Did MN have the same “instinct” as Cummings?

[ArgumentativeAardvaark]

I’m curious- since lockdown there has of course been a huge amount of chat on MN about what people think they can and can’t do- I remember threads about nannies, cleaners, driving to exercise, what constituted essential travel etc and they were full of many intelligent people reading the law and the guidance forensically and drawing conclusions as to what was legal and what they felt it was appropriate to risk.

Today it is being suggested that it was legal and responsible to have driven across the country to be near family members, after you knew you had Covid-19. Clear statements that this falls within an express exemption to the rules on self-isolating and not travelling to a second home.

So, before we were all looking at this through the political lens of what Dominic Cummings did, was it ever discussed and analysed on MN? “AIBU to drive to my parents in case I need them to look after DS because DH and I have Covid?” If this exemption was so clear I am sure that the Mumsnet jury would have seized upon it, wouldn’t they? Can anyone remember seeing such a thread?

I've definitely seen a thread where the op was struggling and posters were suggesting she moved in with her parents. Now quite the same, and not all posters were saying that but it was only a couple of weeks back.

*not

No, he was definitely in the wrong. I'm a LP and my worst fear of getting CV was what I would do about my children if I had to go to hospital. As my parents are over 70/have asthma, I ruled them out and was really worried as to who would want to look after 2 potentially infected kids! Was thinking along the lines of they'd either need to be under social services or fend for themselves!
I bought a microwave and some microwave meals in in case I was laid up in bed for a few days.
Cummings child has 2 parents, neither of whom were hospitalised as far as I am aware. He put his wider family and a distant community at risk in what he did not to mention the total double standards and I cant believe the government are gaslighting us this much so suddenly it seems like what he did was OK.

@pisspants to be clear I 100% believe that he was in the wrong! What I am wondering is whether anyone on MN considered the same question (before this story came out) and came to the same conclusion as he did?

Tbh I am finding it hard to get upset about what he did. I honestly just don’t care. The more people clutch their pearls and bay for his head on a pike, the less I give a shit. Yes it was stupid but either:
A) he and Neil Ferguson and Kathryn Calderwood gave good advice to the government, which we should follow, or:
B) theydidnt.

Who they shag or where they went when they were sick is a matter of supreme indifference to me.

I cannot think of a single example when someone in household/symptomatic isolation came up with a plan to travel to get the help they needed

It’s not clear what help was actually needed here, as one parent was well enough to drive and therefore well enough to care for the child whilst the relative who was going to take over travelled down to collect

No, there hasn’t been anything quite like this asked (someone with the virus travelling to another part of the country for childcare).

We all know the advice on mumsnet in that situation would have been have you anyone local who can drop food off, anyone LOCAL who could help with childcare should things get so bad as they were both badly incapacitated? Apparently they both have siblings locally. And given how much the Tory cabinet have been defending him, some very good friends/people who he has got something over who would do anything to help him out.

There were a few single parents really struggling to work and care for their children, and I believe it is ok to move in with another household for the duration of lockdown, which another poster may be referring to above.

Nope, in the past when ill I've resorted to ordering takeaways so kids can eat. Now they are older I made sure they could open tins and use the microwave.

@very I didn’t ask what people thought about what he did. I asked if the topic had been discussed on MN previously. My point being that if it was really good parenting instinct as BJ claims then it stands to reason that some other parent might possibly have considered the same thing and asked for views on a parenting forum...

Yep, fair point @argumentativeaardvark. But I still don’t give a shit

Not exactly this, but when my dh was (very) ill with Covid19 and isolating in our bedroom I posted for suggestions as to how we manage with 4dc if I became unwell. 2 of the dc were also symptomatic and in their rooms at the time. I have no family locally. The discussion centred on whether my dd12 look after siblings or whether I continue to assuming I was able (dh wasn’t) and risk infecting them.
Travelling to family an hour away wasn’t suggested as an option. General consensus was I care for everyone unless hospital admission was needed in which case a placement would be found for the dc.

@Howmanysleepsnow that's because you, I and the whole of MN don't love our children enough.

According to fucking DC.

Well I found this.

Half wondering if it was Dominic, except that what the OP was suggesting was reasonable and zero-risk, and there were still a few people attacking her.

There was a whole thread on prepping for young children and buying food that they could help themselves to while parent was ill. Teaching them what to do if parent was ill etc and having a back up plan.

Tbh I am finding it hard to get upset about what he did. I honestly just don’t care. The more people clutch their pearls and bay for his head on a pike, the less I give a shit.

I don't really care how DC reacts to this. He is not an elected MP and isn't representing anyone, and he comes across as a huge cunt to be honest, so I wouldn't expect anything more.

I do care how Boris and my own elected MP react to this, and how they defend it. Because I don't want to be bullshitted and gaslit by people who were elected to represent the interests of the people of this country.