Are you letting your teens out to meet a friend?

[perhapstomorrow]

Just wandering if I'm alone in not letting my teens meet up with one friend in the park now that the lockdown rules have been relaxed. I worry that they'll end up congregating with all their friends and being less than 2m apart or even going off to one of their houses when they get bored. Not helped by my DD's Instagram being splattered with pictures of her friends meeting up.

Yes. She spent an hour with her best friend, I trust them both to do the right thing.

I'd be happy for my teens to do this but neither want to - they think it's better just to "meet" online.

Not sure how you stop teens though - mine are welcome to go out for a walk/cycle any time they want. They both know about social distancing rules and that we expect them to follow them, but the reality is that you can't constantly monitor a teen's movements.

Yes.

Just arranging for my 11yo to meet his bestie for a kick about. They haven't seen each other since the week before school finished. They have been well warned to keep apart and I think they will

No,
I trust ds, he knows the rules and what will happen if he breaks them. He would meet with friend1 and they would cycle round on their bikes for a bit and come home no problem. Until mutual friend2 ( who’s already spent most of lockdown harassing them to persuade/bribe/trick parents into letting them come out) finds out and joins them because the rules don’t apply to him.

Not yet, live in Scotland so sticking to our rules. They haven't seen any of their friends in about 8 weeks but we are not in a rush up here.

I'm a pretty laid back mum and quite chilled out but I'm not sure I could trust some of their friends to stick to the 2 metre rule unfortunately.

Mine (16) hasn’t suggested it. He doesn’t see his friends much in person out of school anyway!

No, but she doesn't have friends in our town, and says she wouldn't want to go anyway she's (16) and keeping busy.

My 18yo met up with his best mate for a bike ride on Wednesday, they stopped for fish and chips but sat on separate benches shouting over to each other.

He’s also going to see his girlfriend on Sunday. The plan is to walk her dogs and stop for a picnic but sitting apart. I trust him to be sensible.

You’re all very naive if you think your teens are meeting up and staying 2m apart.

Yes one of mine has. I don’t mind at all, I think all of our teens have done very well to get to this point without seeing their friends and living a normal teenage life. It’s time to relax it a bit.

My 17 year old met up with 2 friends, separately, this week.

I'm in Scotland so nope. Only one teen, other child almost 10. They've both seen friends on Zoom or via other types of video calls. For now it will have to do.

Yes my nearly 14 year old meets the same friend most evenings for a local walk. They're sensible and I trust them. It's good for both of them emotionally, physically and socially.

The thing is, both mine have been going out for walks for their daily exercise on their own anyway, they could have been meeting friends all along if they chose to, I don't have any reason to think they have though.

MNers have a lot of sensible and trustworthy teens then! Funnily enough, I’ve not seen any of these teens out and about. They’re all in groups close together.

@CuppaZa you won't have seen my teens out and about, because they're mostly staying in unless they've gone to the butchers for me. Teenagers are far from being the most likely to gather in groups round here, it's mostly people in their 50s and 60s who stop to chat in increasingly large and close clusters.

18yo DS1 hasn't yet, he wants to see his girlfriend but they both admit they'd find it hard to keep 2m apart and say they might feel worse afterwards so are sticking to their routine facetimes and endless texting...for now!

No. Because on her own DD (13) is sensible. But many of her friends aren’t and I know if they go to the park then 2 will become 4 will become 8 and so on. Half of them will think it funny to run and hug others. In full lockdown the kids around here still hung out in groups so now it’s likely to be much worse.

I’d consider dropping her and one friend at the beach where it’s more isolated but it local park is like Mardi Gras at the moment.

I wouldn't let mine go off on her own to meet a friend in case they meet up with a group but her BFFs Mum has dropped her off and they are sitting at opposite ends of our large driveway about 10 feet apart.

Yes

I’m shielding and my teenagers have been absolutely fantastic in living behind my shield for weeks. They’ve been really responsible and a marvellous source of support.

They go nearly all their socialising online, but DD wanted to meet a friend yesterday for a bike ride. She knows what’s at stake and I trust her to keep the proper distance.

I don’t think their odd trip out is going to alter my risk profile significantly.

Yes
Dd12 is hanging out with the two girls from next door and has been past few weeks

Dd14 has been meeting two friends

I don’t think they’ll be distancing but then none of us are meeting anyone vulnerable as such

I’m all for people just going out now and the vulnerable staying in

It’s gone on long enough

Won’t be a popular view on here but it’s veey obvious in my area people fee same

No I haven't, feel a bit bad now after reading how many have

MNers have a lot of sensible and trustworthy teens then! Funnily enough, I’ve not seen any of these teens out and about. They’re all in groups close together.

I suspect teens all into 3 categories: those who are hanging round in groups, those who stick to social distancing and go out with their families or (now) one friend, and those who aren't going out at all.
And you're much more likely to notice the first category.

I personally haven't noticed that teens are any more likely not to socially distance than other other age group. Round here I've noticed more older people meeting up for non-socially distanced chats than I have teens, but I'm not going to stereotype and therefore assume that all elderly people are irresponsible.