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?

@VienneseWhirligig

We used to play AIDS at primary too in the 80s, awful when you think of it.

It really isnt. Obviously AIDS is not a game. But children process and deal with things through play. It keeps children mentally healthy. Children not allowed to do this are far more likely to mentally struggle.

Press conference game:

Whinge-a-whinge-a-Bojo
Christmas is a no-go
'Next Slide Please!' 'Next Slide Please'
We all lock down.

It's good that kids are doing that as it's just kids being kids.

There was a measles outbreak when my elder girls were 8 and it became a game in their school for a couple of months after.

I've seen them playing "Covid!" on the school runs while we're waiting to collect the kids.
I bought some children's masks for the playroom because our minded children were using the dolls' nappies for masks.

Love kids!

@queenofcauliflower I’m pretty sure under 12s have been exempt from mask wearing in public places in Scotland since august/September this year

My kids' "floor is lava" game morphed into "floor is Coronavirus" game quite early in the pandemic.

Made me laugh.

It could always be worse - there was a school I worked in before where a local drug dealer being arrested made big news.

Kids were playing "Cops and Dealers" the following week. It was both very sad and very, very funny at the same time.

I think it's quite funny. Its just kids dealing with stuff. Good for them.

Not depressing, it’s what kids do, they’re playing not actually infecting one another

Personally, I think it's brilliant.

If they're using pretend mask or hand washing gestures as 'King's X' (meaning you can't be tagged) then I'd say they are reinforcing the safety measures we should all be using and making them 'commonplace' things to do. Pretty smart kids!

I think yelling 'vaxx!' as another 'King's X' would be a great addition to the game.

New flash….
OP has googled what the song Ring a Ring of Roses means

My kids are teenagers now but a few years ago I heard them playing 'ebola' instead of 'it'... I must admit, it didn't feel very appropriate but I guess it's based on what's going on at the time.

This is both hilarious and tragic!

@Swanfairydust

New flash…. OP has googled what the song Ring a Ring of Roses means

Rude.

I am well aware thank you of the origins of "Ring a ring a roses". I even wrote my postgraduate dissertation on the use of song in the context of global disaster so this is not news to me.

My original point was that I felt a brief despair that this bloody virus had infiltrated kids' imaginations. But then thanks to most of the vipers I'm seeing the funny side now.

Another new game. If you step on the cracks in the pavement, you get covid. Could make the school run interesting.

Honestly, it is better than playing Hillsborough, which was a thing in our playground for a short time. (Basically piling on people, not a full reenactment.)

And yes, I remember AIDS being used as an insult.

Can’t imagine watching my children run around outside, happily playing a game with other children and feel

utterly utterly depressed

Mine do this too. Last time the entire soft play was one big game of ‘covid’

My 9 year old wants masks for Christmas 🤦🏼‍♀️

@TheViewFromTheCheapSeats

Mine do this too. Last time the entire soft play was one big game of ‘covid’

Good job I’m not a parent as I would be laughing so hard

Yes, past versions of tig include Aids, swine flu, and Osama. As well as nits.

This is my kids' pet coronavirus!

Aww, cute!

I'd be inclined to use it as a stress ball.

I actually think that's quite funny. And makes me happy to hear that they're not totally and completely anxious anymore.