Is there nothing for toddlers?

[Redolent]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems like the latest relaxation measures still have no provisions for toddlers. Trying to pull my 18 month old away from friends / family is impossible. So I’ll just have to accept that we can’t see anyone else, or we strap her into the pram the whole time, and that the one way she’ll gain (permitted) social interaction is if I send her to nursery?

Have you looked at the government guidelines?

If toddlers aren’t specifically mentioned then she’s included in the 6 people can meet.

Yup. They seem to have completely overlooked a fair chunk of the population have young children who just will not socially distance or rather, doesn’t understand the concept and some are too young to understand instructions! Are we therefore not to see anyone?! But I can send her to nursery to mix with other children who I don’t know if there families are carefully following the rules 🤷🏼‍♀️

Yes they've forgotten children all along.

Our preschool isnt opening. I'm hoping to meet with my 3YOs best friend. We adults will social distance and let the kids pay. This is against the "rules" but if the preschool was open they would play together and also with 5 or 6 other kids.

I’d love to meet my parents, but I know my 4 year old would not be able to stay away from them. Or his cousins. He’s been so good with following the rules and understanding to stay away from random people on our walks, but I know he couldn’t do it with people he knows. He will be going back to preschool next week and as an only child I’m so relieved he will finally be able to play with someone other than me and my husband.

@UnderTheBus

Yes they've forgotten children all along.

Our preschool isnt opening. I'm hoping to meet with my 3YOs best friend. We adults will social distance and let the kids pay. This is against the "rules" but if the preschool was open they would play together and also with 5 or 6 other kids.

This seems sensible… I might wait a while then propose this to some NCT friends.

We’ve already organised family and friends coming over to see us and our toddler. Social distancing won’t happen with her and they are fine with that. I feel it’s their decision to make. If she was a year older she’d be in nursery mixing with children. It is what it is. Her grandparents are not going to come over without cuddling her and I think the government know this!

Its difficult OP.
I actually cried today about it, I'm so happy people can see their families I really am, but DD is 2 and I know theres no way she can sit in the same garden as her auntie or cousin or someone and not go running straight to them. So like you I feel like I probsbly still wont be able to see anyone.

It is hard with toddlers.

However, what 'provision' could they possibly make?

It's a VIRUS, it's beyond their control. The virus is passed human to human

• they can't stop that. There's nothing they can say/do to stop the transmission of the virus - so what CAN they do?

I thought this was going to be a thread moaning about the lack of softplay/outdoor play areas/swimming pools/tumble tots/farms/anything that will properly tire a toddler out. But that must just be me

@PeppasMuddyPuddles

Its difficult OP. I actually cried today about it, I'm so happy people can see their families I really am, but DD is 2 and I know theres no way she can sit in the same garden as her auntie or cousin or someone and not go running straight to them. So like you I feel like I probsbly still wont be able to see anyone.

Awww I know it’s so tough :( hang in there. For little children I’d take quality of interaction (including physical proximity) with a couple of people, over quantity any day.

@IncrediblySadToo I have to agree. If you feel your toddler can not be kept away for others in a social setting (understandable), I am not sure what the government could do to improve that.

Well op we have it on good authority that if you have a small child you can interpret the rules how you see fit . I personally am the proud owner of a 4yo which is the holy grail of needing to bend the rules.
Could you go for a drive, and conveniently stop at a wood for a wee and a play?

I think if you're going to risk seeing people, now is the time to do it. Weigh up the risks to everyone very very carefully though. Better not to see grandparents for a few months than risk giving them CV and never seeing them. It's difficult, just be careful 🌷

@IncrediblySadToo

It is hard with toddlers.

However, what 'provision' could they possibly make?

It's a VIRUS, it's beyond their control. The virus is passed human to human

• they can't stop that. There's nothing they can say/do to stop the transmission of the virus - so what CAN they do?

I know that household transmission is about as risky as it gets. I would love the idea of seeing one different household every two weeks, and no more than that. That would prevent asymptomatic transmission as much as possible.But I know that with our current rate of infection we are nowhere near ready for that. It still sucks though.

I get what people are saying btw, I don't think theres anything they can really do to prevent it. Its just difficult I think, however I know its difficult for everyone especially people shielding.

For little children I’d take quality of interaction (including physical proximity) with a couple of people, over quantity any day.

I know what you mean by this, I sometimes wonder how it's ok for her to see 6 people in the garden but cant give her Granny a cuddle when neither of them have left the house for 8 weeks, but I suppose the rules have to be set to be fair to the majority.

People don't seem to understand here that the government can't magic up bespoke arrangements to suit people - all they can do is issue general guidelines and you as an adult need to weigh up the desire (see family) against downside (potential virus transmission. If the grandparents are in good health and younger then the risks of a toddler running up to them is lower than elderly, ill grandparents.

But I don't know what you want the government to say about todders: crack on and let them hug their grandparents? Open up toddler groups so they can play with other toddlers?

It's exactly the same as the extremely vulnerable saying they feel forgotten about. It's shit and so isolating but what is the answer? The virus is still there. It's still as transmittable as it was. It's still as deadly to some as it was. The extremely vulnerable can make the decision to ignore the rules - they're not under house arrest, they would just have to do so accepting the risk - the NHS is no way near stretched at the moment for individuals to make that choice.

If YOU and your family are willing to accept the risk of your toddler passing corona virus on to your family (or vise versa), plus accept the risk that the family member may then pass it on asysptomatically to someone who then dies from it, then go for it. We all risk assess our lives daily - nothing we choose to do is risk free. If you want to meet family and choose to accept the risks (just as you accept the risks that go along with travelling there, etc) then no one is actually going to stop you. Just do it in the full knowledge that you may be adding to the slower decline of the virus and the daily death rate not droppingasquickly as it could, plus your choice may ultimately be responsible for someone's death. I don't mean that in a guilt-trip sense at all - I've ade the choice to break some lockdown rules slightly. Every time we get behind the wheel we take the risk that we may be responsible for someone's death.

OP I feel the same. I had hoped we might be able to mix with one other household outside without social distancing so DD could hug her grandparents

@VoyageInTheDark

OP I feel the same. I had hoped we might be able to mix with one other household outside without social distancing so DD could hug her grandparents

But this is what I don't understand!!

I get it's shit when you have toddlers- in SO many ways!

But Irrespective of what Boris the 🤡 says the risk to the Grandparents is exactly the same. Almost 60,000 EXCESS deaths from a VIRUS. Boris telling you it's ok to let your toddler hug her grandparents isn't actually going to make it safe to do so!

Could you put your toddler in a highchair with a snack?

I agree. I accept that toddler groups will not be opening any time soon but I don't really see why playgrounds can't be opened. I feel so sad when we walk past them and they are chained up and overgrown. I am almost always with my two and feel that they are really being excluded from public life. People disapprove when they are taken into shops etc even if they're strapped in a pram and well behaved. I think they are supposed to just be kept at home.

@Abbccc

Could you put your toddler in a highchair with a snack?

That’s an idea...

Thank god for the portable Antilop!

Playgrounds are closed because the virus lives for a long time on metal surfaces.

I feel the same. I have a 19 month old DS and I relied heavily on toddler groups for my mental health in particular. But he got a lot out of them too.
I’m now starting to worry that he won’t see another child properly again for years, maybe even until he starts school.
I’m tempted to message other mums from playgroups and see if they want to meet up and attempt to socially distance from one another.