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?

No way I'd allow a sleepover though!

I would let her go.

No, my dd has met friends for 1:1 walks in line with the guidelines, and will meet outside in a group of six when the rules change, but she is keeping strictly within the rules. I would say no if she asked to go to someone else's house, but tbh, she doesn't ask. She and her friends are all sensible and they don't want to spread the virus.

Yes. They can lick each other (inside - shocker!) at school, I don't see what's different about having one round for a couple of hours after tbh. If anyone can enlighten me how covid can get us in houses but not in schools that would be wonderful.

Likewise, teenage DS1 is in his girlfriend's house and vice versa every day. They can/do suck each others faces off I'm sure, so again, don't see the difference between that and doing it here.

I would let her go.

Then you are selfish and irresponsible. Shame on you.

@NextDoorKnobber Possibly right there that on MN I am unlikely to have people admit to the kinds of stuff I know is happening IRL. DCs have both been showing me posts of people at their school meeting up at each others houses right through lockdown. I just feel so fed up that after all we have been through, periods of isolating last term due to bubbles bursting then 3 months missing so much school I don't want to go back there again. Also teachers and schools have been working so hard and doing their best with testing and everything else that is thrown at them it just seems to make a mockery of it all.

@AlexaShutUp

I would let her go.

Then you are selfish and irresponsible. Shame on you.

No shame here. Just letting the OP know there are opinions that differ from the MN hive mind.

You can froth away!

The parents allowing sleepovers and playdates with multiple kids are the same ones moaning when school bubbles are sent home and the kids are back doing home learning!

DC (KS2) are playing outside, in the garden and the local park. No indoor meeting, despite the fact that they’re in school together. We are so close, we are sticking it out.

The kids at my secondary school seem to be split about 60/40, with the 60% sticking to the rules of one person outside (even though they often think it's a weird rule because they are forced to see 30 people at a time inside at school), and 40% are back to living their lives with absolutely no restrictions whatsoever. I know for a fact that there were quite a few Cheltenham races parties yesterday with 50+ people drinking/watching the races in one large house (the drinking seems to be a more important part of the day than the races).

No not letting mine do any socialising.

Blimey. No! We’re never going to get out of this thing are we!!!

Mine has stuck to the rules - she's one of a threesome locally, and before school restarted they took turns to meet for a walk, as three would have been breaking the rules.
The one exception is that they are now walking backwards and forwards to school together - I'm not sure the pavements have the capacity for everyone to keep their distance, and given that they're going to be next to each other at school, they're not really putting anyone at extra risk.

I'd let her go, too. But this is MN, land of pearl clutching OMG, so selfish busom hoikers.

my thirteen year has been going out with three or four friends for the past couple of weeks. they generally just go into our back field and play football or just sit chatting. they’re all in the same bubble at school and are being tested twice a week so it seems a bit pointless and makes no sense saying they can’t see each other outside of school. i wouldn’t let him have anybody in the house or go to sleepovers though.

@NextDoorKnobber

Would anyone actually dare say that their teenagers were having friends over, given that the whole of MN will tell them that they are personally responsible for 100,000 deaths and it will be their fault if there's another lockdown?

This sort of thread will only ever get people agreeing with the OP.

OK - I’ll break the trend - yes my children have seen another child in a house. Shoot me.

No to sleep overs but then I think they are the work of the devil anyway.

Just letting the OP know there are opinions that differ from the MN hive mind.

I'm pretty sure that the OP already knows that some people are selfish idiots. She has written about some of them in her initial post.

Go to school all day sat next to each other, but no 'mixing'. Makes a lot of sense. Like the rugby player made to stand apart from each other during the national anthem and then scrum up and spend the next couple of hours sweaty and rolling all over each other.

The OP stated very clearly that there will be kids from different schools at the sleepover. So saying that the kids are mixing in school anyway is missing the point, because not all of the kids at the sleepover would be mixing.

But crack on and let your kids socialise to their heart's content. Just don't moan when the schools are closed again.

@Ganasha

Blimey. No! We’re never going to get out of this thing are we!!!

That’s a hysterical view.

@AlexaShutUp

I would let her go.

Then you are selfish and irresponsible. Shame on you.

😄

Yes, but outside playing football or out on bikes

@Midnightstar76

No not letting mine do any socialising.

Not even the stuff they are allowed to do?

No there’s no mixing and it hasn’t come up as an issue.

But it does seem a bit draconian given they’re all squished together in a room at school.

At least now the secondary kids are wearing masks in class, before Christmas it seemed utterly ridiculous to be unmasked indoors but not allowed to meet up outside!

@NextDoorKnobber

Would anyone actually dare say that their teenagers were having friends over, given that the whole of MN will tell them that they are personally responsible for 100,000 deaths and it will be their fault if there's another lockdown?

This sort of thread will only ever get people agreeing with the OP.

There was another thread recently where someone had agreed to let their older child have a group of friends round and everyone was saying “go for it” “I’d do the same” etc so I think people probably would tell the truth..:. I found that one quite surprising as it was when numbers were really high!