Has anyone else not taken their kids out since lockdown began?

[Dippitydoodle]

I've not taken my daughters out since lockdown began. We're not in the 'at risk' group, no existing health conditions I'm concerned about or anything. They've not asked to go out and we have a decent sized garden so they're outside at somepoint most days. But I'm beginning to question my judgment. Just curious if your all making the most of the allowed exercise time and going out with the kids? Am I wrong in not taking them for a walk round the block or a run on the field when I go with the dogs?

Mine haven’t been out but we have a huge garden. One of my children has Autism and has a big thing about ‘germs’ before this even happened. We already had loads of gloves, anti black, soap, etc. It would cause more harm to shoehorn them out the door than keep them safe in our large house and garden. My kids will be just fine thanks!

‘ Go on then ... google it .... where's the evidence that children spread it?
I can save you the effort if you like
There isn't any’

^ are you facepalming yourself here?

If you’re infected, you can spread it.

Superspreading regarding covid is more about covid than the person infected. They don’t think anyone is a superspreader. With the average spread of 1.5 per 1 infected isn’t it?

I've taken one out. One has taken himself out and the other hasn't been bothered. I've been out 3/4 days a week, often on my own

We go out for an hour every day. I honestly would go mad if I couldn't do this. I can't understand how people can stay in their houses and gardens for weeks on end. I'd feel so claustrophobic. I think it's the people who like staying in anyway. Like my sister and family. They've never liked going out so they're delighted they can stay in for weeks and feel they have a valid reason to do so. I've always been someone who gets cabin fever if I don't go out.

how do you go from letting in the information that children aren’t superspreaders to suddenly thinking that children cannot spread covid at all?

2+2 =6 and all that.

So if we all spread it equally, why single out keeping children in?

Because they can't socially distance?

Well neither did the jogger who raced past me, or the cyclist who was behind me, or the dog walker, or the shopper stood chatting in the narrow alleyway.

We are going out less as the lock down continues my little one needs to be outside but he's getting more distressed that he cannot interact with people and children to the point it is causing him distress.

We have spoken to his physio. And she had given us lots of exercises we can do on the garden. To overcome not taking him out as the distress was getting too much.

He's happier now and not having meltdowns

I have three teenagers and two of them haven't been out the house and garden at all since lockdown began. They seem ok doing online lessons, spending time on electronics and playing football in the garden.

One of them goes out running. The other two aren't interested in just going for a walk and as teenagers they certainly dont want to be seen walking with me! They can't meet their friends, can't go to the shops, go to the cinema etc... they dont see the point in venturing outside.

‘ So if we all spread it equally, why single out keeping children in?’

Nobody is doing this, apart from at a personal level.

SallyWD. Exactly. Everyone is different and has different priorities in life. Nobody needs to be told by someone who has a differing view that they are wrong.

Beechview. Great post

* The reason for keeping children in is not to save them from dying from covid it's to stop them spreading the virus to people who ARE likely to die.*

But why shouldn’t those more likely to die be the ones that stay in and children be the one that goes out!

We haven't gone for a walk in 6 weeks. But bit of land to run around on, treadmill and other equipment so it's relative isn't it.

Fit healthy families that enjoy fresh air and waking etc - I suspect in the main continue to do so

Families that spent most of free time at home in front of screen etc continue to do so. But now they can justify their way of life by saying they are shielding etc

We were going for a daily walk but then when this good weather came they've been in the garden literally all day playing, scooting etc so haven't been out. When that stops we'll start the walk again.

Yes we have been out at least every couple of days, mainly to the park or for walks. We're only out for about 2 hours as keep away from people as much as possible. I won't let them go in shops.

Dd has been out for a walk with me once since this all started. She much prefers running around in the garden and bouncing on the trampoline. She's constantly on her bike, certainly moving much more than she gets the chance to in school.

Ds hasn't been out since before all this started. The best way to describe him is as a big over friendly dog. He would just run up to people and wouldn't understand why he couldn't say hello to the people we know. His also very reliant on routine, he would expect to be going to our toddler and singing groups, to the shops he likes to pick up his particular snacks and pay for them, to nursery and his normally daily trips to the park. Expecting him to walk a different way and walk past granny's house without visiting would cause a massive melt down. His doing lots of digging in the garden and running around after dd and we're working on meeting his bigger sensory needs using his climbing frame.

Well, for starters @Bringringbring12 children are looked after by adults, who are going out shopping/ going to work.

Children often show no symptoms with covid, so
Parents would be non the wiser.

Just safer to stay away as an adult.

It's whatever works for us and our kids, isn't it?
I don't have very toy-oriented kids. They love screens and they love talking. So when we go out in the garden, we sit on a picnic blanket and talk and identify all the birds coming in, we talk about the different types of plants, clouds. We walk an hour a day in what was once an isolated area in pre-covid days. Every dog walker has discovered it! My kids love plant IDing when we're out as well. We also guess the breeds and mixes of other dogs (we're very 'doggy' people). We need that walk though. We need to move our legs or we get a bit antsy. That's us though. As they say, you do you. Whatever keeps you and your kids at peace is what works!

When you say you are shielding your non vulnerable children by not taking them out for a walk “from the realities of lockdown” what do you mean?

That people some people are dying and some people are recovering and some people aren’t even having mild symptoms from a contagious illness?

That the government has advised we keep 2 meters from people? I take mine to woods etc, so easy to keep 2 metres away. Do you not live in an area where social distancing is possible?

@Harakeke if you're shielding then it doesn't allow for exercise, it's house or garden only

Inthepurple

Aware there's no Govt edict regarding singling children out (well in the UK).

My response was in reply to posts like this.

The reason for keeping children in is not to save them from dying from covid it's to stop them spreading the virus to people who ARE likely to die.

The reason for keeping children in is not to save them from dying from covid it's to stop them spreading the virus to people who ARE likely to die.

But why shouldn’t those more likely to die be the ones that stay in and children be the one that goes out!

This

It really pissed me off when people refer to staying home as being 'so sad'. Or causing mental health problems for children. If you're shielding you don't have a choice. It makes me feel pretty shit actually, so I'm shielding baby DS for his own safety but apparently causing him a whole raft of mental health, emotional and developmental problems in doing so 🤪

I'm another one who can't see what's different between taking DS around our garden to look at the different plants and birds, playing with him on the grass, putting the paddling pool out so he can splash around, pushing him in his buggy around the grass and deck, and walking around the block seeing as our local park is shut and we live in a built up area. It's much more.pleasant to be in our garden than walking around the increasingly busy roads.
But I don't judge anyone for doing just that, or think it's sad that they don't like being at home etc etc
There is definitely a superior tone to some of the posts on this thread

I have three teenagers and two of them haven't been out the house and garden at all since lockdown began.

So despite my very sunny post above, I do have an 18-year-old who has adopted this sort of monastic vampire lifestyle, shielding in his room. But even that's getting boring and he's been joining us in the garden all weekend and on dog walks! The rainy week ahead will send him back into his lair.