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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to decline soft play invitation last minute

67 replies

Beanbag12 · 14/03/2020 20:08

A bit of an AIBU and a WWYD.

My DS who’s 3 has a birthday party to go to tomorrow at a local soft play centre. The Mum who arranged the party messaged everyone yesterday about what time to turn up etc and I thanked her for the invitation and said my son is excited. It seems a lot has developed over the last 24 hours in the news etc and now I‘m really concerned about putting DS and myself at unnecessary risk of catching Corona Virus.

WIBU to not take him? WWYD?

YABU= take him
YANBU=it’s not worth the risk

OP posts:
Hohofortherobbers · 14/03/2020 22:19

Why would you skip a party when the schools are still open? What's the additional risk? I'd go

Littlebookwormiam · 14/03/2020 22:20

YANBU. I refused to take my 2 DC to soft play this morning. They've been asking to go for a couple of days now but I just don't feel comfortable taking them there.

TossACoinToYourWitcher · 14/03/2020 22:25

YANBU. I've declined a party invite today for the same reason.

EnthusiasmIsDisturbed · 14/03/2020 22:27

YANBU

Anyone with an ounce of common sense would firstly understand and secondly cancel the party

Ginseng1 · 15/03/2020 01:56

You'd be mad to go soft play right now. Be sensible and cancel for crying out loud.

Rayn · 15/03/2020 02:01

Having owned a soft play centre for the last fifteen years I can honestly say they are really really hard to keep clean. We had a robust cleaning programme but it is impossible to clean constantly. Think about the ball pits and all the mats. They can't be continuously cleaned all day!

Cissyandflora · 15/03/2020 02:42

I’ve got the same situation. Soft play party tomorrow (today actually- (I’m still awake and worrying at 02:30). I had accepted the invitation and then last week I had to send a text saying we can’t come. I didn’t give a reason. I’m amazed that the rest of the class seem to be going. So my children will be at risk at school anyway.

Beseen19 · 15/03/2020 03:35

We are not going to soft play at the moment. I have a newborn at home and my 3 yo seems to have developed a nervous tic to constantly constantly touch his face. Every time I turn around he is touching a bin and the other day he put his lips on a sink in a public toilet.
Knowing how disgusting my DS is I'm not risking being around 10+ other 3 year olds

Defenbaker · 15/03/2020 03:50

YANBU, they are germ ridden places at the best of times.

I know kids need to come into contact with some bacteria/viral infections to develop their immune systems, but Coronavirus seems particularly nasty, so I think everyone needs to minimise their risks in whatever way they can. I think of Covid19 as a pneumonia inducing virus, rather than "just flu" - one to avoid even if you're young and healthy.

Mummyshark2019 · 15/03/2020 08:40

I would not go. I would cut out unnecessary contact and avoid places of mass gathering with the kids. I know schools are still on but every thing you can do to limit your interaction with potential virus, the better. We should be doing more. We will see many more cases and deaths the way this government is handling this pandemic.

Original poster
Beanbag12 · 15/03/2020 08:40

Hi all, thanks for your comments. I’m not taking him. He had a bit of a disturbed night as it turns out (growing pains!) and has a bit of a cold (no cough or temp though) and his lymph nodes are up on his neck which is always a sign that his immune system is fighting something. Luckily he hasn’t remembered about today anyway.

It is such a difficult decision and I wouldn’t judge anyone either way. It’s what’s best/what you feel comfortable with for your family.

OP posts:
CeeCeeEnnEss · 15/03/2020 10:56

We’re at a soft play party right now, having also been at one yesterday afternoon...

lorrainerose · 15/03/2020 11:32

@Beanbag12 good decision, if he's already fighting something off he's more likely to pick something else up, not necessarily corona but a sick bug or whatever else you'd expect to find at soft play.

Winter2020 · 15/03/2020 12:42

my eldest son often got tummy bugs after being at soft play so I would just say don't forget to wash/wipe/antibac whatever their hands before the party tea or eating a snack. All those nappies being dragged around there all day followed by your kids hands.

Sceptre86 · 15/03/2020 14:41

I dont see the logic in cancelling if your child will be going to school on Monday. It is my dd's 4th birthday at the end of the month and we are supposed to be going to stay with my mum and dad for a few days. This is all dependent on none of us showing any symptoms and also if a lockdown is not announced in that time. I guess my point is watch and see how things develop and then risk assess.

SophieGiroux · 15/03/2020 14:46

I was at a soft play this morning that was dead - had place to ourselves pretty much. The manager said they'd had 3 party cancellations for that afternoon.

Rosesarere · 15/03/2020 14:52

I think it would be a really good idea to stay away from soft play at the moment,

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