actually improved greatly being home.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’re going to make posts like this, you must acknowledge, even in a pro forma way, your privilege and the sufferings of others. It’s almost monstrous not to do so.

This is a little dramatic but I have to agree. There are soooo many people suffering right now.

Sure it’s great for those of you who can stay home. But many people cannot. Even people who are not trying essential are still being pressured by their employees’ to go to work.

Anonymous wrote:YES!!! I just posted something similar on a different thread but I love it. No pressure. Getting bikes for everyone. Playing tennis. Enjoying family life at our own pace. It's amazing.

+1

This goes for us, personally. But of course I worry about people getting sick and suffering.

Both my husband and I lost our jobs and have no income and do not qualify for unemployment (independent contractors). People like you are so insensitive.

No. If I didn’t have to work I might. But I hate having to stick 5 yo in front of screens so I can work, shush him during calls, and stress about how I’m going to get two quiet hours of productive time. Hate coming up with meals too. Sometimes we hit a rhythm but mostly it’s just a day with parenting competing with working.

Yep. I'm an introvert and never before realized how much effort I have to put into being around others. This is heaven for me.