How would the bubble work?

[onemorepringle]

Would you have to register details? If so, where and with whom? If not, how could they realistically police it?

Government guidance says they’re considering allowing two households to join. Is there any chance it could be more? Or do you just have to pick your favourite set of parents / grandparents?

Obviously I realise that not everyone has parents (and we have six between us due to DH’s step-parents) but I just think allowing three households would allow for more situations than two.

I expect I’ll get jumped on now but I just don’t get how it’s meant to work.

If we have this option, I will have to choose between grandparents and sending kids to school. An awful choice

Turtle I am sorry you are on your own and hopefully this will allow you to see someone else, like the ability to meet someone in the park now has. But please don’t make assumptions that just because someone doesn’t live alone that they have it isn’t hard for them and they are not lonely. My husband works away so I am at home with a 6 month old baby a lot of the time. I don’t technically live alone and under the most recent guidance I still can’t go and meet someone else as we will be two people (me and my son). So for me if we can mix with one other household that would allow me to do what a lot of people can already do- speak to someone face to face (albeit 2m away). I have divorced parents locally, grandparents and close friends. Yes it will be hard to say only one and the change in rules will always have those it won’t help but you have to start somewhere. I’m hugely frustrated that the recent rule change has made no difference to me being able to see anyone and seem very random at times (garden versus park etc) but we have to start somewhere. So for me the fact I can’t see someone face to face yet is outweighed by the fact that someone else who is struggling to can.

But please don’t make assumptions that just because someone doesn’t live alone that they have it isn’t hard for them and they are not lonely.

Indeed. I think none of us really know what’s going on for each other, and while I’m sorry to hear that anyone feels lonely or undervalued, this is never going to be a perfect system.

I agree this isn’t really going to help many people who live alone. My family are a long way away. My partner left six months ago. I have friends, but they have their own families to prioritise (which itself will be fraught with difficulties as others have said). I’m quite prepared for this to make no difference to my life whatsoever, if indeed it ever does get off the ground.

lostandlockeddown
Sounds like your ex burst that social bubble... Leaving you free to form a new one if the rules go that way. All the best to you x

Relies on every single person being completely trustworthy and sticking to the list.

Hmmmmm.

A bubble would be so good for my dad. My brother and I are bother 100+ miles away.

One of our cousins and his wife have been amazing, they are both key workers and have shopped for him from the start, take the shopping nad then stand back while my dad takes it in.

He has really good next door neighbours and adding them toi his houshold of 1 would give him an actuall human being to talk to and share a glass of wine with, but it means if he runs out of something he can pop next door and his neigbours could do the same.

One of my friends is disabled and lives in a flat with no garden, I think with the bubble I could collect her (she doesn't drive) and we could sit in the garden.

@sashh that sounds wonderful for your friend and very kind of you if you could do that.
I think we can dig holes in any guidance that comes out and I’m not saying the government have handled this well but for someone to be able to have that would be lovely. You sound like a very caring person.

I think this is a great idea. Really don't understand why people are complaining about it to be honest. Yes, you might have to let someone down, but we were never going to be able to see the whole family. It's better than nothing and, well, if picking is too "hard" then continue on as you are now?

I'll be picking my mum and dad. They're very isolated and she's always looked after DD. I'll be a new mum to DD2 by then if it's brought in and the extra support and company while I'm on mat leave would be priceless. She also misses DD hugely.

I'm sure some will be disappointed to not be picked and meet baby but ultimately you need to pick based on the greatest mutual improvement to both people's situation.

I think this is a great idea. Really don't understand why people are complaining about it to be honest
Well, it's mumsnet, what do you expect? I've never come across such a negative group of people in my whole life.
Obviously there needs to be flexibility and common sense applied here, and some people will still be isolated and lonely, sadly, but it should be helpful for a lot of people. The government can't be expected to know everybody's individual circumstances so people will have to work the details out for themselves within their family and friendship groups.

Haven't rtft but I don't think this concept is going to help for that many single people or lone households. If your family are too far away, you can't choose them, and you're not going to be able to combine with friends because friends will have their own families to try and see.

I think it could add to the isolation people on their own or on their own with DC are feeling.

@feelingverylazytoday yes that’s it in a nutshell. The change where you can meet someone else one on one didn’t help me but has had helped lots of other people. It sucks and is frustrating for me but no change the government makes is going to be a catch all. A bubble will help me and a lot of others I know. Atm I can’t meet anyone one on one but with this I would be able to see my mum or whatever household we joined with. It would enable me to see someone else one on one as my little boy would be looked after while I could go and meet my sister for a walk for example (at the 2m distance).

Bluebellpainting

Nothing to do with being caring, she's a fab friend and feeling very locked in.

I don’t know how it will work for me, my DD not seen her dad since lockdown because we live with my Nan, had FaceTime etc and is a key worker. I’d pick him for my bubble but his new wife has grown up daughter who has not seen her mother since lockdown who obviously would pick her mum so that would be 3 households mixing 🤦‍♀️

Nan had shielding letter as well