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

People are talking such bollocks on this site. Most of which they've made up in their head.

So many people thinking you can ONLY walk, run or cycle and someone upthread said you can't SIT outside in a park. Yes, yes you can 🙄

@Flaxmeadow Are you kidding? I don't want to get arrested for skipping...

So, if football between brothers is ok, can my husband and I go and play tennis, if we don't go on the tennis courts and just stay on the grass? Can I take my yoga mat and do yoga? How about if my friend just happens to be over there doing yoga at the same time? How about if half a dozen of us from my yoga class are over there, all individually doing yoga? All ok? Not worse than running or playing football is it?

Daily exercise once per day is allowed, this is either a walk, run or cycle

The guidance is one form of exercise for example a walk, run or cycle.

It's fine OP as long as you trust them to stay away from others and not touch surfaces. As you're from the same household you can go too, just to be sure.

Over-interpretation of the rules to make them more stringent than they actually are (and them shaming others on social media based on that over-interpretation), especially this early on, will ultimately do more harm than good as it will cause people to lose patience and stop complying right at the point when it makes the most difference.

Go with them, let them pllay football and enjoy the fresh air. Playing footie is no different to cycling or running

Flaxmeadow why not read the actual legislation? Someone has posted it here in this thread. Then you'd be able to answer questions like the OP's correctly and that's surely a good thing?

Personally I’m enjoying sharing some of the more bonkers MN threads with DP at the moment - they’re providing some much needed light relief. This is right up there with the dousing shopping in bleach one.

OP we live opposite a green and from my window right now I can see several family groups, sensibly and considerately spaced, having a kick about in the sunshine. Also some dog walkers, cyclists and small kids with scooters. It’s quite an uplifting sight at the end of a dismal week.

My advice is to ignore the competitive quarantiners and just tell your DC to be sensible and stick to the government guidelines (and enjoy themselves).

TBF I did stop to tie my shoe laces back up earlier on during a walk.

Then I remembered this was not one of the government endorsed activities and made a note to slap myself when I got home. I would have slapped myself there and then but was afraid I'd look like I was enjoying myself.

"So, if football between brothers is ok, can my husband and I go and play tennis, if we don't go on the tennis courts and just stay on the grass? "

Yes.

"Can I take my yoga mat and do yoga? "

Yes.

"How about if my friend just happens to be over there doing yoga at the same time? How about if half a dozen of us from my yoga class are over there, all individually doing yoga? All ok?"

If you are more than 2m apart, then yes.

"Not worse than running or playing football is it?"

Nope.

Can my kids go to the park or not
Given the pandemic and the restrictions in place you allowed your children to go out on their own? What did you think would happen?
🤨

NuffSaidSam

Yes, you can exercise with members of your household - walking, running cycling.

Someone has posted the legislation up thread, why not have a read of it?

I have. Why haven't you?

OP we live opposite a green and from my window right now I can see

I don't care what you can see - stop looking out the bloody window! You are only allowed to enjoy the outside if you are running or walking or cycling. Sitting indoors, looking out and enjoying your view is NOT ok.

Selfish fucker.

The main thing to come out of all this for me is the realisation of just how fucking stupid the people are that we share the planet with.

People seem unable to interpret or risk rate anything.

I mean what if a child should skip on the walk? What if someone scooters instead of cycles? What if your child needs stabilisers? What if I use a unicycle? What if i only have one leg and can only hop? What if i'm in a wheelchair, can I look out my back window? What if I went outside to get something from my garage, is that my once a day or can I go out again? Can I get a drink from the shop while I am out my walk?

Try thinking.

Can I do x activity safely while following proper social distancing?
Am i limiting my excursions from my house to those that are necessary?
Am I washing my hands etc?

It's really all to do with stopping the spread

The less time outside. The better. The less time with others. The better. The less time touching things the better. However the government have said once a day so as to not be so restrictive.

In parts of Italy. Due to people not staying on lockdown. They aren't even allowed outside right now! That's what will happen here.

HearHooves all the things you mentioned were OK until you started mixing people from different households. That's the bit that breaches legislation.

The point is that's if everyone thought like you then the park would be full of kids playing football.

You are being selfish.

BoingBoingyBoing

Great. Can you show me the official go ahead then only my LA and parks police have posted saying that you can't.

Also, my yoga teacher has had all her classes cancelled. Be great if we can have classes in the park, keeping 2metre distance.

Does laughing at threads like this while in the supermarket queue count as exercise ?

can my husband and I go and play tennis, if we don't go on the tennis courts and just stay on the grass?

Yes, if that space is free and you're 2m from anyone else.

Can I take my yoga mat and do yoga?

Yes, if that space if free and you're 2m from anyone else.

How about if my friend just happens to be over there doing yoga at the same time?

How lovely! Wave to her, but don't go over to her of course.

How about if half a dozen of us from my yoga class are over there, all individually doing yoga?

The park would be very busy and you might want to come back another time. But if the park is very big and there is a space left where you can yoga 2m away from everyone then that's fine. Just make absolutely sure you're 2m away, don't be tempted to go over and talk to anyone.

All ok? Not worse than running or playing football is it?

No.

Glad we could help you to understand. The legislation has been posted in this thread. You could read it if you wanted to.

To those criticising people saying it’s not allowed. It is unclear what is or isn’t allowed which is why this thread exists!!

However the Independent newspaper published an article stating it’s not allowed which I quoted earlier and someone has provided a link to

Name calling is uncalled for people. None of us wrote the legislation so none of us know the actual answer with 100% certainty

Until the government provide an official statement there will be 100s posts like this!

Eckhart

So, only one household allowed in the park at a time then?

What's the difference between me doing yoga with another person 2 metres away and me walking with another person 2 metres away?

@DareToEatAPeach

OMG you just made me LOL - thank you!

Can just imagine the outrage of people assuming you were practising S&M in public as you castigated yourself for flagrant shoe tying during your carefully controlled walk - a whole new level of frothing could be induced!!!!!

Does laughing at threads like this while in the supermarket queue count as exercise ?

Presumably not. Exercise, as we've established, is only exercise if you are all alone and using your legs in some way. But not skipping. Skipping is right out.

Bloody skippers. It'll be skippers that ruin it for the rest of us. I hate them rope throwing idiots.

NuffSaidSam

Yet someone else said it wasn't ok because mixing different households?

"Great. Can you show me the official go ahead then only my LA and parks police have posted saying that you can't."

Then you should challenge them. Plenty of examples of how the police are misinterpreting the rules.