Are your DC seeing friends outside of school?

[SilverGlitterBaubles]

I am having running battles with teen DC since schools returned because I will not allow her to go to friends houses after school or have sleepovers right now due to Covid restrictions. Just had a text from her friends DM inviting her to a sleepover party with a group of others, some from other schools, for her DDs birthday next weekend. I am now the worst most embarrassing parent for saying no. I get that this is really, really hard for them and have no issues with them meeting outside, although this has also turned into mass groups meeting in the park. Surely if we want schools to stay open and restrictions to end we all have a part to play here and parents need to take some responsibility or AIBU here?

Nope. Not been suggested either so makes it much simpler.

No. I have a 9 year old and am the worst as I don’t let her go to her friends houses when they invite. The only thing we do is go to the park after school and sometimes friends are there.

My 16yr old son is meeting small groups of friends outside only, he and his friends are being tested twice a week and they're together at school. But I make sure he still social distances and under no exception is to go into somebodies house

No, DS1 plays for a few minutes with some DC in his class on the walk home or if we bump into them at the playground but that's it. The only DC I know having playdates its because the parents need it for childcare.

Mine are in line with rules - so currently 1-1 outside for a walk

Of course not, it's not allowed to meet indoors.

Teen dd is meeting friends in the park after school once or twice a week, not allowed in other houses at all. She's getting very very fed up of the weather.

They are meeting outside (DD13 has just left to meet her friend in the park).

Sleepovers would not be allowed by me, DD10 was heartbroken last weekend as one of her closest friends had a sleepover birthday party & didn’t invite her.

I was secretly relieved as I would have told her mum no, but felt bad for my daughter being missed out like that.

DD is 16. She has Zoom meet ups with her friends quite often. She met up with one friend for a walk in the park a couple of times when schools were shut.

I think it helps that we and her friends parents are all the same page. It must be hard if your DD's friends' parents seem to be condoning breaking the rules.

No

I’ve let a friends kids into the house to play while I catch up with her for an hour. But she has them for after school and drives them home so seems a little pointless at that point! Also they’ve seen friends in the park.

General mixing and sleepovers no, seems illogical as they are at school and primary so no distancing, but mixing outside means involving the adults.

Mine is young in primary so can't go out on his own to meet friends. But we've not initiated or accepted any invitations to have play dates outside of school. So no.

No . I have 2 primary age children and luckily I think they've got so used to no play dates they don't even ask. Even if they did it would be a big fat no esp if mixing from other bubbles/schools. It's just annoys me that parents actually think this is ok right now putting all the school bubbles at risk

No! No! No! Jesus, we're ALMOST at the end of this horrendous situation now, but restrictions will only be able to be lifted if people keep following the bl@@dy rules!!

The odd socially distanced meet up OUTSIDE with 1 or 2 friends that they're in school bubbles with...OK. A 'mass gathering' of any sort or a sleepover inside someone's house? Hell, no!!

No mine aren't but lots from primary are and they even put photos on Facebook and sleep over.

@gingerbiscuits

No! No! No! Jesus, we're ALMOST at the end of this horrendous situation now, but restrictions will only be able to be lifted if people keep following the bl@*@dy* rules!!

The odd socially distanced meet up OUTSIDE with 1 or 2 friends that they're in school bubbles with...OK. A 'mass gathering' of any sort or a sleepover inside someone's house? Hell, no!!

😂😂

The mother that's allowing the sleepover is a selfish idiot. My DD had the same problems during the first lockdown. She kept being invited to sleepovers but obviously we didn't let her. She goes for a walk with a friend though on days that it's not freezing or pouring with rain.

I've been asked by these same mums to go over for a coffee straight after dropping the kids at school.

No because it's illegal, there's no exemption for teenagers. Quite frankly if I'm not even allowed to see my dd (over 18) it's ridiculous those saying that 15 year olds should get free rein

For the last 3 weeks DS (13) meets two friends on a Saturday for country walk or hide and seek in the woods. They wouldn’t go in each other’s houses.

I’m allowing DS (11) to meet up with one friend in the park to play football. DD (6) & I are going to the park after school with another child from her class. The park is very close to two other primary schools so we usually end up bumping into other people we know and at times DD can be playing with 4-5 other children.

It will be a while yet before they go into their friends houses and vice versa.

No to sleepovers but my 18yo has met friends indoors. Friends have large houses and given ventilated space, they're in the same bubble at school, and they're sensible enough to wash hands and not paw at each other. They can't come to ours as house is too small.
13yo has met friends outdoors.
20yo has become a virtual hermit as lost his job due to covid.

No, but he wouldn't ask as he knows the rules. Mixing kids from other schools is particularly irresponsible. This is the problem with testing the kids IMO, people decide they must then be fine because they are negative and so allow them to mix even though the tests are not that accurate.

Nope.

Nope and my DD turned 18 in lockdown. I get it that it's tough on the youngsters but we all have to try to get through this safely. I would text the Mum back and say ' you are putting us all in a difficult position as visiting other households is not allowed'.

My DD is hoping for a 18 1/2 'party' this Summer, to be honest she would be happy with rule of six outdoors! She still had a nice day with lots of thoughtful gifts, cake and lots of balloons!