What do you think the worst child's age to isolate is?

[Thurlow]

Just been asked to isolate our 4yo. I'm thinking this is a pretty shit age because he's old enough to not like missing nursery and his friends, but not old enough to understand or amuse himself too much. Oh if only it had been the 9yo But are other ages worse?

2
They need the park!

I think around 4-5, if you have a rumbunctious, social little fella who needs companionship.

3-6

Toddler- 5/6. Lots of energy, but not old enough to understand.

On day 6 with my daughter, aged 6... She's currently running laps of the house, naked...

For me it would be a baby. Mine screamed at home constantly. My 4yo has been fine.

1. They have no attention span, cannot entertain themselves for long, and have so much energy. It would be my idea of hell.

Isolating with a 2 and 4 year old. Can confirm the 2 year old is harder!

Teenage. I have a 14 year old and it would have been so much easier when he was 4. At least I don't have childcare worries, if he is sent home I can still work. However it is the age when they are meant to be spending most time with their peers and becoming independent, not stuck at home.

Toddlers

I'd agree with 2-3 year olds. Old enough to know they're missing things/people but too young to be distracted and participate in any alternative activities.

I have an 8 year old and if any age can be considered a "good" age to isolate then this is probably it. Able to operate tech independently to access the outside world but young enough to still be distracted by treasure hunts, craft and baking.

On day 8 with 3 and 6 year olds. I'm in hell.

I have few points of comparison but the first lockdown with a two year old was hellish. Constant stimulation, couldn't be left unattended, couldn't play alone, had dropped nap, it was awful

Oh and knew what they were missing and cried because they missed nursery and their friends (I suspect that meant key worker) but that was just too much

I'm isolating with a 2 and a 12yo. I'm pregnant and have covid, dh is away so its been a bloody nightmare. 2yo is harder work to keep entertained - shes not used to a lot of TV and since shes been parented by cbeebies for a week her sleep and behaviour has suffered badly. 12yo is half helpful, half a PITA when she doesnt want to do her home learning. I think any age from 18m to about 5 is pretty bad for the parents, teens its bad for them, in the middle is most doable, although all kids are different.

I agree 8 is a good age. He still loves playing board games, baking, helping out in the house etc but also he can be pretty independent and he doesn’t need me constantly with him!
I think toddlers is probably hardest. They don’t understand what’s going on, they can’t do any YouTube sort of workouts really or online socialising. Mine just had to go out for a walk every single day at that age. Plus being home with them on your own constantly is exhausting. Not a second to yourself as they’ve usually dropped naps etc.

The thought of having to do it with my 7 & 9yo strikes terror into my core. But then it would have done at any age.

I can let them gawp at screens all day, but then the energy explodes out of them and the wrestling, fighting and bickering is awful. DS1 has ASD and does not give up.
They need exercising every day and boy you pay for it if they don't leave the house the previous day.

They do not do nice, wholesome family parent led activities. It has never ended nicely.

I have a baby and a toddler and I'd have thought teens are the worst. You can't physically keep them in if they are adamant they want to go out, any school they miss is really important (especially for exam years), their stress/anxiety levels can be high at the best of times....at least my two can be distracted with games/toys/Peppa Pig!

I woukd say firstly depends on the child.

Younger children much harder to actually entertain, older much harder - much worse in terms of mh .imo.. however this all depends on the child a honebird teen happily homeschools a doddle.

A 2 year okd with no focus and no way of burning off energy worse.

I've got 4dc aged 12, 9, 6 and 3 and the only one I'm dreading needing to isolate is the 3 year old. The other 3 would be fine and were all through the last lockdown. The 3 year old is a nightmare and needs school and lots of exercise to make him calm down a bit.

I imagine 18m-2y sort of age based on how my kids were at that age.

The older one I can see coping with video calls and exercise videos. Sadly DS is indeed like a retriever and needs socialising and exercising twice a day at least...

My DCs are 23, 19 & 9. The only one not coping is the 23 year old!

Did first lockdown with a 2 year old and a newborn (born first week of May). Was hellish in terms of attention span and entertainment levels for 2 year old. Now isolating with 2.5 yr old and 6 month old. Also hellish but marginally better now older child has a bit more comprehension ie. can actually follow an instruction.

Saving graces: didn’t have to home school and the kids won’t remember this. I think young school age would be very hard (having to explain it all with limited understanding on their part) and teens for mental health/big exams/social reasons.

Isolating with a 2 year old was hellish. 9 year old ds fine. Dd climbing walls plus refusing to nap. Be glad to give her to nursery again!