Am i breaking lockdown rules ?

[1ForAllnAllFor1]

Hi all,
I live in a flat with a 2 year old. We previously used to go out everyday to a playgroup where him and another girl got on and played every day. He asks about her every day.

I have been self isolating for almost a month now due to my DH having flu symptoms earlier in the month whixh he recovered from. My son, is absolutely bored at home.

This morning I decided to take him out on his scooter next to our block of flats, towards a Tesco (which I wasn’t going into). It’s a little forest walkway where there is runners and I was respecting all social distancing.

I happened to bump into his friend who he has been asking for everyday, he pointed her out and ran towards her. She was on her scooter too. So me and the mum kept 2 meters apart and we let them run the scooter alongside each other. They didn’t touch or anything.

Part of me felt irresponsible but I was overwhelmed with emotion as this was his normal and it broke my heart to end his happy moment as he has been so lonely and bored at home, but I wonder whether I wasn’t following guidelines?

A man saw us and was loudly swearing and cussing and saying how people like me are behind lockdown not being effective and stricter rules.

It has put me off taking my son out at all. But then I feel confused as this is part of the guidelines.

Am I unreasonable

Yet another post of who can be the nastiest to an OP. It’s like you all enjoy it. Disgusting.

When people do follow the rules all the nutcases come out and say they aren't, no sane person would start a thread on here asking advice now. OP may have been wanting this reaction and started this thread to provoke it.

Its a mistake but its not a big one, I think you and your little one will be fine. Do take him out. They need to run.
If he is lonely maybe do a video chat with another mother and friend and a game of cards or whatever

This is an incredibly stressful time for all of us so go easy on yourself.

Although best not to do it I think it will be fine that one time. Don't get yourself too worked up about it.
Why do some people get off on being so mean to people? She made a mistake. Get the fuck over it.

Everyone’s going through this Op, not just you & your boy. Although I think a lot of people are taking the piss going out several times a day, they shop for all & sundry, dog walking to the extreme, I’ve never seen so many people jogging, & cycling in my life! I actually had visions of people doing a few star jumps or jogging on the spot in the garden, dogs shitting in their own back yard, people shopping in one go, no one needs to go out several times a day looking for the exact product that Granny Smith insists upon having. I don’t give a shit what these people do, & if they want to risk their lives I really don’t care, but I don’t want to catch the bastard virus from them. So no op you ain’t done anything any worse than anyone else.

Not sure that following the rules makes you a nutter

There’s a difference between following the rules and abusing another person.

It was a mistake you didn’t go out with the intention to not follow the guidelines and got caught up in a moment

You know you can’t let it happen again and I don’t think you will

I think if you have been at home for a long time once you go out it all seems quite strange but you do get used to it shall be the norm for some time but it’s not forever

YABU.

You were selfish, and yes you did break lockdown rules by letting the children mix. Whether you want to hear it or not, people like you are the reason the virus will spread and you are the reason we could end up with even stricter lockdown rules.

1forall I think it was a bad idea to post on here, people are really nasty at the moment. the people who are blatantly breaking the rules (as in my neighbour, who has different members of family round, every day, all from different houses) are treated the same as somebody who might accidentally let their child walk a midges too close to another person 🙄

I had the exact same situation the other day, I was with my 5 year old out for a walk and I saw my friend with her 2 boys (same class at school) I stood chatting to my friend 2m apart and the kids ended up playing together under some trees making a den. I felt so bad and guilty afterwards. its unbelievably hard to explain to a 5 year old that they can't play or go near their friends if they see them. the only thing that made me feel slightly better is the fact they had been at school together also. I've decided I won't walk that way in the future so we don't see them or any of her other frienda from school.

If you think it’s ok to let toddlers play together & ASK if that’s breaking the rules - I think people are entitled to call you selfish & stupid.

I don’t think you’re an ideal person to be working at the Nightingale Hospital if you can’t understand the basic rules at home.

Your kid broke the rules but don't sweat it. It wasn't deliberate and it was a short bit of contact...

Although best not to do it I think it will be fine that one time

Oh sure, the virus is handing out ‘a free pass’ the first time....🙄🙄🙄

What I find a really sad side-effect of this pandemic is how I’m not seeing the best of people at all, I’m seeing the worst.

Vile comments on here and on Facebook groups (I’ve now deleted Facebook - good riddance) and angry people on the street.

It’s very sad. I know people are frightened, but their fear is showing itself as judgemental and intolerant and cruel.

Makes me wonder, what’s it going to be like when the big effects of climate change take hold? The human world will be a scary place then.

OP, don’t feel bad. Children that young don’t get it. A little girl kept running right up to me yesterday when I was on a dog walk - like up close practically knocking into me - she didn’t understand. We’re humans, it’s hard for us to keep apart. And that little girl needed to be outside (I heard her mum loudly talk about how they didn’t have a garden). I’m not stressed about it. I went home and washed my hands and my coat, what else could I do? The kid needed to be out, my dog needed to be out, none of us own the streets.

Yes OP people are.nastt because we're all scared. Here's even more nasty for you, you are a bloody idiot. It is people like you who are spreading the virus and putting people at risk. Don't you get it people are.dying. YOU and only you have put the life of your child at risk. What is even worse you CHOSE to do it. Maybe you shouldn't go back out, you are not a responsible person.

Just read you are a nurse. FFS what hope have we got. Call me a keyboard warrior all you want but it is much nicer than I would say to her face!

I do realise it was a mistake now. But I reallr didn’t think I deserved the abuse that man gave me.

I'm not usually one to agree with a random man having a go but yes, yes you did deserve it.

It doesn't matter what excuses you come up with on this one, we must all do our bit and you didn't do that yesterday.

It's interesting how different countries have different rules..in NL kids up to age 12 can play outside under adult supervision. Even renowned peadtricians have backed this up. And the number of Covid-19 infections have been dropping steadidly. I'm finding it all very confusing.

@twinnywinny14 yes, of course. But I said that ‘regardless of who else you’re helping’, you’re also helping yourself and your child/ren. I don’t see the point of saying ‘did I break this rule’. The virus is indiscriminate and nasty and I genuinely feel that if people were more afraid for their own lives than they were about breaking some government rules then more people would be staying inside.

‘Flatten the curve’ = don’t get sick and waste another hospital bed. Would we want to get sick anyway if nobody asked us to flatten the curve?

OP- I would leave this thread and not open it again. Just get on with your day and put it out of your mind now.

@IScreamForIceCreams I live in nl and I have to say their policy makes zero sense to me. Most people I know are just avoiding kids meeting up because that’s the sensible thing to do
BUT, serious as the situation is (and it is) every single person is going to slip up at one time or other. Especially as the situation is so new - I’m not saying people should go out and deliberately arrange meet ups for their kids, but it sounds like op made a simple mistake. Other people might not make that mistake but they might accidentally walk near someone on a supermarket etc. also, of all the mistakes you can make I think letting 2 toddlers scooter alongside each other (as opposed to playing with it other, sharing germs) is one of the least damaging mistakes she could have made. Basically this situation is going to go on for a long time yet so we need to be kind to each other, and kind to ourselves, as well as following the rules if we’re goibg to get through it

Wow some really rude, nasty people here. How sad.

38IrisAtwood

And the bullying and abuse of the OP helps this how?

The OP has not been bullied and abused. She's been told quite rightly her actions were wrong and hopefully this will emphasuse to everyone, not just her how wrong it is.

Because when you read things like Although best not to do it I think it will be fine that one time I actually despair. Really despair. If people really think this then there is no wonder this virus is spreading and hasn't anywhere near its peak yet. These people that think this are the true problem because they will always be able to justify bending the guidelines.
7 NHS employees have died. I'm scared at work every single minute.