Bored mother with teething baby provokes furious debate by asking if it’s wrong visit the garden centre to boost her mental health as critics claim she’s putting others at risk with a ‘non-essential’ outing
- British woman asked if it’s unreasonable to browse a garden centre for an hour
- Posting on Mumsnet, said she’s fed up of being home with her teething baby
- Added that her husband who is a key worker, recently had a negative covid test
- Many responses argued she could unknowingly contract or spread the virus
A mother who is fed up of being at home with her teething baby while her husband is at work, has sparked a debate about making non-essential journeys during lockdown.
Posting anonymously on Mumsnet, the British woman explained she’s struggling with being stuck in the same location each day with poor weather conditions making a walk impossible.
She said her baby is teething, her husband and support bubble are at work and because of the current Covid-19 restrictions the only place she could possibly go to break up the day is the local garden centre.
Responses to the post were divided with many urging her to go, claiming that because the garden centre is open she wouldn’t be breaking any rules, but others argued she could put put staff at unnecessary risk by spreading the virus.
British woman sparked a debate about going to the garden centre for a non-essential reason to pass the time in lockdown (file image)
Asking for advice, the woman explained the garden centre is a two minute drive from her home and she would only stay for an hour.
‘I feel like I might get flamed for this. I’m on maternity leave and obviously we’re in full lockdown. Where I live is also currently in the throes of Storm Christoph and the rain outside is literally like the wrath of god – so no chance of a walk,’ she said.
‘My baby is teething and really grumpy and I’m going out of my mind being stuck in the same four walls all day every day. All baby classes have been cancelled, can’t even go somewhere for a quick coffee to break up the day.
‘My husband is at work (he’s a teacher and over half of the school are in because the government have massively expanded the list of what constitutes a ‘key worker’ – so it’s not really a lockdown, but that’s another thread!)
‘We have a support bubble because we have a child under one but they’re also at work in the week (also teachers). Our local garden centre (2 min drive away) is open – would I be unreasonable to pack the baby in the car and go and have a look round there for an hour?
Posting on Mumsnet, the woman explained her husband recently had a negative covid test and therefore it’s ‘highly unlikely’ she and her baby have the virus
‘Just to break up the day and regain a bit of sanity? Not an essential journey, but arguably important for mental health. My husband now has weekly COVID tests – he had one yesterday and it was negative so it’s highly unlikely we have it. Feel like I’m going mad.’
A stream of responses to the post attempted to reassure the mother that she should go and enjoy the garden centre.
One person wrote: ‘Absolutely go! Buy something lovely for yourself and show your baby the plants and flowers. Do what you can to make life more bearable.’
‘Yes go, they are open and it’s legal. Of course garden centres don’t need to be open. They aren’t essential and that’s not down to you to make a moral choice about going or not. The government has allowed them to stay open. Wear a mask, keep your distance from others and enjoy the change of scene for 20mins,’ another said.
Agreeing, a third added: ‘Ignore the posts that are hysterical. You are allowed to go, so go and enjoy it. It is one of the very few freedoms we have left.’
A stream of responses assured the mother that she should go to the garden centre but be mindful to wear a mask and social distance
Others argued the entire nation is bored and going to a garden centre could spread the virus, with one saying: ‘We are ALL bored. Garden centre isn’t Alton Towers’
Another said: ‘What about the staff? Don’t THEY matter? They are at high risk of Covid and mental health watching non essential shoppers. Browsers, in your case, are making staff anxious.’
Sharing their own misfortune, a third added: ‘I understand why you would want to go as I’m on maternity leave too and my support bubble are hours away.
‘However, I went out once to the supermarket because I was so bored and now have Covid with an angry baby who I keep waking up with my cough!’
‘You are being unreasonable. It’s not essential. Sorry you feel that way but you are not the only one and boredom is not reason enough to potentially spread or catch Covid,’ another wrote.
Others argued the mother shouldn’t go because she could unknowingly spread or contract the virus from the unnecessary journey
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