Bubbling around

[StealthPolarBear]

While I think it's wonderful news I think it will cause many problems. Person a wants to bubble with b, who isn't actually that keen on a and was hoping to bubble with c. Persons d and e bubble reluctantly and realise they can't stand each other.
I predict Netflix and chill will become Netflix and bubble.

[OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea]

I think a lot of people who really needed the support are already doing this and those who would bubble with more than one bubble are already mixing and having visitors in the house (as a community health care practitioner there and very definitely people visiting each other who shouldn't be! )

For those who absolutely need the support because they are extremely isolated, in abusive relationships etc it won't change a thing. If you don't have family and friends to turn to then you don't have a bubble to join anyway do you?

[wobblywinelover]

As a single parent I have no bubble to actually join, which has highlighted the fact that I was a bit of a loser to start with!

Happy for everyone else though of course.

[twinnywinny14]

@Wobblywinelover you can mix with another household now though can’t you?

[wobblywinelover]

not really @twinnywinny14 as I was pretty isolated to start with. My best friend lives in another town with two adult daughters and a grandson in their house so i'm not sure they would qualify. Because i've been a single parent so long with childcare difficulties i've never been able to form close enough friendships with anyone who would want to bubble up with me. My parents live across the border so they're out too!

[twinnywinny14]

@Wobblywinelover you can mix with another household of any size so your friend would be allowed?

[picklemewalnuts]

I immediately worried when I heard this. I can think of several families where grandparents will be competing for membership of the bubble. Also many people who won't be anyone's first choice, which just rubs your nose in it. Many families single friends would like to bubble with will have a sibling or parent they have to prioritise.
The isolated get still more isolated.

[Gammeldragz]

So a single parent counts as a single person for this, however many children they have?

[MoreW1ne]

@picklemewalnuts
Maybe we could have some 'bubble-offs'.
Design a series of fun competitive games to decide who gets access to the bubble.

I'm sure someone on the channel 4 production team will probably pick that up as an idea and run with it for a TV show with weekly voting of people moving in and out of the bubble.

[wobblywinelover]

@twinnywinny14 yes I suppose in theory but I think she'll choose another family over me because of the grandson who is involved. I also work with a massive Covid risk so I don't think I would be her first bubbly choice.

I'm liking the bubble off idea haha. I do actually agree this could cause a lot of conflict regarding who chooses who, but I guess the government have to draw the line somewhere. But the lonely could get lonelier! It's a double bubble of potential problems.

Anyone else not bubbling?

[girlicorne]

My mum is on her own, 150 miles from me and 180 miles from my sister. How is she meant to choose one of us to visit her and stay over?? This could lead to lots of issues in families! Me and my kids will go and visit first as my sister has been in contact with Covid patients throughout, me and the kids haven’t been within 2m if anyone since March but if we were both the same low risk it could lead to massive family rifts. Yet another half baked ill thought out idea!!!

[Bedraggledmumoftwo]

I (single parent) asked my best friend to be my bubble earlier. She said she had to clear it with her husband but has come back to say they have to prioritise his mum, which is fair enough and of course I said I understand. But now I am disproportionately upset. I know we can already have a socially distanced playdate outside but I was so excited to have a hug, or an evening in together.

[purpleme12]

@Bedraggledmumoftwo I'm so sorry I can imagine how you feel

I'm a single parent and have never found it so hard. My daughter is still awake and her behaviour's bad she's just gone back to school in the hope to make it easier.
The only person I could feasibly join would be my mum. I don't know if she'd want to. My step dad is over 70 and my daughter plays with next door little children through the fence so I'm not sure if they'll say come over or not...

[Splattherat]

A work colleague of mine will be disappointed at tonights announcement as she has been scheming for weeks about who she was going to have in her social bubble (whether they would want to be or not is probably an irrelevance to her). She is married but has been talking about her DD’s best friends mum and family (so the girls can play together and they can share childcare, she has family and friends as does her husband), her single BF (who is a dab hand at hair and beauty treatments) so she would come in useful (she obv wouldn’t want to see any other family or friends) and as well as her sister and family (obv her DH would forego seeing his family and friends).

[Blossom513]

It will never be possible to have a rule that suits everyone. I appreciate for some single parents and adults this new rule will still be a challenge but for many, many people who have had no other adult for company or support at home this is a welcome relief.


So a single parent counts as a single person for this, however many children they have?

Yes, it's recognising single parents have been lonely and isolated, trying to hold down jobs and childcare entirely alone for months. They should absolutely be one of the first groups of people to have that restriction lifted.