Page 10 | She doesn’t want to touch the ball-y’know, because of covid

Thecarobsarefalling · 2021-08-18T09:21:29+00:00

We were at the beach last night with toddler Dd, she was happily running around the beach and fairly nearby was a family with two girls, maybe 8/9 years old. Dd ran near to them (does this fairly frequently) to say hello/wanting to play. The older girl looked almost scared and backed away and said ‘I can’t’ we called Dd away as it felt like an awkward situation. The mum then cheerfully called to me that she probably didn’t want to touch the beach ball, because of covid. She then told her daughter she’d done the right thing. They left, saying a cheery goodbye and for us to enjoy our evening. Aibu just to find this so very sad.

luckylavender · 18/08/2021 19:09

Maybe the title of the post is what made some of us think the OP was condescending...it put my hackles up.

saraclara · 18/08/2021 19:19

What an incredibly depressing thread. I don't think I've ever seen so many posters miss the entire point of an OP. It almost seems wilfully obtuse. Rather than be sad about the turn that young children's lives have taken, they want to see judgement or entitlement in the OP that simply isn't there.

OP has said over and over that it wasn't about judgment and nor was she put out on her toddler's behalf. But hey, let's not put anything in the way of people being spiteful, and yes, judgy. The exact thing that these posters are claiming that she was, they are being themselves.

Shameful stuff.

Bryonyshcmyony · 18/08/2021 19:35

@saraclara

What an incredibly depressing thread. I don't think I've ever seen so many posters miss the entire point of an OP. It almost seems wilfully obtuse. Rather than be sad about the turn that young children's lives have taken, they want to see judgement or entitlement in the OP that simply isn't there.

OP has said over and over that it wasn't about judgment and nor was she put out on her toddler's behalf. But hey, let's not put anything in the way of people being spiteful, and yes, judgy. The exact thing that these posters are claiming that she was, they are being themselves.

Shameful stuff.

I agree with you.

Pinkcadillac · 18/08/2021 19:43

Some weird responses in this thread.

Yanbu OP. This pandemic has been awful for children and young people.

AllTheSingleLadiess · 18/08/2021 19:45

Yanbu but then again this child will have seen adults queuing and still furiously scubbing their shopping trolleys as well as using the hand sanitizers in shops and restaurants which gives the impression that touch contamination is real when it's all hygiene theatre.

deliciouschilli · 18/08/2021 19:45

Come off it..... OP doesn't give a toss about other peoples children.
She posted a Goady judgemental thread and is now backtracking like mad.

Original poster

Thecarobsarefalling · 18/08/2021 19:45

@Peaseblossum22 Thank you 🙏 you’re saying exactly what I feel, but you’ve been able to lot out across much better than I have!

OP posts:

Bryonyshcmyony · 18/08/2021 19:46

@deliciouschilli

Come off it..... OP doesn't give a toss about other peoples children. She posted a Goady judgemental thread and is now backtracking like mad.

No, she didn't and it's you that sounds goady and judgemental

Original poster

Thecarobsarefalling · 18/08/2021 19:47

@saraclara Exactly! I was really wondering if so many are really not that bright to understand what I’m saying, either that or just deliberately wanting to argue and turn this into something it’s not. It’s frustrating.

OP posts:

Neverrains · 18/08/2021 19:48

@deliciouschilli

Come off it..... OP doesn't give a toss about other peoples children. She posted a Goady judgemental thread and is now backtracking like mad.

Nah. You’re the one who sounds like a judgmental twat, not the OP.

Bryonyshcmyony · 18/08/2021 19:48

They deliberately want to argue. It's what some use mumsnet for. I agree, it's tiring

AllTheSingleLadiess · 18/08/2021 19:55

@deliciouschilli

Come off it..... OP doesn't give a toss about other peoples children. She posted a Goady judgemental thread and is now backtracking like mad.

I see kids in real life do the "suddenly remembering Covid" thing before doing really banal things that they wouldn't have consciously thought about in 2019.

It's not unreasonable for the girl to assume that touching a ball isn't ok when she's had 18 months of more hand washing, sanitizing and cleaning than usual. Maybe she's seen the teachers wiping balls after PE? Are primary school kids playing ball games in the playground ? If there are ball games in PE maybe they are told to only touch their own ? There were adults wiping shopping and quarantining mail months after it was established that touch contamination is extremely unlikely

Lalaland50 · 18/08/2021 20:00

You have no idea what was going through the child's mind. My ASD DD9 would have done the same thing - she is terrified of germs (pre-covid) and my DH is CEV - he's in the highest risk group (blood cancer). She knows this and would behave accordingly. You don't know this family's story. It would be sad if my DH died, not because my DD is scared of touching a ball. And children that didn't have this to deal with and were scared of germs etc would probably quite quickly be able to learn what "normal" society is like again, so I think yes it's been incredibly challenging for children, but it's not irreversible.

GintyMcGinty · 18/08/2021 20:09

OP I honestly think people are deliberately 'misunderstanding' so they can have a go.

Bryonyshcmyony · 18/08/2021 20:17

@Lalaland50

You have no idea what was going through the child's mind. My ASD DD9 would have done the same thing - she is terrified of germs (pre-covid) and my DH is CEV - he's in the highest risk group (blood cancer). She knows this and would behave accordingly. You don't know this family's story. It would be sad if my DH died, not because my DD is scared of touching a ball. And children that didn't have this to deal with and were scared of germs etc would probably quite quickly be able to learn what "normal" society is like again, so I think yes it's been incredibly challenging for children, but it's not irreversible.

Your dh would not die because your dd touched a ball.

deliciouschilli · 18/08/2021 20:19

Neverrains I'm the mother of an Immune Suppressed child and the friend of many families with children who have had to shield and have to still be incredibly careful. I understand that there are people who just don't "get it" like you and OP.
It's not enough that our children are sick and vunerable but we also have to put up with nastiness and ignorance from ignorant people on the internet.
I hope you are never in my position. It sounds like the child and the mother were nothing but kind and tried to explain. You are the tw*t. You really are.

Bryonyshcmyony · 18/08/2021 20:21

Why would you be on a beach near other children if you were required to shield?

Don't call the OP a twat! Absolutely no need to be so nasty

RobinPenguins · 18/08/2021 20:22

How many CEV children actually are there in the country? As a proportion of the population of children. It must be really tough at the moment for those who are, and their families. It’s a safe assumption to make though, when you encounter a child in the wild, that they’re aren’t CEV so the OP’s perceptions are far more likely to be correct than the scenarios being spun here.

Bryonyshcmyony · 18/08/2021 20:23

How many CEV children actually are there in the country?

Millions, if Mumsnet is to be believed

illuyankas · 18/08/2021 20:25

See, reading some of the posts makes it really clear some people think it's ok to judge others, and pretend feeling sorry without knowing back story.
I'm the same with some posters here, my dc has suffered so much since before covid, we already had stocks of masks/gels/wipes pre covid.
My dc is kind of germaphobic. Understandable when normal germs makes him really ill and get stuck in the hospital.

Neverrains · 18/08/2021 20:33

@deliciouschilli

Neverrains I'm the mother of an Immune Suppressed child and the friend of many families with children who have had to shield and have to still be incredibly careful. I understand that there are people who just don't "get it" like you and OP. It's not enough that our children are sick and vunerable but we also have to put up with nastiness and ignorance from ignorant people on the internet. I hope you are never in my position. It sounds like the child and the mother were nothing but kind and tried to explain. You are the tw*t. You really are.

Just as I knew nothing of your situation, you know absolutely nothing of mine. I don’t care what you think of me, you know nothing about what I and my family have been through and are going through. And I have no desire to tell a judgemental arse like you. You are the one who came on here angrily berating someone who has expressed sadness at the way the restrictions have affected children.

stayathomer · 18/08/2021 20:37

You are the one who came on here angrily berating someone who has expressed sadness at the way the restrictions have affected children.
The title of the thread is She doesn’t want to touch the ball-y’know, because of covid that is not someone expressing sadness at the way the restrictions have affected children, it's an eye rolling title that basically a child has been led to believe they can catch covid off a ball .

Neverrains · 18/08/2021 20:38

@stayathomer

You are the one who came on here angrily berating someone who has expressed sadness at the way the restrictions have affected children. The title of the thread is She doesn’t want to touch the ball-y’know, because of covid that is not someone expressing sadness at the way the restrictions have affected children, it's an eye rolling title that basically a child has been led to believe they can catch covid off a ball .

Did you read the actual OP?

deliciouschilli · 18/08/2021 20:51

Neverrains The OP's Title is "She doesn't want to touch the ball-y'know because of covid"
It is a Very Goady title as many have pointed out. It insinuates that the other family were thick and over reacting, despite them being perfectly reasonable and polite.
I have been in this position of having to politely decline and avoid contact with my child. It doesn't mean my child doesn't get to go on holiday, it doesn't mean our children look desperatley ill all the time. It's not even about COVID, my child would have to go into hospital and have anti-virals if she comes into contact with Chickenpox.
I'm glad you have highlighted this as there are thousands of invisible children out there who's parents have no choice but to protect and really don't need to be made to feel stupid or bad for doing so.

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 18/08/2021 20:52

With some of the threads on here over the last 17 months and where some people who are perfectly healthy are still washing shopping , never leaving the house and accusing others of killing people for nipping out for some milk I'm not surprised some children are so frightened.

Op sounds like you met a mnetter in the wild. Although I'm surprised that someone so nervous would go to the beach in the middle of the summer holidays