to think that children aren't people...

[BumpBundle]

My son is 11mo. We were planning on having a birthday party for him inviting my parents, my sister and BIL, my SIL and her husband, four godparents and MIL and FIL. We're thinking a picnic so we're outside, can bring our own food and maintain social distancing.
Obviously this is too many people - only being allowed up to 6. However, it would work quite well to do three separate picnics.

1. My mum, my dad, my husband, me, my sister, my brother in law = 6 people.
2. Four godparents, my husband, me = 6 people.
3. My sister-in-law, her husband, my father-in-law, his wife, my husband, me = 6 people.

Unfortunately, this perfect plan is somewhat scuppered if we allow my son to attend his own first birthday party. AIBU to have seven people if one of them is only one year old, from our household and obviously will be socially distanced from the others?

Exercise your own judgment in light of your own unique personal circumstances, isn't that the spirit of the rules/guidance/law now?

If everyone breaks the rules then where will we be. It's 6 people. Living breathing humans. So yes YABU.

YABU for the 'children aren't people' wording in the title, because I clicked on this thread ready to have a rant about bad parenting - but YANBU to have 7 people for your son's birthday party. Completely reasonable interpretation of the guidelines! There would be no childcare for him otherwise.

Well they’re opening schools because children pose so little risk apparently, so there’s that.

I'm really not sure if this is a serious question

At this stage in the crisis I see this as being the equivalent of WIBU to go within 175cm of someone in the supermarket.

Why are you asking if this is all right?

Of course it's not all right, unless you're Dominic Cummings, of course. In which case knock yourself out.

I think 7 would be fine if one is a baby but 3x6 does kind of take the piss. Will there be no mixing between these picnics?

Well obviously they are people but I don't see many people caring about this.

I'm in Scotland and thankfully we can have 8 and be in our own gardens with them from tomorrow.

@Rhayader We would be having the picnics on different days. One with my family, one with my husband's family and one with our friends. So, no, there wouldn't be any mixing.

OP is planning three separate picnic occasions.... and I think that would be absolutely fine.

It's a lot of fucking about for a baby's birthday to be honest.

But I don't think anyone's going to notice or care that baby makes 7.

Only the most pedantic idiot would get their knickers in a twist over a baby bringing their numbers up to 7. The difference is negligable.

We are a family of 4. Most of our friends are families of 4. To meet another family means 8 unless we start leaving primary school children behind which the NSPCC tends to take a dim view of.

The social distancing and being outside is the important protective part.

I think children are people, but babies are not.

Like on an aeroplane or at the theatre. Babies in arms don't count.

@BumpBundle

Ahhh I see, yeah I would say that’s fine. Babies don’t go anywhere other than their parents so are not an additional infection risk imho

Yes that’s fine, 6 is not a magic number. And as regards keeping to the rules, you’re following your instincts and being a good parent so that’s fine.

The tricky bit might be if your son can crawl - social distancing will be hard work!

Is your ambition to be an infection vector?

Why?

Infants in arms don’t count. Enjoy the party!

Babies in arms or in a carrier don't really count as separate entities, if they are walking or crawling around they do.

Will everyone be able to see well enough to tell that there are seven people instead of six?

YABU though as a one your old is a person and counts as one.

@ArriettyJones I don't see how it's any more likely to spread an infection than if my son weren't there. Could you explain? Perhaps I'm missing something?
The chances of him having the infection without me or my husband having it are near-impossible and he won't be close enough to spread the infection to anyone else even if he did have it...

We must ask ourselves WWDD?

It's a lot of fucking about for a baby's birthday to be honest.

But I don't think anyone's going to notice or care that baby makes 7.

Couldn't have put it better!

@Toilenstripes That's good advice but my eyesight is fine, thanks though haha

@ArriettyJones I don't see how it's any more likely to spread an infection than if my son weren't there. Could you explain? Perhaps I'm missing something?

Three separate picnics for a baby is just bonkers. I can’t understand why you’d even consider it (especially mid-pandemic, potentially spreading infection from one group to the next.)

But, even as I’m typing that, it occurs to me that this is probably a PFB situation. 🤷🏽‍♀️

Didn't take long did it?

If the rule was 8, someone would want 9.

If it were 54 someone would want 55.

Maybe we could do it by height - the total height of all the people gathered in one place must not exceed x.

Maybe ask for the thread title to be changed!