My kids now play "covid" instead of "it"

[NinetyNineRedBalloonsGoBy]

Just watching my kids and a group of friends age 7-9 playing in the park. They've come up with the game "covid" which is just like it / tag / he but the person who's "it" is a coronavirus and everyone runs away from them so they don't catch it. They can only protect themselves from the tag person by pretending to wear a mask and washing their hands.

AIBU to find this utterly utterly depressing?

It’s their way of processing what’s going on around them. Remember where ‘atishoo atishoo we all fall down comes from’

Haha, I think it is quite creative.

A lot of traditional children’s games and stories seem to be dark! I would just laugh if I saw kids playing this version of it.

I LOVE THIS!

Kids finding the silver lining in every situation!

Ring a ring a roses - Black death!

I hear you OP. My 4yo asked for masks for his 5th birthday (rule that 5yo and over have to wear masks in public places in Scotland) - he's excited about wearing a mask when he turns 5.

Sign of the times! As long as they are enjoying themselves OP.

I think it's funny and like the pp quite creative of them!

It's heartening that they are able to assimilate what's going on into their play.

Covid isn't going away - children will be growing up with it. They'll do what it takes to get used to it.

As long as they're enjoying themselves, meh.

This is brilliant!

We've got a couple of crocheted "covid germs" somewhere that the DC used to throw at each other and shout "you've got covid"

YABU! These kids are being creative and making the best out of a crappy situation.

Good on them!

Definitely a sign of the times (sadly) I remember me and a friend playing nuclear bunkers with my teddies in the 1980's!

Kids are awesome!

@CrochetBug

We've got a couple of crocheted "covid germs" somewhere that the DC used to throw at each other and shout "you've got covid"

Hahaha!

Both this and the OP are excellent!

Just shows the capacity kids have to deal with things like this!

Its good that kids can deal with it this way. Remember playing ring o ring if roses...look at the history from that game

I remember getting in trouble as a kid for playing AIDS in the playground instead of it.

My DC play this in the playground. Kids manage to make light of most situations, I really can’t see the harm in this at all.

Ring a Ring of Maskies
A lung full of nasties
Cough Cough Cough -
We all fall down

Kids play to process situations
It s good
Yabu

I don't understand why you find it depressing.

The kids have taken a shitty situation and turned it into a game. That's pretty amazing.

Children during WWII played games based on Brits vs Nazis, German spies and so on. - it's a bit like that.

Yes it's a bit of a dystopian nightmare but won't hurt them

I think this is hilarious and creative. Not depressing at all.