..to think that the tier rules dont make sense?

[tumpymummy]

Take tonight for instance. We are in tier 3 which means my teenage kids cant see any of their friends in our house or garden. But they can see up to 6 in a public place. So this means that my 16 year old daughter cannot sit round our firepit with 3 friends (as she would like to) but instead has to go in to town and potentially come in to contact with far more people? I understand why people shouldn't mix indoors, but what is wrong with a garden? Normally I would feel it far safer for her to be in our garden where I know she is safe, but instead she is now going in to town where I just have to hope she and friends will be sensible.

None of it makes sense. We are Tier 4. Kids at home until 18th, but I'm back every day in the local primary school from the 4th. We haven't mixed at all, not even Christmas day, but I'd put money on a lot of families bending the rules, and some of the staff. I'm not terrified like some people are, but like bollocks is my primary school a safe environment, when high school is not.

It's because in gardens people let their guard down, nip in to use the loo and all touch mugs/snacks/etc. and then sneak inside when it starts raining.

There will always be individual cases where in a garden is safer, but on balance I get the public spaces only rule. In a garden you tend to stay for longer, are more likely to nip in to use the loo, get a drink etc, or just give up and go inside because it's cold or raining. There is just likely to be more contact in general. In the park you sit on a bench for a bit then walk to warm up, probably less likely to share food. It's not that you can't make garden safe as a park, it's that on average people won't. Also it'll be tempting to gather closer round the warm fire pit.

Whaaat? This is Mumsnet where you absolutely do NOT question any of the rules.