Upset & Disappointed at DD’s Friends

[BrandyandBabycham]

DD has been really good during lockdown. She’s popped across the road to see a couple of her friends but practices social distancing & the other day she stayed on the doorstep when friends stopped to say Hi. But those friends were standing right next to each other. Since then, DD11 has shown me photos of her friends in each other’s houses. On one there were at least 4 girls. It naturally upsets her & makes me so angry that those parents are letting them do that. They go back to school next week so the teacher may have her work cut out with some of them I think! Has anyone else experienced the same?

We saw two girls who were in primary school with dd out walking the other day. Absolutely no distancing at all and they most certainly aren’t from the same household.

Dd questioned what the point of lockdown actually is.

My teenaged DD has seen one friend, socially distanced, and only this week. They all being really good and sensible about it. They just want to go back to school, and realise that it won't happen until the virus stops spreading so much.

There are people of all ages not adhering to social distancing. My DD (14) is being selective about which friends she meets as she knows some are sticking to the rules and others aren't!

My DDs have been really good about it, eldest has met with two friends (not both at the same time), and on only a couple of occasions and goes out only to exercise. She has been in a shop only 3 or so times, and only to pick up essential bits of shopping for the household, she is a student and currently back at home. Younger DD (teen) has only met up with one friend and only once, been out with her sister to exercise and has not been in a shop for the duration of lockdown as there simply been no need for her to. Yes it's been hard as it has for lots of people, and they have seen various online posts from friends who aren't sticking to the rules. OP, I can see why you feel disappointed in your DD's friends parents, it makes you feel like the mean parent for enforcing the rules when others are clearly breaking them.

It's coming up for 10 weeks now where DC will have had no social contact. I can quite understand if some parents are now making evidence-based risk evaluations for their own families and have judged that the benefit for their DC's mental health in particular outweighs any minute risk for someone of that age group.

What hake fish said. Absolutely.

Agree Hakefish

Leave them be. The hysteria has to stop

I think it's important to let your dd know that people will sometimes do things differently. It doesn't mean she has to join in but don't overly criticise her friends - these are her social networks she needs to pick up soon.

Dd2 (14) has been sensible up until now, just meeting up with 1 friend for socially-distanced dog walking and cycling.

But today she's told me she wants to go to a group birthday barbecue on the beach this weekend, and it's fine because 'everyone is meeting up all the time now' .