Just got reported to police for breaching lockdown. WIBU?!

[saylor]

For context: I have 2 toddler DC (tiny age gap!), we live in a flat and we have thus far abided by all lockdown rules, and it's been fucking hard!

This morning, at 9am (!!!!), I took DC to the park across the road and let them play in a sandpit which forms part of an un-gated playground. All the play equipment is roped off with police and hazard tape and we didn't go on the equipment, just played in the sand with buckets and spades. First time in 9 weeks and no one else was there.

After literally only being there for 5 minutes a police van pulls up and tells me I'm breaching lockdown rules, took my details, and gave me a warning. She stopped short of fining me. I apologised and started packing up the buckets and spades and older toddler had an absolute meltdown that we had to leave. The police woman took pity on me and said she was sorry she had to move us on but because someone reported me, it was her job.

So someone saw a mother and her two young children playing in the sand and decided to call the police at 9am and tell me off. This is after a bank holiday weekend of huge groups of people socialising all over the park and no one told off.

I'm livid. AIBU? Or WIBU to take my DC to the sandpit after 9 weeks of lockdown hell?

I wouldn’t have reported you for playing in the sand. I’ve seen loads of kids, adults breaking social distancing at local parks.

Is it just me or does anyone else feel like I am now part of the cast in series 4 of The Handmaids Tale and we are living in Gilead?

@Teacher12345

Technically you did break the rules as all parks are still off limit but FFS, its a sandpit! I cannot see how you are transmitting anything through the sand!

No parks are off limit.

Our village park isn't off limits. Never has been.

Personally I'd cut the tape off!

Sorry this happened to you OP. Hope you are able to get out and about with them again soon. Well done for managing so long cooped up, I hope you are able to be kind to yourself and give yourself a little pat on the back for being so resilient.

@Rubyroost did you read your screenshot? It says it right there:

"as with before, you can't use an outdoor gym or playground".

FFS! I almost wish I could get caught by the police doing something minimally transgressive like this, because I wouldn't pay the fine and would welcome the chance to go to court and have a public debate in light of Boris's statement that DC acted 'reasonably, legally and with integrity' in driving the LENGTH OF THE COUNTRY with active coronavirus. If DC acted legally, you (with an infinitely more minor transgression) definitely did too.

Just a by the by. Play parks are only shut off to stop a large number of people congregating, not specifically to prevent the passing on of infection from the equipment itself. The risk of actually catching anything off an outside piece of play equipment is infinitesimal, especially in summer sunlight.

I’m split on this.
On the one hand, I really feel for anyone with no access to outside space and in the scheme of things this is a minor infringement.
On the other hand, I’m really tired of trying to explain to my DC why they can’t play on the (taped off) playground when it’s full of children.
Or explaining to my DC why they can’t see their grandparents who live 5 minutes away, when we see multigenerational picnics going on in the park (quite clearly far too many individuals to be from one household).

@stickerqueen. Setting a paddling pool and or sand pit in the kitchen is fine, IF your kitchen is big enough. Not everyone is so lucky.

Yes, we’re not allowed to let our children play on the equipment. Sorry it sucks but if we want this shit time to be over we have to grin and bare it a bit longer.

This is getting fucking ridiculous! But 'kids are resilient' and they'll be fine being cooped up for months. YANBU.

@TheGreatWave it’s not venom. Ppl are scared or they are fed up themselves and want this situation over. And that’s not going to happen if every one thinks it’s ok if my child plays on the equipment etc

I feel for you, living in a flat must be so difficult with children during lockdown.

It's incredibly shocking to me how quickly the government can not only remove freedoms but how quickly the public can turn on one another.

Technically you did break the rules as all parks are still off limit but FFS, its a sandpit

I don’t know where you are but our local park has been open for weeks. Even the cafe has been open

We're allowed to sit on benches though, any number of people could have sat on them in any given day. There is evidence to suggest that if the virus were to be transferred into a bench for instance, it would soon be killed by UV rays from the sun. I don't see how a sandpit is any worse.

get in a taxi and go to Durham.

Then at least there might be a taxi in Durham. None to be had there apparently.

I don't know how people are going to be able to look their neighbours in the eyes when all this is over. Yanbu op I would
be upset too.

I'm guessing that the same rules apply to the sandpit as applied to the other play equipment so unfortunately you were breaking the lockdown rules. I totally agree that the person reporting you was being not only unreasonable , but mean and vindictive. How did it affect them?

I am a bit concerned for you and your children if this was actually the first time you were out though. Things you can do are play ball games, or take a mat and just sit on the mat and play with any of their normal toys. If you have any lightweight outdoor games of your own like skittles you could take those. You can also have a picnic sitting on the mat outside.

Tell them you were following your instincts as a loving parent. If it works for a totally unnecessary guideline-breaching 260 mile journey, surely it works for you.

This is heartbreaking.

OP, I believe that by taking your little kids to play in the sandpit, you did your best to protect and safeguard your kids' emotional and mental wellbeing.

As for the rules, there has been lack of consistency right from the start.

A senior government advisor has just confirmed that the rules are open to individual interpretation and individual exceptional circumstances.

I don't believe you broke any rules.

No it is venom, at the moment I could go to the beach but not play in a sandpit, tell me exactly how the latter means it will last longer than the former?

Oh dear lord, this is becoming ridiculous!

I feel for you OP and what a complete waste of police time!

I'm in Wales, I took DS aged 5 to the beach for an hour, tide was out, he played in the rock pools, kicked a ball about, there were other families doing the same all of us about 25meters apart. Dog walkers, people running. Police were on the promenade, but not one officer came to speak to me or the other families with small children doing the same! And we have the stricter lockdown.

I live a 10minute walk away from the beach so we were staying "local" before anyone asks.

Oh ffs, I feel for you OP. Whoever reported you needs to get a life.