Can my kids go to the park or not?

[NeedANewJob19]

I have name changed for this and prepared to be flamed.

My teenage DSs (13 and 16) have been going to the park near our house for one hour each day this week. They go together, they don’t meet up with anyone and they avoid other people using the park. They don’t go to the playground part, they just take a football and have a kick around together just the two of them. I was under the impression that this was ok.
Someone on my Facebook posted a picture yesterday if a group of kids at the same park and I could see my two in the background of the photo. No where near the kids featured just way in the background. This person wouldn’t know my kids. Everyone was commenting about how irresponsible this was and berating the parents, I daren’t comment on it but wanted to check opinions on here. I was assuming they were so angry because it was group of kids presumably not from the same household but now I’m not sure I should be letting my kids do what they’ve been doing

From www.thetimes.co.uk/article/senior-officers-divided-about-rules-to-deter-public-in-open-spaces-cb36j9njc

This is absolutely fine. Of course they can play ball. Do people on here understand how a virus works? It doesn't say "oh, they're playing ball, that's totally different from walking without kicking a ball". SMH.

As you say, you're staying in anyway, so it doesn't really matter that you don't understand groups vs individuals. Just hope that the people who are outside have a better understanding!

It does matter because I'm dependent on everyone else doing the right thing so that I can be allowed to leave my house.

The problem is, every man, woman and their dog seems determined to find ways to circumvent the rules.

If you all only affected yourselves, and as soon as I've completed my twelve weeks I can come out and live my life then I wouldn't care what you all do, but the thing is that everyone insisting on going to parks, going to national parks and beaches, going shopping multiple times a day, allowing their teens to congregate over the park are prolonging the amount of time that people like me are locked up for. I can't see my parents or my children.

Sadia Khan has just announced the temporary morgues that he's building around London - why aren't people scared about this? Why is it that going to the park is more important than hundreds of people dying or thousands of people having their lives turned upside down?

It's not a fucking 'group sport' if it's two people from the same house.

Fair enough. Yes we do need to use common sense as well.

Because it's perfectly safe to do things that are within the rules and that are fun, not being too miserable and being allowed some small freedoms makes it easier for people to continue to do the right thing for as long as necessary.

I completely agree that there are people who are not doing the right things and they need dealt with, but stopping everyone from doing perfectly safe activities that are within the law and cause no further risk to anyone is bonkers and unhelpful.

Not everyone has to do the restrictions in the same way. I'm working at home, I haven't been to the shops since last Saturday, I had a farm delivery mid week of enough to tide us over. I've mainly exercised in the house or been in the back garden.

However, tomorrow I'm going to need to do a decent shop so I'll be out for a while. I'll get accused of panic buying no doubt but I'm not, just trying to get enough to feed 4 adults for a week. We aren't fussy and i'm fairly inventive and still have a few bits to add to anything i can buy so i'm hoping that one shop will do it.

I might try to get a walk in the fresh air at some point too, so, my excursions will probably add up to 2 or 3 for the week. Others might be doing one shop and one exercise daily. We are both following the rules but not in the same way.

The issue is though, posters on here may well say that the law says X,y and z but then you watch the news and see police patrolling streets instructing people to go home, flying drones over heaths shaming dog walkers for it not being an essential journey, locking park gates up and so forth.

All of that doesn't make it sound half as relaxed as posters on here do.

I've not yet seen an police officer saying that it's fine for a family to take toys to the park and have a lovely play. Why not, if it's so permissible?

Others might be doing one shop and one exercise daily. We are both following the rules but not in the same way.

But they've said you should limit how many times you go to the shop. Our supermarkets have queues winding around the car park, strict limits on numbers in the shop at anyone time. If everyone went shopping every day the queue would stretch for miles.

Because it' obvious hooves

What's obvious?

It's obvious that we are going to go the same way if Italy and Spain because people just cannot exercise any self control. Ordinarily around here you don't see a soul for days, now though as soon as we're told to stay in it's like picadilly circus

"people just cannot exercise any self control"

I would send them for a run alone. Not with a football and not stopping.

Then get them doing strength and conditioning exercise at home if they are sporty.

Playing football is not a walk, run or cycle. It's not really hard to understand or a loophole in the clear instructions that allows translation to "play football".

Well where I live everyone has been following the rules and I have been out LOADS

why aren't people scared about this? Why is it that going to the park is more important than hundreds of people dying or thousands of people having their lives turned upside down?

Because two brothers from the same house kicking a bloody ball outdoors isn't the cause of the problem! Duh!

Playing football, 2 lads together from the same family, more than 2 meteres from others is exercise. HTH.
I swear some people would only be happy if they could live in a police state.

Blakes77

Let's hope you don't come to regret it a la Boris and his " I've been shaking hands with everyone, including patients in the hospital".

What if they hate running? FFS, there is NO law that says you can only exercise outdoors if it's a fucking run, walk or cycle.

OP I can’t see the problems with this
If you are confident they understand about keeping their distance from anyone else

It is their daily exercise and you don’t have a garden

@MabelMoo23 @ImfinallyaMummy where do you pull that from? Please dont spread fals einformation. We are allowed exercise, they have obviously not listed every single possible exercise type, but yeah, they could go and play tennis or cycle or kick a ball between the two of them or do yoga outside for all you care. If kicking a ball is not necessary, neither is walking or running and these are allowed. (facepalm)

Yes OP, they can go to the park, kick a ball or walk. They should not touch any equipment or play with other people.

Because two brothers from the same house kicking a bloody ball outdoors isn't the cause of the problem! Duh!

Yes, in isolation they aren't the cause of the problem.

In isolation a family going for s walk on the beach or up a mountain aren't the cause of the problem.

However, the danger is that you encourage others to do likewise. So, two brothers kicking a ball around isn't s problem but it's the "broken window syndrome" isn't it? Kids see them kicking a ball around, so they go and kick a ball, then a few more go, then a couple go and play basketball, then a mum takes a blanket and sits and watches with some drinks for her kids, another mum notices and does the same but takes some snacks for hers, then another family goes over with. a full picnic to have a break while their children have a run around.

How will you manage when they move to full lockdown and ban exercise like they have in Italy?

Oh, please, no, you're not 'encouraging' others to do likewise. FFS. People are still allowed out in Italy .

They're not allowed out to exercise. They stopped it.

Well, that's a pity for them, Hear. Has FA to do with two brothers in the UK going to a park to kick a ball, though.

Let's hope you don't come to regret it a la Boris and his " I've been shaking hands with everyone, including patients in the hospital".

Regret what?
Following the rules? Letting my kids exercise in a wide open space away from other people and not touching anything? I can't see why I would.

No, you were boasting about going out LOADS.

The advice is to go out as infrequently as possible, not LOADS.

The BBC have an article full of people justifying why they should be allowed to do what they want

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52062209

Seriously, what's the point? Why not just let it run through the population eh?

you watch the news and see police patrolling streets instructing people to go home, flying drones over heaths shaming dog walkers for it not being an essential journey, locking park gates up and so forth

All of which are completely disproportionate reactions from over zealous police forces misinterpreting the rules. Michael Gove said tonight that the vast majority of the the population is complying exactly as the government wants. Two kids kicking a ball at least 2 metres from anyone else is compliance.