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?

2% of the East German population volunteered as informers to keep the Stasi updated of their neighbours friends and families movements. This type of person lives amongst us sadly.

Don’t be upset op we are all on your side my heart goes out to those with small kids and no garden

Greenpop, no. Police will not tell you where the report has come from. That would place the person who reported at some risk if the aggrieved party decided to take things into their own hands and approach them.

That's ridiculous.

The prolonged systematic isolation of our young children from our society (from playgrounds, shops, their own schools etc) at a fundamental time in their development concerns me greatly. What possible harm could two toddlers playing in a sandpit do, so much so they warrant a police van being called? The police are there to apply the rules, but surely it is up to individual officers to prioritise the work? Why did these toddlers get visited, but a domestic abuse victim is left in the hands of their abuser, or a burglary is not investigated or car crime is just given a warning? Could it be that “clean up rates” are more important (easier to “give a warning” to a lockdown breach, than arrest a thief?)

I shouldn't think it'll be long before we're allowed to use playgrounds OP, but in the meantime I definitely recommend a large underbed storage tray with a lid, and a bag of play sand. I spread one of those waterproof-backed picnic blankets on the floor, upside down so the waterproof side is up (a shower curtain would also work well, or even a large bedsheet) and place the tray in the middle. That way you can pick up the corners of the sheet at the end and pour the spilled sand back into the tray. When you're done you can just slide the tray under your bed and get it out again whenever you want.

I don't think you were breaching it at all. We were on a local golf course recently which has been one for public exercise. There were sandpits in the golf course (obviously not the playing kind) that my DC and others played in (not at the same time obviously). We didn't have buckets and spades but that's the only difference.

You should have politely asked why a Scots Police Chief was allowed to make a 480 mile round trip during lockdown - it's not just DC you know MN!! There are loads of them flouting the guidelines if you look online - just not on the news at all.

That's mean OP your poor DC. If they didn't want kids in the sandpit I would have thought they would have taped it off the same as the other stuff.

Some people need to honestly get a flipping grip. I am shielding and of our 5 neighbours all but one has had people round from the start of lockdown. One set even had a party the weekend before last then went away for a few days. Have I reported them? No.

To be clear, parks are open but PLAYGROUNDS are closed. They are all taped up or fenced off. That includes sandpits. It sucks, of course it sucks, but if a child with COVID-19 sneezes in the sand and then another child plays with it, that's how it will get passed on. Ditto play equipment. I wouldn't have reported anyone for playing in a sandpit but I did get the rage when I saw some families completely ignoring the tape and climbing all over the play equipment the other day. Still didn't report them, mind.

@stepswayfromgoogle

It gave you the rage? To see kids playing on a playground? That is very very sad.

User1484, I can see stepaway's point. What if your children see someone else playing and say they want to play too? How can you explain to the small children that they can but you can't ? If using the playground is ok because it's too sad for kids, there's no point of closing schools and nurseries.

Somewhere: I explain it to my children by letting them play on the playground. It’s not like they are shitting on the beach. And if that gives people ‘the rage’ I feel sorry for them.

We accidentally stayed onto a golf course on our daily walk and my DC promptly sat down and played in the sand in the bunker. No one around so I let them. There is more risk of toxoplasmosis than coronavirus playing alone in a sandpit. People, especially the police need to start using common sense.

That is the thing about the Police. If you were in serious trouble and you needed them to show up quickly they wouldn't show. Something as trivial as this - round like a shot.

Of course you broke the rules OP but we learned the other day that the rules should be interpreted in a common sense way. That means if you are in Johnsons pay you can do anything; if you are not, you can't.

@User1484POP - I've had to repeatedly stop my 2 year old and 5 year old playing in the playground since lockdown. So have 99.9% of parents. To stop the virus spreading. You know, so people don't die as a result of our actions. You do you though, eh?

Stepaway: pretty much. If old men can play golf, if schools are going back, and politicians can do what they want... well then I can take my 3 year old son to the playground to reduce his self harming behaviors. But hey continue getting the rage. Your call

@kahronah She can't get a shell pool, she lives in a flat

Apparently young children don't spread the virus which is why its safe for teachers to return to year R and 1 with no social distancing or PPE on Monday. So why aren't we letting them out to play in the park?

TBH I would be far more concerned about fox pooh/wee than coronavirus in a sandpit!!

@ChaoticCatling The sun should kill off any virus

Hahahahaha!! Viruses need 121 degrees Celsius to be killed off! You're hilarious

@Dougalthesyrianhamster

Except that isn't true is it.

Nobody knows if children can spread the virus. They don't seem to be very affected by it but it would be really, really unlikely that they weren't carriers.
@User1484POP - Old men can play golf with social distancing measures in place. Schools are going back to small 'bubbles'. One politician has done as he liked. If everyone took your attitude the virus would have spread like wildfire.

Stepaway: not everyone has to watch their three year old with asd harm themselves. I followed every other rule to the letter. I used my judgement as a parent. Again if that gives you the rage, I hope you are a happy person

User, that's not fair, no one knows your personal circumstances. I can understand your situation is different from others who just break the rules because they can. But other people may have reason to feel rage too.