AIBU to think Coronavirus is not an excuse to exclude children from public places?

[RoseGoldCloud]

B&Q have banned children from their stores due to Coronavirus. www.diy.com/customer-support#icamp=HP_Cat5_shopsafely
I get that people are scared in public places. I also agree that anyone not respecting the social distancing should be asked to leave. I don’t understand why they are excluding one particular group based solely on age. The rules should apply to everyone and anyone breaking it should have to leave. I have seen many children behaving really sensibly and I’ve also had numerous adults stand right next to me, refuse to follow the one way systems, touching baskets that have been disinfected and then putting them back. Why are the adults allowed to ignore the rules? But all the children get banned? What are single parents going to do if other shops start doing this? And what next? Are we going to ban other groups that are cared for? If we find out certain population groups are more prone to covid will we be banning them too? Are we going to ban children from all public places? Shops? Shopping centres? Town squares?

I recognise that people are scared but I think we really need to remember that we are fighting a virus not other people or certain groups of people.

So AIBU to think we shouldn’t ban people from a public place based on their age?

I’d rather they banned kids full stop from B&Q. They’re a bloody nightmare in a shop with multiple dangers.

I don’t know how you solve for single parents needing to go though so I am being unreasonable there.

Maybe chill out a bit? Send B and Q an email if you like.

I would hope children would be allowed in with single parents, but otherwise children would simply increase the number of shoppers in store, making queues longer.

Don't they also offer a click and collect service? So ideally a parent could use that service to avoid needing to take children into the shop.

Yes, it is a very good reason. Kids do not need to be there. Why take more people into a shop than necessary?

Hopefully they’ll be excluded from pubs when they reopen.

I’d rather they banned kids full stop from B&Q. They’re a bloody nightmare in a shop with multiple dangers.

Completely agree. I’m sick of youngsters nearly running into my trolley when its loaded with lengths of wood. You get the odd adult wandering too close, but at least they’re not racing up and down the isles. It’s not a supermarket and completely unsuitable for kids.

I absolutely think that if you can leave children at home safely then you should when you go shopping, but for those who have no choice and might need something urgently, it is unfair. DH is away a lot with work, it's just an extra barrier to bring able to get anything done when he isn't here, although most things B&Q sell you can get cheaper online anyway and have delivered the next day. If it was the case in food shops though I would be worried, but he can be put into a pram so he ain't running amok.

@LellyMcKelly because some people are single parents and have no choice. Not hard to understand really is it?

I think the idea was to stop families using it as an excuse to go for a wander, as leaving the kids at home means an adult has to stay too, but it's very short-sighted re: single parents. I also think under-16s is hard to judge. Most 16 year olds don't have ID.

Personally I don’t think B&Q should even be open except for trade. It’s hardly essential shopping is it?!

There have been several threads on here by parents livid their precious dc have been told off for not socially distancing eg - running up to strangers in the park and getting told off. Some parents think their dc can do anything they please because ‘they don’t know better’ or they have a different need. It is easier to ban children than deal with irrational parents.

Do they do click and collect?
It's very hard for single parents otherwise but I agree that lots of families would see it as a day out for them all to roam around the shop.

Hopefully they’ll be excluded from pubs when they reopen.

Second this 100%

because some people are single parents and have no choice. Not hard to understand really is it?

They’re welcome to order online or use click and collect. That’s also not hard to understand.

It’s hardly essential shopping is it?!

It is for tradespeople. The economy needs to flow and having shops like B&Q closed were preventing builders, plumbers, etc from working, which for many householders meant living with leaks, structural damage, homes open to the elements because work stopped suddenly, etc.

I think it’s because of the irresponsible adults that they’ve done this actually, children touch everything and if there are adults who are picking things up and putting them down then children are more likely to come into contact with the virus. The problem comes when they leave the shop, they aren’t very good at washing hands before touching anything and then they put their hands in their mouths etc, they are less likely to get symptoms so they can pass it on easily to adults and it’s not like they say that they’re not feeling right or whatever so parents can keep them quarantined before they pass it on. If more people respected the lockdown rules then there would be fewer opportunities for children to come into contact with the virus.

I don’t like it when children are excluded from things but I think this was a sensible decision.

@PinkiOcelot Of course it is .. if you have a leak , a broken tap , snapped guttering etc..etc.. all pretty essential things that need fixing

I forgot to add. Many householders will also need access to buy products for essential maintenance.

I think that this is not discriminatory per se towards children as a hardware shop is not needed to be visited by children as such and these are not the customers .
However, this is clearly discriminatory towards single parents and these issues need addressing and challenging with appropriate fining.

We had to go the other day when our sink had a leak. There were kids running about not adhering to 2m. Not safe and a bloody pain in the arse.

I agree that people shouldn’t be banned based on their age, but it’s not as simple as that. Some people simply don’t make their children behave and stay close to them, and unfortunately sometimes rules have to be created for the sake of a few that ruin it for the majority.

But also, if each store has a number of people that they feel they can safely allow in at one time, and a couple with four kids comes in, that’s six places that are taken up for the sake of one paying customer. When there are other customers waiting, alone, in a queue outside. It makes sense not to allow groups in, and the easiest way to do that and kill two birds with one stone, is to ban children.

Why do children need to go toB&Q ? I appreciate single parents need to go to the supermarket band often have no option but to take their children ,it's it's a risk they have to.take .

There is no scientific evidence anywhere according to the WHO of children passing the virus to adults.

Nor of being "super spreaders". Children are already disproportionately affected by the current situation given that they are not in danger from the virus (underlying health conditions and very very rare cases exempted).

For those saying single parents should use click and collect... How does that solve the child issue? You still have to go to the store to collect, queue like everyone else and take your child with you.

Lots of supermarkets tried to ban kids at the start. As a single mum I got told in had to leave Sainsburys as I wasn't allowed to take my dd who is 6 in with me. When I questioned what I should do as I am a single parent the shop assistant told me that wasn't her problem.

No one is taking kids because the want to, they take them out of necessity.