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

Yes pigeons but the point I am making is that you can't legislate for every scenario.

People have to be able to use their heads.

Walking running and cycling have been mentioned as being okay, but might not be okay if lots are already doing those things in the place you want to do them. People shouldn't need to have that explained.

Other activities have a similar risk/contact factor and may be more appropriate to do, again that shouldn't need to be written down.

If people are genuinely unable to make appropriate decisions for themselves then we have a bigger problem in this country than CV-19.

You can’t do group sports so no to football

Agreed. But the important word here is "group" not "football". Playing football with a group of people as an organised spot is an obvious risk

Kicking a ball about with people you live with isn't a group sport, it's DC playing. The PM hasn't outlawed DC playing FFS.

Doesn't ma what Gove said, matters what the law says. He may well have been giving examples.

He also does know what the fuck he's on about which is why he told itv kids of divorced parents couldn't see both parents. Then told bbc that they could.

My children and I walked our dog in the countryside and woodland the other day. While there, we found a rope swing which we all had a go on (except the dog). I’m worried now because the use of a rope swing is not covered by the legislation. Good job there were no police around to see us. Phew!

The written law is 'for example', indicating that other forms of exercise are OK as long as observing social distancing. A few ministers have made verbal bloopers, that wouldn't be Gove's only one. He messed up re children traveling from parent to parent. Quite a big blooper, that.

The law has been carefully worded. It's what we must refer to, rather than an individual's words.

It's not going to be an organised class. Just individuals who happen to be doing yoga at the same time in the same park. All two metres apart.

That sounds like a gathering of more than 2 people (not from same household). Therefore - explicitly not allowed.

@MintyMabel DON’T TOUCH YOUR FACE!🤦🏼‍♀️

Don't worry. I put my marigolds on before I slapped myself.

While there, we found a rope swing which we all had a go on (except the dog).

The irony is, the dog's the only one whose allowed

'If people are genuinely unable to make appropriate decisions for themselves then we have a bigger problem in this country than CV-19.'

This.

It's very concerning!

Kickabouts are problematic imho as if the ball goes further than intended, it's fairly likely someone might run close to another person to retrieve it, through sheer force of habit as it's what someone would normally do. Or even run smack into someone if they're caught up in/excited by the game and forget to look where they're going.

Might sound fairly unlikely but I've just come in from a walk in a nearby park where I saw it almost happen. I agree it's a shame if kids can't even run off some energy with a kickabout, but I do think there are risks attached.

Not whose allowed, who's allowed

Oh, the shame

@WaxOnFeckOff in an ideal world yes people should be thinking and making decisions for themselves. However we’re not in an ideal world and lots people are either panicking or not taking it seriously enough. Of course there’s lots in the middle who are following common sense

101 was overwhelmed yesterday with people reporting their neighbours for just about everything possible!! This is the reason I keep stating it needs clarification. I’ve only ever had to call 101 once in my life, I’d be pissed off if I needed to call it for a genuine reason and couldn’t get through because someone is calling to report two kids playing football in a park. Especially if a simple government statement defining exercise could have prevented it!

Two brothers kicking a football at a park is fine as long as others are 2 metres away. FFS. MN is fucking batshit these days. Not everyone has a bloody garden. There's no rule book that says it has to be a walk or run, some people are bored will by such exercise. Mine kicked a football on a deserted beach yesterday. It's not a fucking 'group sport' if it's two people from the same house.

If people are genuinely unable to make appropriate decisions for themselves then we have a bigger problem in this country than CV-19

The country includes people of all intelligence levels half of whom will be below average by definition. And many will be of low intelligence. Also an education system that's been cut and cut again by these arseholes in power who repeatedly put profit before people.

So yes, many people are genuinely unable to make appropriate decisions for themselves

You haven’t done anything wrong Op. I personally wouldn’t allow mine to do that as I wouldn’t trust them to stay away from friends and also we have a large garden so they don’t need to.
They haven’t shut the parks (yet). But I would try to find something else for them to do for the duration of the lockdown to be on the safe side.

I sympathise though.

Gove also said walking the dog and going to the allotment are exercise.

The government hasn't given a list of 'acceptable' outdoor exercise alone or with members of your household because it would be a waste of a government officials time to compose it and because people should have some common sense, which apparently they don't.

People REALLY think the governmenr can tell you you can ONLY run, walk or cycle as exercise outdoors? Come on..

Ffs your two boys kicking a football is fine. Jesus. Everyone on here doesn’t do any exercise anyway so they don’t understand the need for it. Irony is the fitter are less likely to overload the NHS

Fgs, does Coronavirus damage brain cells? Does it make people miserable gits?if so I would say a lot of you have had it.

The government have said that we are allowed out once a day for exercise, with members of our own household. So long as we stay 2 metres apart fro other people.

They haven't banned football, or rollerblading, or anything else, they haven't set a limit you can be out or distance you can go from your home.

Common sense needs to be used here.

Surely the point is you go to the park to paly football, on the understanding that when you get there is it is too full of people to maintaim proper distancing, you go.somewhere else or do another form of exercise.or you go home . Also you don't spend hours there as others may be waiting to use the space.

All those people saying 'what if everyone did this?'. Well if every one went to the park and only exercised there if there was enough space but left if there wasn't and didn't stay for ages ( maybe 40 mins max) that would be fine. Some people might not get to in use the park on certain days but it would even out over time .

I think it’s clear. Football has been specifically mentioned as a no as it’s a contact sport. Common sense seems to be an issue. I’ve heard football mentioned on the news so I don’t understand how there is room for debate.

People REALLY think the governmenr can tell you you can ONLY run, walk or cycle as exercise outdoors? Come on..

Is skipping along allowed?

People reactions to this are comical.

Go outside and do whatever exercise you choose, but use common sense. Keep away from other people.

A kick about between two brothers living in the same house on an otherwise almost empty field = fine. Providing that you can genuinely trust that's all they are doing.

Meeting a group of friends in a crowded park for a kick about = not ok.

As for the poster who said to ask yourself if everyone did it would it be ok? Well you could apply that to anything. If everyone decides to walk down my street at 2.00pm then it would cause problems for social distancing. That's why you use common sense.

@whatdayisitandotherquestions I didn't say that it was these individual people who are at fault here, but as a society we have gone down some wrong paths to end up in this situation and yes, it is very worrying.

However, simply being of lower than average or low intelligence doesn't preclude people from being able to properly risk assess. There are many conditions that might, but lower intelligence on it's own doesn't mean that people can't properly risk assess and I think that going the opposite way and trying to legislate for every scenario and issue that out is actually worse as it wont be read.

The rules should simply be, don't get closer than 2 meters from someone you don't live with, wash your hands regularly and always when entering your home if you've been out, use hand gel as well when you are out and don't touch your face. Go out as little as possible, just for food and exercise once a day. Stay away from other people when you do go out. Don't visit other peoples houses.

Can anyone link me to the government guidelines about what qualifies as exercise? I've only seen it stipulated as "exercise" not specifically "walk, run, or cycle".

We need to fully cooperate and not try to stretch the rules to the maximum, or look for loopholes
Otherwise
- apart from the tragedy of deaths - the economy will go even further down the toilet
We need to be in a position to restart the economy asap

Exactly.

It's driving me mad to keep reading "can I just...after all, it's no worse than going for a walk, I won't see anyone, touch anything, talk to anyone"

Presumably, the scientists have decided what the risk factors are and legislated accordingly.

Two brothers kicking a football about is probably no higher risk than if they did it in their back garden except that you would then get others that joined in or three kids doing it, claiming they're brothers or something.

Before you know it the police are tied up trying to figure out who lives with who.

I just don't see why we can't all just settle down and get this over with as quickly as possible rather than all try and bend the rules until the lock the country down tighter so that none of us can go out at all other than to buy food.

A football match is very different to 2 people from the same house kicking a ball about.

I suspect any talk of football being banned refers to matches.

Because saying you can do exercise either on your own or with members of your household means that kicking a ball about is allowed.