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AIBU?

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Original poster

Anyone else planning to unleash their teenagers soon

71 replies

WilliamMorrisdancer · 04/03/2021 13:51

DD(15) went for a walk with a friend on Saturday afternoon. They "bumped" into a couple of friends, got some chips and hung around together til Dusk.

It did her the world of good. I'm going to let her do the same this Friday and Saturday (but not chips both nights!).

Anyone else unleashing their teens?

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 04/03/2021 13:53

No

Porcupineintherough · 04/03/2021 13:53

Absolutely. In line with government guidance.

SoupDragon · 04/03/2021 13:54

Well, she goes back to school on Monday. Does that count?

Unanananana · 04/03/2021 13:55

Nah. Mine is only 12 so hasn't taken to walking streets/hanging around parks just yet. The police tend to break up large groups of teens round here anyways.

Homeschoolsoutforsummer · 04/03/2021 13:55

Do it. Vaccinated older people are now meeting (I have no issue with this) and still pose a higher risk than younger people to overwhelming the NHS so I don’t see the difference.

JensonsAcolyte · 04/03/2021 13:56

A little bit.

I let the 18yo go to his GFs house this week to celebrate their 1st Anniversary.

And the 17yo has met a friend for what I’m sure wasn’t a totally socially distanced walk.

But they’ve been completely compliant up until now and it’s gone on long enough.

We’ve all had Covid, before Christmas.

Mellonsprite · 04/03/2021 13:56

Not for hanging around in the streets. They’ll be back in school soon enough.
There’s too much moaning on a local social media group and CBA with the fall out if someone reports them.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 04/03/2021 13:57

Mine has been for walks with two friends rather than one. They can’t do much else but go to the shops, and Dd doesn’t want to do that anyway!

DayBath · 04/03/2021 13:57

Doesn't seem like they were ever 'leashed' in the first place around my town. Probably a contributing factor to why we have the worst covid rate in our county.

Bunnybigears · 04/03/2021 13:58

My teenager is unleashing himself after school today, it will be the first time he has been out of the house without me or DH since before Christmas. He told me he was going rather than asked but its fine with me. He is meeting a friend to take their respective dogs for a walk so technically still exercise and within the rules.

AuntieStella · 04/03/2021 13:59

Mine are regularly reminded of need to meet only one at a time and outdoors only.

I can't police whether what they do would fit any reasonable person's idea of exercise (rather than recreation). Nor stop then bumping into others - loads of friends are local so of course they all end up in the same park

I'm reasonable sure that they're at the conservative end of 'accidental-done-a-purpose' meeting though (they dob each other in Grin )

They and I are looking forward to more freedoms for outdoors meetings

MildredPuppy · 04/03/2021 14:03

mine has been meeting one friend outdoors for exercise. They cycle. He is a 13 year old and I believe he has stuck to the one person for exercise because he is worried about catching it after his close friend had it and was very poorly with it.

Original poster
WilliamMorrisdancer · 04/03/2021 14:16

But they’ve been completely compliant up until now and it’s gone on long enough

That's how I feel. We live a couple of hours from family so didn't see them at Xmas. I'm going to take her to see her cousins at Easter. And to the beach to blow off the cobwebs. Hope the loos are open!

OP posts:
Original poster
WilliamMorrisdancer · 04/03/2021 14:24

Meeting a chum for a walk isn't "unleashing" - they've been able to do that all year!

OP posts:
turquoisewaters · 04/03/2021 14:25

I will comply with government guidance

bluebluezoo · 04/03/2021 14:26

Do it. Vaccinated older people are now meeting (I have no issue with this) and still pose a higher risk than younger people to overwhelming the NHS so I don’t see the difference

Vaccinated people should not be meeting, they should still be complying with lockdown.

Vaccination is not a free pass to do ignore the guidance.

Vintagevixen · 04/03/2021 14:27

Absolutely. She has been meeting up with her friend when she goes to her dads inside anyway throughout and I have no issue with this. Kids have been expected to sacrifice too much this year IMO.

Loos are open in my seaside town on the south coast OP!!

AlexaShutUp · 04/03/2021 14:29

Erm, my 15yo dd doesn't need to be "unleashed". She has been quite capable of following the government guidance of her own accord, and I'm sure she will continue to do so.

She is really looking forward to seeing her friends in school again though.

hellywelly3 · 04/03/2021 14:31

Absolutely not. It will completely undo everyone’s sacrifices. This has to be the last lockdown. My dd 13 has met one friend for a socially distant walk.

Subeccoo · 04/03/2021 14:34

Yep, 15yo, once he's sitting next to his best mate 6 hours a day in school, he can absolutely play video games after school with him. 100%

JemimaTiggywinkle · 04/03/2021 14:37

I love it when I go for a walk and have to dodge groups of 15 teenagers who have “bumped into each other”. I’m sure their parents think they’re just with a “couple of friends” too.

They never think to give me some space to walk past them either, despite me being visibly pregnant.

Original poster
WilliamMorrisdancer · 04/03/2021 14:47

They never think to give me some space to walk past them either, despite me being visibly pregnant

Teens won't notice that Grin

OP posts:
Tangledtresses · 04/03/2021 14:50

Mine has had several covid tests for starting school all negative
Despite hanging out at the skate park every day for a week or so so yes he is unleashed! 😅

AlexaShutUp · 04/03/2021 14:51

Some teens won't notice that.

StillGoingToWork · 04/03/2021 14:54

When it snowed DD (14) went sledging with a friend. She hasn't seen any of her friends in person since. I cannot wait for her to go back to school. She has been quite withdrawn recently. Maintaining friendships on Zoom or Teams long-term has not been beneficial, emotionally or socially for her.