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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

320 replies

Thecarobsarefalling · 18/08/2021 10:21

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.

OP posts:
saraclara · 18/08/2021 13:29

@NowEvenBetter

I can think of limitless things sadder than a kid not wanting to play with your toddler, which isn’t actually ‘sad’. Gosh.
That wasn't remotely the OP's point. She's not sad for the toddler, she's sad for the anxious girl. And so am I.
Ohhhthepain · 18/08/2021 13:29

Why would someone cev be on a beach? Maybe as a nice break from a busy job? We aren’t all hidden away, many many cev people have returned to work, I think if we can do that daily we can go to the bloody beach.

YouMeandtheSpew · 18/08/2021 13:30

Beach balls are significant carriers of covid. Seems like a sensible decision not to touch one.

Are they? Grin Beach balls in particular? Or all balls?

KaleJuicer · 18/08/2021 13:32

I think toddlers are little disease vectors and I probably would have used covid as an excuse to get them to keep their distance. Have had quite a few toddlers hanging around my dc aged 9 and 11 on the beach being ignored by their parents. My dc don’t want to play! And I don’t want them picking up their germs. Covid is a great excuse and I wheeled it out a few weeks ago on a beach. My ds picked up a horrendous gastro bug from sitting next to a toddler on a plane who kept on picking up and sucking his toys. I am somewhat scarred by that!

LionGiraffe · 18/08/2021 13:33

@YouMeandtheSpew

Beach balls are significant carriers of covid. Seems like a sensible decision not to touch one.

Are they? Grin Beach balls in particular? Or all balls?

Beach balls, due to their shiny exterior. You’re on safer ground with a hairy tennis ball or a ping pong ball with holes in.
TheKeatingFive · 18/08/2021 13:35

Beach balls are significant carriers of covid

Grin

According to our nursery, so are buggies stored in a shed. So dangerous that we aren’t allowed to do that any more. Insanity prevails.

Forstarters · 18/08/2021 13:35

@BeardyButton if you actually read that article you’d see it says there’s no ICU paed beds as Covid has caused staff shortage across the hospital. Nothing to do with children with Covid filling up the beds…

GallowwayGirl88 · 18/08/2021 13:38

I’m with you OP, so sad.

We had a family meet up on Christmas Eve to swap gifts and my smaller cousins (4/5/6) started singing Christmas carols, other cousin (10) started shouting to stop singing because of covid. The wee ones were so confused & upset.

Steakandcheeseplease · 18/08/2021 13:39

Yes its incredibly sad. I wonder if those girls wear plastic gloves when pushing doors open, going to a public loo, accepting change of an ice cream vendor, sharing a table at school ect..

JassyRadlett · 18/08/2021 13:40

Beach balls, due to their shiny exterior. You’re on safer ground with a hairy tennis ball or a ping pong ball with holes in.

😂

I mean I’m 90% sure this is a wind up, it has to be right??

Mickarooni · 18/08/2021 13:41

@elenacampana

I saw something like this in Subway OP. A father saying ‘don’t touch nothing’ to his young kids. Yes there could be CEV etc etc etc, but educate yourself on how an airborne virus works before making life even more weird for your kids.
Did he say don’t touch because of covid or did he just say don’t touch? I tell mine to keep their hands to themselves all the time. It’s nothing to do with covid!
Steakandcheeseplease · 18/08/2021 13:41

Some people are actually insane on this thread.

TheKeatingFive · 18/08/2021 13:41

or a ping pong ball with holes in.

Yeah defo. Covid falls through the holes. Not rocket science, now is it?

saraclara · 18/08/2021 13:45

I am very covid rule compliant, but I read most of the posts on this thread and winner what on earth is happening to people's risk perception.

I'm absolutely gutted for this generation of children. (And yes, I have medical professionals in my family, and they are definitely not like this..in fact they are worried about kids immune systems not being challenged because of this sort of restriction. Which will have implications for their health in the future.)

saraclara · 18/08/2021 13:46

@Steakandcheeseplease

Some people are actually insane on this thread.
I couldn't agree more. I really hope that they're not indicative of the same proportion of people out there.
Neverrains · 18/08/2021 13:47

I couldn't agree more. I really hope that they're not indicative of the same proportion of people out there

I imagine not, as the insane ones are the ones sitting at home telling people about the risk of beach balls on the Internet, and the sane ones are the ones out and about playing with beach balls.

YouMeandtheSpew · 18/08/2021 13:48

Beach balls, due to their shiny exterior. You’re on safer ground with a hairy tennis ball or a ping pong ball with holes in.

I see Grin

I googled ‘beach balls and Covid’ and found this rather nice video of Plymouth Hospitals using beach balls in their new Covid rehabilitation programme. You’d better get in touch with your findings!

saraclara · 18/08/2021 13:51

I've just been volunteering at the vaccine centre this morning and the infection prevention there isn't even close to as obsessive!

ineedaholidaynow · 18/08/2021 13:51

Do you think everyone should be entertaining your child?

Mybalconyiscracking · 18/08/2021 13:52

Hairy balls have a larger surface area therefore are much more likely to harbour Covid.
If you are required to have any truck with hairy balls make sure you dip them in neat bleach before handling,

luckylavender · 18/08/2021 13:54

@Thecarobsarefalling - personally & I know this is my issue, since the pandemic I really dislike people in my personal space even less than I did before. So maybe you should teach your toddler not to wander up to random people because I'm not the only one.

Bryonyshcmyony · 18/08/2021 13:55

@ineedaholidaynow

Do you think everyone should be entertaining your child?
Typical mumsnet 🙄
Mybalconyiscracking · 18/08/2021 13:57

[quote luckylavender]@Thecarobsarefalling - personally & I know this is my issue, since the pandemic I really dislike people in my personal space even less than I did before. So maybe you should teach your toddler not to wander up to random people because I'm not the only one. [/quote]
Christ, the world has gone bloody mad!

EmeraldShamrock · 18/08/2021 13:58

Older DC don't usually have any time or energy for random younger DC. Covid was probably an excuse or they may have underlying conditions.
Not sad IMO.