Has your child played with another child?

[Thecovidblues]

Just curious, noticed a lot of people from kids schools on their friends drives and in one case, walking with a friend and parents.

So have you let your child play with another child from another household?

I’m tempted tbh. Kids are suffering massively. We have been so strict since the start but feel like taking them to see one friend won’t hurt and the benefits to their mental health will outweigh the risks? But unsure.

YABU - No I would not/have not let my kid see another child
YANBU - yes I have/I would

[BillywilliamV]

We live on gated estate in middle of nowhere, kids have mixed from more or less the beginning but they dont go to school or see other children

[EachDubh]

Only their cousins as they are looked after together by grandparent whilst we work.

[Shakirasma]

How is it breaking the rules when the rules say you can meet one person outside the house? Nothing in that says it's only adults

This thread has several posters stating theyve allowed their kids to play without social distancing,

[Greenforestt]

My younger kids play with the neighbour's kids. Well, everyone stays in their own garden and the kids talk/shout to each other across the fence. They race on their bikes and scooters too. Mine are 5 and 3 and haven't once asked if they can go over/neighbour's kids can come into our garden. It helps massively that both households have sibling playmates.

[JellyfishandShells]

I live in a street of terraced houses with very small front gardens, with low walls and larger back gardens that all have high fences. There are quite a few families with children and I’ve noticed recently that there seems to be ‘pairing up’ playing outside the fronts ie mothers chatting to their next door or but one neighbour, whilst supervising the children playing together close to them. There’s about 4 of these groupings and they don’t play with the other groups, but will wave across and acknowledge them.

I don’t know whether this has been arranged between them all but it keeps interaction to within two households per group so, although the children aren’t socially distancing so not strictly within the guidelines, seems like a reasonable compromise, frankly.

Having said that, my children are grown and I am not having to make this decision about my own family.

[olivehater]

There isn’t a point Shakirasma. I don’t agree with all the crap that’s happening in the schools anyway. Either let them back as normal or don’t. Making school strange for them all is so sad. And I don’t see why they should all go off school if one person in their bubble is shows symptoms. If that happened in my work department it would be emptied in a matter of days. Self isolation should be based on households and nothing else. Why should schools be any different? And if they think I will isolate my kids anymore because someone in their bubble is shows symptoms they are dreaming.

[Beansprout30]

Yes my 2 and 4 year old have played with the neighbours kids similar ages. At first we tried to keep them apart but before we knew it they were all over each other and having the time of their life. Perhaps the wrong thing to do but the thought of them having no social contact With kids their age for weeks Is very sad.

[Fluffybutter]

I’m actually very surprised so many are letting their kids play together .
I also don’t actually think a few weeks without touching each other is going to affect them long term .. how bizarre .
Dd9 has been FaceTiming friends and is more than happy with that

[Merename]

We have bumped into kids we know, and kids we don’t, at our daily walk to the park, and I have let the kids play for a while whilst reminding them to social distance, which they did well with. I think this is completely reasonable and look forward to more of that in a planned way now things are easing.

[Clockworkprincess]

Ds4 has seen his cousin of same age briefly a few weeks back after we'd dropped my dads shopping off. Ds was outside the gate and dn was inside front garden. Feel so sorry for both as they usually spend so much time together and ds says dn is his best friend. Planning socially distant contact this week as know both families have been isolating and had no outside contact apart from shopping vut i will be working again in a week so after that will have to be careful again in case

[Idontbelieveit12]

No. My 13 yo dd’s friend asked if she wanted to meet yesterday, my dd didn’t want to as she knows it’s not ideal and I wouldn’t have let her anyway

[ktp100]

@SnackSizeRaisin - it's a rule break and you know it so go ahead and try to justify yourself but know that some of us have actually stuck to them!

Also, my child's mental health is just fine, thanks! He's not missing school at all and chatting to friends via Zoom often. If he did nag me to see a friend I would explain to him why we can't . End of.

[PlanetMJ]

DD is 5 and her best friend, my friends little boy, lives across the road. Every morning since the start of lockdown, they do their daily walk past our house and stand at the end of our drive for a chat. About 4 metres away. Our neighbours often stand in their garden and chat with us too. The children are having some interaction and it's part of our routine.
It would be really easy to just bend the rules a little and go in each other's gardens but we won't.

[RoosterPie]

No my 2 year old not played with a child since March

[SquashedSpring]

Only their sibling. Thankfully they get on well.

[RiftGibbon]

Online, and chatted from an appropriate distance in person. But beyond that, no
DC is desperate to hug family and friends.

[OntheWaves40]

Yes from social distance

[Writerandreader]

It's not irresponsible. It's actually perfectly reasonable and indeed incredibly important to children's mental health

Do people get how safe it is to meet outdoors??? If you or your child meet friends in a park or cycle about on as street the risk of transmission is almost zero

Children need to play for their mental health. It's week 10! We should already be encouraging them to see their friends

. Why should two adults meet but children who are not going to get sick (incredibly rare that they do) not be allowed to see friends.??

So sad how people forget the vital role play has in helping the young developing mind.

We should have let children play in parks outdoors and in their own streets as soon as adults could meet one to one

[Writerandreader]

Why shouldn't a 13 year old meet a friend?

Sorry but this is just ludicrous. Fine if your kids aren't missing it but many are really struggling. If children can avoid touching there is no risk of transmission

All the people being so judgemental do you know in London that tubes are dull if people crowded on and building sites are packed. And the adults doing that are far higher risk if getting covid and getting sick from it.

[krispycreme]

No, my DC are young still and the elder two happy playing with each other. If I had an older child who I could trust to socially distance then I would allow them to go for a walk in sit in the garden with a friend.

[MynephewR]

I really want my dc to play with their friends/cousins but no one will break the sodding "roolz" with me. What we are doing to our kids is inhumane.

[Mintychoc1]

I’m astounded that people aren’t allowing their older kids to meet up with a friend outside, since the rules changed 2 weeks ago.
We ARE now allowed to meet up with someone else, outdoors, with a 2 metre distance.
Fair enough little kids, who can’t be trusted to stay apart. But kids over 10 can easily be told. And people banning their teens from seeing friends - well unless you have a compelling medical reason, I think that’s just cruel. Teens really need their friends.

[Shinygreenelephant]

Weve met up with my sister and niece twice since rules relaxed. Her and DD are both 10 and understand not to go too close. They were joined at the hip before lockdown and its done wonders for their mental health. The baby I've not let see anyone as she would lick them without a second thought

[CrowCat]

@Mintychoc1 I've been thinking the same! My 9yo DD has chosen her best friend as her one person outside the household and it's done her the world of good to start feeling a little more normal!

[Fairybatman]

Yes. I took DS to his cousins last weekend. Social distancing in the garden for the adults. Kids were playing together closer than 2m but no hugging and kissing.

He hasn’t played with another child since March and he is very sad because he is missing everyone.

If has done him the world of good and I don’t regret it for a second.