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?

Lol. That’s funny.

It’s a healthy way of them processing it, try not to let it bother you.

I can see why seeing your own kids playing this could really hit you right now and be depressing.
But it did make me laugh.

I think it's endearing and creative.

Children made up songs during the black death outbreaks, the Spanish ‘flu and no doubt every other pandemic known to humans. Healthy way of processing.

Ring a ring of roses for the modern era

"I had a little bird and it's name was Enza"
"I opened the window, and in-flu-Enza"

This was a children's jump-rope game in 1918. Children grab onto what leaves an impression on them. I couldn't say if this was a goode thing or a bad thing.

They’re kids, it’s fine.

I watched some kids in a playground do this last year. When they were in den they’d shout “Self-Isolation!”
Play is how children process the world around them.

My niece told me I 'had covid' as an insult 🤣. It's the new 'your mum' round our way.

Ok you've all made me feel better about this - I'll give my head a wobble

Rosenborg

My niece told me I 'had covid' as an insult 🤣. It's the new 'your mum' round our way“

🤣

Thinking about the cheese curse now

This is why humanity is such a resilient species

Yep. This is exactly why we need to do away masks and the paranoia everyone has and just get on with things for the sake of our children.

I find it less depressing that the email from primary school that squid games was not an appropriate game for them to be playing or discussing at lunchtime.

@colourfulpuddles

Yep. This is exactly why we need to do away masks and the paranoia everyone has and just get on with things for the sake of our children.

The kids are fine colourfulpuddles

@colourfulpuddles

Yep. This is exactly why we need to do away masks and the paranoia everyone has and just get on with things for the sake of our children.

I think this proves just how robust most children are. So, quite the opposite to what you seem to be saying.

Perhaps they could add to the game. Each person has one chance to shout "vaxxed!!!" And the virus buggers off in a different direction.

Adults talk to deal with things, which is why we chat about covid on MN.
Children play to deal with things. It is why hospitals have play therapists. It is no more depressing than having a covid board on MN. Children playing like this will deal psychologically far better with covid than if they are stopped from playing these games.

I am as fed up as anyone of the whole situation but this actually kind of made me smile. Also really fascinating given the history of ring o roses, as a PP said - 700 years later and kids still behaving in the same way.

It’s depressing for us as adults but it’s a normal way of kids processing the world around them.

Many kids games and songs have dark themes! I never realised til I was a Brownie leader how many campfire songs involve death!

This is how kids cope with adversity. They don’t need it hidden from them - they need to understand it and process it appropriately

Aged 9 we created a similar game about AIDS. We were roundly told off by teachers and they impressed on us what a serious issue AIDS was and not to be joked about. We didn't mean any harm. But I'm glad they helped us to behave more appropriately!

@dangerrabbit

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

Hah! Not just us 😳

Same here the virus game instead of it, I laughed tbh as I found it endearing too