I thought about something similar. That hopefully parents will take away from this the walks and bike rides and gardening and cooking with their kids. Clearly, I wish that people were not dying. And losing their livelihoods and jobs, and their dearest.
Yes, I think that going back to basics of being with your kids, spending more time not on the phone while going on walks with your kids is a positive thing. At the same time, many people are taking their frustration on their kids. I certainly would not want to be a kid whose mom locked them in the house 4 weeks ago and she never even allowed them to go in the backyard. Nor do I wish to the be kid of a "slipstream will kill us if we go out," poster.(I so hope she doesn't have kids)
I think some families needed the time to reconnect, that I think is the point OP was making. If something good can come out of this terrible situation, where people are dying, maybe this is it? So, no I am not loving the quarantine, but I like seeing my neighbors spending time with their kids outside. I do also see that some people can't leave their phone or laptop even to go outside. One mom puts her chair out, talks on her phone the whole time and then just barks to her son not to get too close to the neighbor kid. I wish she would do something with her younger kid, like chalk, skip games, etc. But, she is not me, and apart from saying it here, it is none of my business really to judge.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You were doing life wrong if a pandemic quarantine has made your life better.

No, the American way of work was doing it wrong, insisting that everyone needed their butt in an office chair 5 days a week.

You sound lazy.

So, now it’s lazy to enjoy the extra time with your family? I’ll take it!

Its really sad that you enjoy your coworkers more.

So you want to work less, but I imagine still be paid the same and enjoy all the perks of American life? Got it. How clueless you are.

Work less? That’s not always true. No coworker interruptions, less unproductive meetings.

Anonymous wrote:1. It’s perfectly okay to be happy right now.
2. It’s perfectly okay to look for silver linings and be optimistic.
3. It’s not okay to post effusively on social media how wonderful life is, because someone whose grandma is dying and someone who just lost their job is probably seeing it.
4. If somebody asks how you’re doing, you can respond with “we are making the best of it with outside time and family time.” But not “I’m having an amazing time!” Subtlety is key.

There is nothing subtle about your idiocy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You were doing life wrong if a pandemic quarantine has made your life better.

No, the American way of work was doing it wrong, insisting that everyone needed their butt in an office chair 5 days a week.

You sound lazy.

So, now it’s lazy to enjoy the extra time with your family? I’ll take it!

Its really sad that you enjoy your coworkers more.

So you want to work less, but I imagine still be paid the same and enjoy all the perks of American life? Got it. How clueless you are.

1. It’s perfectly okay to be happy right now.
2. It’s perfectly okay to look for silver linings and be optimistic.
3. It’s not okay to post effusively on social media how wonderful life is, because someone whose grandma is dying and someone who just lost their job is probably seeing it.
4. If somebody asks how you’re doing, you can respond with “we are making the best of it with outside time and family time.” But not “I’m having an amazing time!” Subtlety is key.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel the same way but it's not something I say to others. I'm just quietly enjoying the family time.

OP here. This is what I’m curious about and wanting to put words too. Why is it not? Why is it fine to say this is miserable but not fine to say that I’m finding peace and gratitude? I definitely agree based on the conversations I’ve had and have stopped saying it. But why?

I think because this is a miserable, insecure time for many, who are broke, sick, or dying.

Chances are OP isn't talking to people who are broke, sick or dying, though. They are people like herself with jobs and kids and are at home whining vs making the best of a bad situation and recognizing that they COULD be broke, sick or dying, but they are merely teleworking, homeschooling and quarantined with their family.

But if you ARE talking to someone broke, sick, or dying, you can't complain. Obviously.

Anonymous wrote:You were doing life wrong if a pandemic quarantine has made your life better.

+1,000 You obviously have been making choices that aren't right for you. Why do you have a soul-sucking commute? Commit to too many activities? No way this is better in any way. I am guessing you don't have a HS senior or junior who have worked so hard to reach for goals that are starting to look elusive. Our government and financial institutions, through absolute corruption, are taking this country down a road from which we may never return, leaving only the most wealthy and elite in positions to thrive and the rest of us to simply get by, for the foreseeable future. There is just so much to be worried about yours is a very small minded, privileged perspective and you should be very careful about sharing that outside of this forum

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel the same way but it's not something I say to others. I'm just quietly enjoying the family time.

OP here. This is what I’m curious about and wanting to put words too. Why is it not? Why is it fine to say this is miserable but not fine to say that I’m finding peace and gratitude? I definitely agree based on the conversations I’ve had and have stopped saying it. But why?

I think because this is a miserable, insecure time for many, who are broke, sick, or dying.

If you dare not to be constantly worried about people worse off than you & say this publicly you get shamed. I saw this happen when someone posted about spending their stimulus check on something slightly frivolous. The person was chastised by someone rich enough to not get one for not spending it on poorer people instead.

I feel there is room to be both caring and appreciative of your likely temporary new circumstances.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You were doing life wrong if a pandemic quarantine has made your life better.

No, the American way of work was doing it wrong, insisting that everyone needed their butt in an office chair 5 days a week.

You sound lazy.

So, now it’s lazy to enjoy the extra time with your family? I’ll take it!

Its really sad that you enjoy your coworkers more.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel the same way but it's not something I say to others. I'm just quietly enjoying the family time.

OP here. This is what I’m curious about and wanting to put words too. Why is it not? Why is it fine to say this is miserable but not fine to say that I’m finding peace and gratitude? I definitely agree based on the conversations I’ve had and have stopped saying it. But why?

I think because this is a miserable, insecure time for many, who are broke, sick, or dying.

Chances are OP isn't talking to people who are broke, sick or dying, though. They are people like herself with jobs and kids and are at home whining vs making the best of a bad situation and recognizing that they COULD be broke, sick or dying, but they are merely teleworking, homeschooling and quarantined with their family.

Gotta love DCUM. Women who post here and say they are having a hard time right now are told to quit whining, know they are privileged, and learn how to be a decent mother. Women who are able to find a silver lining are told it’s obnoxious to post about it while others are suffering. Why do you hate women, DCUM? I feel like we are mostly women here... so much vitriol against one another. It’s like no matter what perspective is offered, it’s always wrong. What should people be posting about then?

Anonymous wrote:Your life seriously sucked before if you are enjoying this current situation. Anyone who had a good life before does not enjoy this period.

I don’t think that’s true for introverts. I love my friends and I do miss them, but I’m a homebody by nature, and so are my DH and kids. It probably helps that I’m an essential worker and still leave the house a few days a week (although it also gives me anxiety and worry).

OP I feel the exact same way. I could have written this. We could be friends and communicate just as pen pals sending fun postcards. I am with you 100 percent. And I can't say it aloud either, as all the piling-on from brats on this board demonstrates. My husband and I telework during the day and try our best to homeschool the kids (ages 10 and 12). Then evenings and weekends are outside time, movies, art, walks, etc. We usually live a very hectic life with lots of activities, school stuff, kid extracurriculars, events/parties, etc, and it's been this sweet glorious breather where we just get to enjoy each others' company and our home. But yeah, admitting you actually have a happy marriage, you actually like your kids and you take pleasure in the simple things like prepping the garden for spring, that you don'r care about regular-life things like new restaurants opening and music festivals -- for whatever reason people go nuclear over that. Anyway OP, it's our secret.

I feel somewhat the way you do except that 1) there’s this background worry all the time about what this is doing to our country and world, and whether we will get sick and 2) my kids are tweens, teens and I’m sad about all the things they are missing, concerts, plays, sports, parties, not to mention school. They are doing well but if this continues the impact is increased.

But yes, DH and I are homebodies so that part has been kind of nice, I like not having a commute (my job can seamlessly be done at home), going for more walks with the dog, family time.

My feeling is that I’m ultimately looking forward to this ending, but I might as well try to find whatever joy I can in this situation.

I love it. Not going in to the office has been a gamechanger.