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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

When you/your kids have a cold do you avoid people?

36 replies

SomethingOriginal2 · 22/12/2022 18:23

I can't quite work out my stance. Last winter I had a newborn and covid was rife I think.

But this year I have a toddler and I rarely see toddlers in winter without snotty noses or coughing. And DS has been like this for about a month. He's fine in himself but snotty.

Do you just go about life as normal, or would you cancel visiting family/playdates over a cold?

I don't mean like strep, or chicken pox, or if people are immune suppressed. (Also what classifies as a baby, like obviously you wouldn't take a cold to a newborn but 2mo, 6mo. 1yr?)

I don't know and I'm autistic so I think maybe I miss these social rules?

YANBU I go on as normal
YABU if someone has a cold they stay home, no play dates, no soft play, no shopping etc

OP posts:

JustAnotherManicNameChange · 22/12/2022 19:11

Life goes on as normal ,unless really ill.
I go to work,DD goes to school. For playdates ,I tell the parents and it's up to them. None have actually said no so far. We wouldn't leave the house beyond work/school normally, but that's mainly because we need rest and feeling crappy.

Lkydfju · 22/12/2022 19:15

If we avoided people then id never go out and my kids would never be at school. In this last week before Christmas I would be more cautious admittedly and I do warn people before we see them just in case they want to change plans but my friends with kids are all in the same boat

miltonj · 22/12/2022 19:20

Dotjones · 22/12/2022 18:25

Yes you should isolate if you or your children have colds. There's no such thing as "just a minor cold" because what causes mild symptoms to you can make someone else seriously ill.

That's not a normal reaction to a cold!

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 22/12/2022 19:21

Weepingwillows12 · 22/12/2022 18:53

Somewhere in the middle and depends how ill they feel. Keep doing the important stuff like school if they are ok in themselves, no fever etc but avoid vulnerable family, check with friends before we meet up etc (majority with kids are happy to meet anyway in my experience).

Exactly this!
no temp still go most places but close contact visit with friends / family it’s their choice.

Jimmyneutronsforehead · 22/12/2022 19:26

Depends where you're going I guess. I get bad secondary infections so I would avoid people with a cold, but I wouldn't expect people with a cold or kids that pass it back and forth to each other to expect the world to stop turning for them.

However I'd also not want them in my home.

Life has to go on at some point, you have to get out of the house, and a cold or sniffle can't stop you from doing that, but pick your audience I suppose.

GrohlOnAPole · 22/12/2022 19:27

A general cold (not full blown flu etc) then we carry on as normal. If someone had plans to come over or us visit, I’d give them a warning so they can choose to cancel but otherwise I’d just keep going.

exposure to these things is good for developing a healthy immune system.

Squirrellane · 22/12/2022 19:30

We just crack on unless we feel unwell, then we stay home.

MaverickSnoopy · 22/12/2022 19:43

The pandemic has changed me forever I think. I was always a push through sort of person. I know much more now about how illnesses spread and I don't want to pass things onto others. In many cases I personally feel it's unnecessary. It's not feasible to always stay in so I make sure that if i do have to go out, that I wear a mask and distance from others. I've cancelled people coming over before as we've still got colds but I do also speak to them and see what they want to do. If they come I'll keep the windows open. My Dad came over the other week with a cold having tested negative for covid, he wore a mask just in case and I kept the windows open. The following day he tested positive for covid. I didn't catch it and I'm so glad I didn't as my health is in a terrible state at the moment.

Leah5678 · 22/12/2022 19:55

Dotjones · 22/12/2022 18:25

Yes you should isolate if you or your children have colds. There's no such thing as "just a minor cold" because what causes mild symptoms to you can make someone else seriously ill.

Is this a joke? I know children who basically permanently have snotty noses/colds they would never leave the house if they did this. Perhaps the people who are paranoid about catching diseases should stay home instead of expecting the world to stop just for them

closingscore · 22/12/2022 19:58

It's a minefield isn't it....we are having Christmas Day with the whole family this year after DF spent last Xmas in hospital having cancer treatment. Just found out one sibling has a really bad cold and DH has started with a cough today. No idea what to do as DF is still pretty vulnerable but I know he's been looking forward to it 😕

I think pre covid we wouldn't have even thought much of it, if people felt well enough to attend we'd have just cracked on, but now I'm paranoid.

CrabbyCat · 22/12/2022 20:10

I have 3 DC. I'd certainly warn friends before meeting up if they were actually poorly with a temperature or a sore throat, but I think across the three of them someone has a snotty nose continuously from about September (when schools go back) to Easter so it's certainly not something we stay home for!

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