Kids playing together

[SunshineSally46]

I have seen no end of photos on social media lately of people allowing kids from different households to play together. Although the rules state we can now meet up outside I thought the 2 meter distancing rule still applied yet these kids are hugging and playing together in paddling pools and things like that. It's not ok yet is it?

My dc would love to see their friends but even though they are older I can't guarantee they will all keep their distance when excitable and playing so I haven't let them yet. Have you?

[SunshineSally46]

I just think it's clearly against the rules so why are people doing it and posting it all over social media

[Springhere]

We have done this. My dd (7) went on a walk with a friend the other day. The other mum and I kept social distance but dd and her friend didn't. They didn't hug or hold hands but they walked closer together than 2 metres. The other mum and I felt that the risks were outweighed by the huge benefit for the children, both of whom have been struggling. We knew they wouldn't be able to socially distance properly. Both families have followed the rules up to now, so the chance of either child having the virus was negligible. Neither family has vulnerable members or is in contact with vulnerable people. I feel ok with this decision.

[LockdownLou]

Yes I’ve let mine. I have three Y5, Y3 and R. Still waiting on a date for my reception boy to go back.

They have had plenty of peer interaction in gardens, and they have been in paddling pools. Last week I met up with a few friends in the park and our kids all played together. Racing, chatting away. Did them the world of good. I decided to put my children’s well-being first.

[Atalune]

Spring we have done the same as you. It’s been good and I feel like risk is very small.

[Dontforgetyourbrolly]

Up until last week I was barking " 2 metres , 2 metres " every time we went to the park ( we would often bump into his pals over there as we all live locally )
Last week I gave up and let them play together , the other parents agreed with this.
I mean how long can this go on for?

[phoebesphalange]

Yes. I’ve let my kids play with other kids. I’ve not said anything about rules or staying away. I’ve just let them play, because they are children, they need it, it’s instinctive, they are evidently low risk, there is a greater risk to them of not being allowed to live normal lives as normal children.

All the kids in our street are doing it and it’s LOVELY TO SEE and I won’t be told otherwise quite frankly.

[MrsWooster]

Like many ppl, I have eased up in the last week. They’ve been strictly 2m away-though fortunately close friends live over the garden fence at the bottom. Now they, and all the other kids in the street, are playing over the road in the park and woods, unsupervised. They’re undoubtedly

[Drivingdownthe101]

Children need interaction with peers. It’s vital for their development. Not being able to play with other children for what is coming up to 3 months is harmful to them. I feel like keeping them away from peers for this long is some sort of social experiment that isn’t going to have good results.
Adults can now meet up and chat with friends/extended family (at a distance). Children can’t.
Adults can play golf/tennis/go running with friends. Children can’t.
Schools are only open to a limited number of pupils.
Mine have each other so are ok (ish). But if I had an only child, or children that don’t get on, or a larger age gap for example, damn right I’d be letting them meet up and play with friends.

[Bol87]

Yes, my daughters played with a friend. I refuse to ask my 3 year old to social distance. My degree in child development & friendship/socialisation are pivotal to children’s brain growth, wellbeing, social skills, happiness.. yet children seem to be forgotten about in all this. No-one mentions them apart from in the context of childcare/school.

A few weeks won’t harm long term but it’s now been nearly 3 months. Children need to play with each other. If this virus was deadly to children then obviously we’d just have to deal with it & keep them indoors. But it’s not to most healthy children. Obviously there are a few exceptions but the risk is still tiny.

[Tfoot75]

Well it's a tricky one isn't it as many groups have now returned to school, or can return to school, and many others can't and don't know when they will be able to. So for certain groups we're saying it's safe to play in a bubble, and the rest are supposed to continue to think that it isn't?

[NoRoomInBed]

Yesterday our little row of houses did sports day. We had ice cream and races. It was lovely all the adults stayed apart. 1st time since lockdown.

[nobbymcphailisverypale]

I'm still shouting "two meters" at my DCs when we see their friends in the park, but in reality they aren't staying away from each other. I just don't know anymore.

[Epigram]

We've had friends over to play (stayed outside in the garden only). I told the kids to keep distant, but didn't strictly enforce it. In my opinion the benefits of this for the DC outweigh the very small risk.

I must say I wouldn't be putting pictures of it on FB though.

[MindyStClaire]

DD is only two, but I've noticed a change in her behaviour around people when we're out for our walks. We occasionally run into one of her friends from nursery and her mum was saying the same. We encourage them to play together (as much as two year olds do) and keep apart ourselves. The risks outdoors are small even for adults, never mind to little kids.

I'm vulnerable but no one in our house or extended family is shielding, fwiw.

[QuidcoQueen]

In the last week I've met up in a garden and my kids 5 and 2 have played in a paddling pool with their cousin, 6.

I still feel a bit uncomfortable about it but they enjoyed it so much. The children haven't been anywhere or mixed with anyone at all.

[GoldenOmber]

I'm hoping children will be allowed together when Scotland lets playgrounds reopen in Phase 2 (maybe mid-June). If not then I'm just going to let mine start playing with others anyway. Play is not just recreation to kids, it is important to their development. Being isolated and not allowed to play with other children is damaging to them.

I am prepared to put them through this as a short-term measure for a crisis. I am not prepare to put them through it for months and months, indefinitely, when risk to them is so low and the price they're paying is increasingly high, when adults are getting to go out to shops and play golf and go to garden centres again, just because nobody's really thought of their needs.

[mightbealittlebitmad]

My kids are allowed to play with others and they now play in my local park which is always empty because of the lack of small children on my estate. I'm not prepared to make them live a life of solitary any more, it's not healthy.

[Stuckforthefourthtime]

They have had plenty of peer interaction in gardens, and they have been in paddling pools. Last week I met up with a few friends in the park and our kids all played together. Racing, chatting away. Did them the world of good. I decided to put my children’s well-being first

First in front of what? The chance of them catching coronavirus? Or of getting it asymptomatically and another parent getting it? I'm pro the schools going back, with precautions and in bubbles but this is my biggest concern, that a lot of parents are seeing it as a way to justify a free for all. Ffs.

[TheLastSaola]

Do you remember how long summer holidays were when you were young.

Six weeks stretched for an eternity.

Now apply that to your children, make it even longer, and that's how long you've been denying normal social contact.

Law or no law, my children take priority and they deserve to be close to other children.

I'm protecting the vulnerable, I can assess the risk to society. And I'm comfortable with my decision.

[NoseyfriendNC]

I don't agree that people should let their DCs play with lots of other children especially ones they don't know but yesterday I met with my sister who brought her DCS and we all was planning to socially distance but they didn't understand and was soon playing too close. I will continue to meet up in with my sister and her DCs as we have both not been in contact with anyone else but I won't be taking them to play with lots of children as I don't think it is necessary and I still want to protect them.

[QueenofmyPrinces]

I’ve allowed my son to play with one of his friends.

The first time we saw him (about 10 days ago) we were in their garden (I’m friends with the mother) and we had told the boys that couldn’t go near each other. Not that the rule mattered in the end because the two boys wouldn’t even look at each other or talk to each other, never mind want to play with each other. They acted like they were strangers.

They’ve spent 18 months in the same class at school (currently year 1) and they are usually inseparable and so I found it quite upsetting to see them so nervous of each other.

It really made me think about the damage we are doing to the friendships/relationships between children.

We the went back a week later (so the weekend just gone) and my friend and put the paddling pool out and after 10-15 minutes of still acting like strangers, they then ambled over to the paddling pool and before long they were back to their usual inseparable selves. It was so so so nice to see them having fun with each other and laughing together. Just having that hour together made my son so happy because he misses his friends so desperately.

[LockdownLou]

@Stuckforthefourthtime yes I put my children’s well-being AHEAD of their risk of catching coronavirus. Their risk of catching it and being ill, is incredibly low. I am a MH practitioner and I happen to think mental health is incredibly important.

Like a previous poster just mentioned. Adults can now go to garden centres and will soon be able to mooch around in shops. I have accepted the risk I may get coronavirus, and it is extremely unlikely a vaccine will be here anytime soon.

[pfrench]

My child has played in the park (not on equipment) with other children from her bubble at school. On the way home from school. They are pretty much nowhere near each other when the play doesn't involve equipment I notice - more running, rolling on hills, climbing separate trees etc. From class photos in school, they are not socially distancing, but I wasn't expecting them to.

One of the other mums said 'oh, I didn't know we weren't allowed on swings', so some people are also just stupid.

[Remmy123]

Yep my son is going to park with a ball tomorrow with a mate - can't isolate kids forever it's not fair - sorry to those that disagree but an 11 year old needs some interaction with a friend.