People should give young kids a break?

[Hottoddy1]

So I work as a healthcare professional 3 days per week, husband has an office job he is now having to WFH 4 days per week. We have 3 kids age 6, 3 and 1. We’re now trying to work around having no childcare or grandparent help so I’ve switched to working 1 day in the weekend and husband does other day + working early mornings and late evenings. We have little family time due to this. It’s been tough and I had (swab confirmed because of my job) covid early April, quarantine period and straight back and am only just starting to feel energy levels return.
Anyway we live in a city but luckily near a big wood/nature reserve where one of us takes the kids every day. Although many people are nice and smile some people are really difficult and it’s getting me down. Minor examples are tutting at 6 year old sitting on the grass looking at ladybirds and asking my husband to “get your child away” Most of the people tutting are older and presumably in the vulnerable category.
Yesterday Dh was at an area where the path is relatively narrow and the 3 year old was lagging behind so he was waiting. A woman came past the 3 year old and he pulled the buggy into the side as much as he could but she asked him in an angry way to move on because her husband had cancer. She wouldn’t have had to walk right next to him but it would have been about 1.2 m distance I guess, not the full 2m. He politely pointed out he couldn’t leave the 3 year old and she huffed and puffed and then walked by.
I get that the women and other people are terribly stressed by this and it’s a horrible feeling. We have explained to the children and they try and the 6 year old is really very good. But you cannot expect kids to remember and follow all the rules all the time. If you really feel you are in terrible danger if a child comes within 2m of you why come to a nature reserve in the city in the middle of the afternoon? It’s light until 9.30pm around here; if I’ve been working I often pop out for some air at 8pm and it’s quiet, just one or two dog walkers who as adults are fully able to social distance. It’s shit for little kids this, my 3 year old was in tears when I left for work as he’s worried I’ll get “the virus” he picks up on a lot but doesn’t really understand it so it’s tricky to explain stuff, people ostensibly dashing away from him doesn’t help. So if you’re vulnerable, you have my sympathy but AIBU to say in the middle of the day, give the kids some space and cut us a bit of slack.

Haven't read the full thread but this reminds me of pensioners buying their groceries on a saturday and complaining there's a huge line and they can't stand that long. When they had the whole week to buy their groceries while other people were at work.

I'm not sure what the three-year old is being blamed for, it's not like he ran up to these people. Apparently he wasn't moving fast enough for them (would it have killed them to just wait a minute ?)

Incidentally i'm a little bit jealous that you can take your children out, my son's been confined home for over a month now and finding it hard.

But to answer your question yanbu. Even if they had a good reason to be in a hurry they could have been polite about it.

Also have to say i'm surprised by how anal people seem to be about the rules in the UK. The country I'm in now is stricter in some ways (kids not allowed out at all) but no one really worries about the 2 meter thing on the sidewalk or in shops.

So what's the bloody point of a lockdown, Malysh?

Maybe you could cut them some slack and go somewhere else too if you can't adhere to the rules 🤷‍♀️ Sorry, I know it's hard for little kids, but really the woman's husband has a lot more to lose if you don't. I'm not really sure why they should have to stay in because others can't stick to what we've all been told what to do.

I dunno. I don’t feel like the middle of the afternoon is “reserved” especially for children, nor that adults going out without children should only do so at 8/9pm or whatever. Shared green spaces are free for everyone - of all ages - to use, whenever they want. Some of us are still working and have other commitments, so late night walks aren’t always possible either.

Unfortunately you’re just going to have to adapt like everyone else has, we’re all dealing with an increased amount of pedestrians in general - children/dog walkers/cyclists/runners etc in shared public spaces due to lockdown.

I am sympathetic to parents but it’s still your responsibility to keep your kids by your side and away from others - if anything for their own safety. If I’m out and about and a child is too close to me, I’d do my best to keep a distance there’s nothing I can do if it’s a narrow space and I can’t move away. Some parents actually seem to not mind their kids being near a stranger’s germs right now.

I don’t necessarily think young children are germ ridden, but I do think they’re more likely to cough/splutter/sneeze etc when someone else walks past as they can’t really control it, hence why I’d rather avoid walking near them

I wonder how many people have caught covid 19 from strolling past someone who is over a metre away from them? People really need to keep things in perspective.

If you are that fearful then you need to rethink your stroll anywhere that you can't guarantee you won't come within 2 metres of others.

Children will be children. That's why parents need to be parents.

Vulnerable people shouldn't be going out. If they really have to they should go somewhere they can easily keep 2 metres apart. The children weren't running around wildly for heaven sake.
It's horrible being stuck indoors all the time, I hate it but avoid going out when it's likely to be busy because I don't want to die. I don't expect everyone with children (or without) to stay in just so I can go out.
The woman was silly to go somewhere where she couldn't keep 2 metres away from everyone if she was that worried.

YANBU. My previously outgoing and friendly toddler now clings to me constantly while out, freaks out at the sight of people and is terrified by all the masks. We have a nice time playing ball at the park, but the fact that people are keeping there distance or shouting out ‘2 meters!’ In the supermarket aisles has clearly registered with him. It makes me really sad that some people have become so nasty. Covid isn’t fleas, the two meter rule is for guidance but honestly as long as you pass by without touching you’re fine. And if you’re so worried about catching it that you feel the need to shout at children or are paranoid about passing it on to a vulnerable loved one, then you need to stay inside for all but essential journeys. A trip to the woodlands is permitted but not essential if you’re worried about passing covid on to your husband with cancer.

We go to the other side of the road or to the grass for parents with young children or for elderly when out. We also go for a walk now after 7 pm because going earlier is a complete nightmare: there are lots of small children out. I can’t expect them to behave like social distancing robots, they are young, so it’s much easier for us to go out later. Sometimes DD and I go for a walk earlier in the morning but never later than 10.00. am.

But saying this, some parents are glued to their mobiles when out with small kids not paying attention to them at all. It’s not right. We can’t expect children to follow distancing rules or even understand them but we do expect that parents will take responsibility for their kids and make them to follow distancing rules to some extent.

I am sick of folk mixing up the vulnerable group with the shielding group -People in the vulnerable group are still allowed to go out for exercise it is people who are shielding that should be indoors or in their private gardens for a short time Everyone over 70 is not shielded indeed everyone with cancer is not shielded so woman in scenario was perfectly entitled to be out as were the OPs husband and children but he doesn't seem to have been supervising the 3yearold sufficiently

You’re not asking for children to be cut some slack, you’re asking parents who aren’t helping other people to keep safe to be cut some slack.

In what way were the children not being supervised? One was looking at something (allowed) and the second time he,was,waiting for his child. Hardly a lack of supervision. I think people are so quick to forget what young children are like.

Just for those people that say vulnerable people should stay at home: my doctor told me to go outside everyday for 30 minutes between 11 am and 3 pm otherwise I don't get enough vitamin D. Taking pills doesn't work as good as that.

My 3 year old is a crap social distancer. We live near some local beauty spots within walking distance and they get over run but im not staying in my house all day we have no garden.
The pathways are thin tracks we met a family the other day who expected us to move for them. If we are moving out of the way they can be damn sure that I expect this to be mutual. I think we all need to be sensible and move for eachother. Very difficult with more than one. I have redeployed the backpack and have attached our extending dog lead. Works a treat.

In what way were the children not being supervised? One was looking at something (allowed) and the second time he,was,waiting for his child. Hardly a lack of supervision. I think people are so quick to forget what young children are like.

Exactly and as OP says, the paths are narrow so social distancing would not have been able to be followed with one this lady overtaking both of them irregardless if the child would have right next to their father, as he pulled himself and the pushchair to the safest place they could be, the child at this point had already been taken over by this idiot lady who was not adhering to social distancing.

Irregardless if this child’s age the father and child did absolutely NOTHING wrong! Except bloody walk on a pavement, the father was supervision his child from a short distance if he wasn’t the child would be on the bloody street with no adult waiting on them

To be honest everyone would be better off if they took the time while walking to look at the ladybirds like 3 year olds.
Less stressed and would actually see stuff rather that tunnel vision.

Small Children are terrible at social distancing because they have no idea what your talking about. (Or any clue about distance or time and are built by nature to be overtly social)
It’s adults who actually understand measurements, social distancing and everything else to keep themselves safe and walk around them because you can.

I’ve always had issues with male privilege Chicken on footpaths. So nothing has actually changed. (The whole the little lady should move out of the mans way bullshit)

OMG! If you can’t cobtrol your child, you should keep it on a leash or better never let it out of your house again. Those people were totally not overreacting, in fact they were under reacting! They should have reported you to the police! YoU cOuLD hAVE kIlLeD sOMeOnE!!!!

But in all seriousness YANBU, people are self absorbed at the best of times. This lockdown business has brought underlying self importance to a whole new level.

I agree op I get some people are scared but no need to be rude and aggressive. My 11 year old and I were walking back from an errand and a fit looking sixty something couple approached so we stopped and pressed ourselves into the wall so they could pass safely and the woman yelled at us! Her dh looked so embarrassed. It’s like she was enraged that we dared to exist! Frankly if you that scared or vulnerable you should stay at home 🙄

Read that Madrid has segregated outdoor time by age which seems a good idea adults 8-10am kids 10-3pm vulnerable 3-6pm adults again or something

I don't think anyone is hating on a three year old - they don't understand what's happening.

But parents do and it's their responsibility to stop small children getting too close to others. If they won't listen - hold their hands, use a buggy or put them on reins. It's not forever and it won't hurt them to have to walk next to mummy and daddy for a few weeks.

Hi op I think it's very difficult for anyone but these people are choosing to go in a walk with narrow paths and that is their choice. I feel they cant complain that the 2m rule is broken if they are going to somewhere it's not possible to maintain it. We go along a path that leads to a river walk and people overtake when they do pass you they are not 2m apart. We go in single file and I remind me son to keep to the side but we along with everyone on that path have decided to take the risk that people are passing you. I think you are both working and have children at home and it's very stressful but try not to let this upset you to much. We all need to try our best but children cant and dont understand this. It doesn't sound like yours did anything wrong at all but I think people need to remember little children will make mistakes.