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Covid

AIBU to think there’s been no info on Coronavirus and blended families

38 replies

Apuddimgisneverenough · 19/03/2020 00:50

Hi all, has there actually been guidelines announced for blended families in relation to the recent Coronavirus outbreak ?
I have just been taking to my brother who has 50/50 care of his 3 children along with his ex wife.
His “new” wife (no disrespect to her but ‘new’ for the purpose of this thread) has 2 children whom she has 50/50 residency with her ex partner. So at times there can be 5 children and 2 adults in the home. No one in the 3 homes is high risk or vulnerable

We have just been discussing what would happen if one or more of the children became ill. Obviously all 3 households (brothers home , brothers ex home and his new wife’s ex husbands home ) should all self isolate , but what about the movement of children? Should the children stay where they are? Or is is safe for the children , assuming they are fit enough, to be ferried from one home to another?
Is it fair to except the household where symptoms manifested themselves be the people responsible for the well being of the children for 14 days?

OP posts:
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Jaichangecentfoisdenom · 19/03/2020 06:49

"Is it fair to except the household where symptoms manifested themselves be the people responsible for the well being of the children for 14 days?"

Words fail me.

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LittleLittleLittle · 19/03/2020 06:52

@AccidentallyRunWindsor - the mother can insist but your OH can refuse to co-operate due to having a good reason.

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AccidentallyRunToWindsor · 19/03/2020 07:43

@LittleLittleLittle she's saying she will just drop them at the front door and drive off 🤣

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LittleLittleLittle · 19/03/2020 08:14

@AccidentallyRunToWindsor She is going to look a bit odd dropping 2 children off to a house with a hazard warning stating the house is in isolation due to Covid-19. I hope you don't have nosey neighbours as one of them will call the police.

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Hooleywhipper · 19/03/2020 08:19

Just start adulting and work it out for yourself.

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Sallysshoes · 19/03/2020 08:32

There are so so many posts I've seen that are asking 'what about me, my situation is .... And I can't do what is being advised because of .... Have the government not thought of me?'
Frankly, these posts are just annoying. The Government, like them or loathe them are in an impossible situation trying to deal with a completely unpresidented situation and working out how they can care for a country of 60 million people.... They cannot possibly work out the finer details for each and every person. So how about everyone just behaves like an adult, listens to the advice and recommendations as they materialise and work out how to make things work their own situation and stop expecting the Government to spoon feed everything to you.

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DateLoaf · 19/03/2020 08:48

I was thinking about blended families with the COVID pandemic too. Or just families with new partners and this crisis suddenly expecting family relationships to be ‘official’ in ways which may or may not not be helpful to them. The government and civil servants (big generalisation coming up..) often find it easier to think of the population as split into neat nuclear families. Obviously that’s not how many families are.

Like with the assurance that key workers can have a school place for their kids to allow them to continue working, but not ‘if the other parent’ isn’t a key worker.

I might be being unfair because I read that in the Guardian, not from a government source... but there seem to be no government sources on this specific issue that I could spot.

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DateLoaf · 19/03/2020 08:53

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Onceuponatimethen · 22/03/2020 09:05

I think some guidance would have been good - agree with you op

Many families in uk now more complex than a nuclear family in one home

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Somebodystired · 22/03/2020 09:09

It's clearly down to the parents involved to make the key decisions.

Me and my DS are on day 8 of self isolation. My DSS went back to his mums the day before we had to start self-isolating - he will be coming back here the day our isolation ends. It's hard for us all not seeing him but we are protecting his health.

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Dongdingdong · 22/03/2020 09:31

Come on OP. Look at the government guidelines. Think for yourself. It’s really not difficult.

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Character120 · 22/03/2020 20:28

We have my daughter full time. She’s SEN but I’ve decided not to take the provisions offered to us and keep her home. We have my step daughter 50% of the time. I’ve just asked, what’s the point of us self isolating when sd will be back and forth every other week. He’s just got angry with me bringing it up! When children are involved it’s never easy.

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Mumma9183 · 25/03/2020 16:18

Omg this is me . Their dad is kicking off big time but it a frontline key worker and demanding time in the midst of a crisis in our area . I’m scared to death to let them go please advise. He’s very bullying and will not isolate at all himself so I just cannot let them go . Threatening me with court if I don’t comply

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