Kids playing together

[SunshineSally46]

I have seen no end of photos on social media lately of people allowing kids from different households to play together. Although the rules state we can now meet up outside I thought the 2 meter distancing rule still applied yet these kids are hugging and playing together in paddling pools and things like that. It's not ok yet is it?

My dc would love to see their friends but even though they are older I can't guarantee they will all keep their distance when excitable and playing so I haven't let them yet. Have you?

[Rollercoasteride]

I was just about to do a post about kids on the street playing out. This week we have seen a massive change.

Kids knocking on the door to see if DS(10) was playing out.
I let him have a chat outside, but was constantly reminding them to keep 2m apart. I was sick to death of telling them so DS came in.
Luckily DS understands, but I do worry about him being the house so much.

I wondered if I was over reacting...but we are both asthmatic

[JassyRadlett]

Are some posters actually suggesting people should to continue to do what is actively causing their children mental distress for the greater good?

Yes.

Children must be punished for the moral failing of being largely unaffected by the virus.

[Pootle40]

Here here @Tulipstulips

[thaegumathteth]

Dd has seen one friend at a time as is allowed and has kept a 2m distance. They've done hula hooping, cycling, dancing, chatting, running through a sprinkler. She's 9.

Ds hasn't because his friends are meeting in groups of 6+ and not social distancing at all. He's 13.

[Tulipstulips]

@JassyRadlett completely agree. So sorry your 8 yo is struggling - it feels like so many people are prepared to chuck the young under a metaphorical bus, but act all morally superior about the ‘greater good’ if we parents try to ameliorate the ill effects even a little. The facts are, at this stage lockdown is acting against the greater good, in order to protect a tiny minority, and two five year olds who have isolated for two months holding hands on a country walk isn’t going to raise the R number.

[bloodyhellsbellsx]

Are some posters actually suggesting people should to continue to do what is actively causing their children mental distress for the greater good?

Surely no parent acts like this?! It’s terrible that covid has taken peoples lives prematurely but my child comes first in my eyes and my life and if going to meet a friend would help alleviate some mental struggle they were suffering I would do it in a heartbeat!

[Mayhemmumma]

It seems mad that (some) can go back to school with children where you don't know their circumstances but not meet up with friends you know well.
I'm meeting up with my best friend and children now, two of our four children are back at school/nursery,, we are working and going to the supermarket all the while our eldest- both 8 years old haven't seen a soul or been anywhere for a long time. Sometimes mental health needs to be thought about too.

[JassyRadlett]

@Tulipstulips It’s horrible isn’t it. I have two but my 8yo has really suffered, as mentioned above. It’s horrible to watch. His brother going back to nursery and DH going back to work full time (he was on forced part time previously) has compounded it.

So yes, we need to find the little pockets where they can have a tiny semblance of normality. As I said earlier, I won’t pretend that my kid and his friend were 2m apart throughout their bike ride and playing in the park. They tried. They sometimes forgot. But the difference to him was immense.

I feel so sad that children’s wellbeing and mental health is seen by so many as acceptable collateral damage, and is given so little priority.

[Tulipstulips]

Ah ok! Yes. His mental health at one wouldn’t have suffered! But he’s really been struggling, especially the last few weeks. DH and I both have to work from home full time, and though we’re doing our best taking leave and working in shifts, he’s lonely and fed up and it’s awful basically. Two play dates outside and he has been so much happier this week. We really stressed very hard not to hug or kiss and they didn’t but we hadn’t thought to say ‘don’t hold hands’ or ‘don’t play tag’ and I guess at five they’re all very literal.

[NerrSnerr]

@Tulipstulips even I misread it! 'An only one'. Got it now.

[NerrSnerr]

@Tulipstulips I think you missed the 'year' out so it reads that your one year old- a baby's mental health was suffering when it's likely a one year old won't know any different.

[Tulipstulips]

@ToothFairyNemesis I’m sorry, I’m not sure what you mean? Are you contesting the fact that my son’s mental health was suffering? Are you contesting the fact that we hadn’t seen anyone else since March? Or do you think a five year old should just suck up social isolation, loneliness and distress?

[TakemetoGreeceplease]

That's why we shouldn't set up our individual rules

But other than a couple of posters who said their very young children didn't socially distance no-one's breaking any rules by allowing their dc to play with dc from one other family on any given day as long as they're not all over each other. That is allowed.

[TheMurk]

@Tulipstulips I agree.

[Tholeonagain]

Hi all I’ve just submitted a question for the government briefing asking when official provision will be given relating to the need for the majority of children who are not yet in school to play as safely as possible with each other. It might be worth others doing the same...

[ToothFairyNemesis]

My son is an only one and his mental health was getting steadily worse. So yes, I will do me.
I have read everything now!

[Tulipstulips]

My son is an only one and his mental health was getting steadily worse. So yes, I will do me. Thanks!

You do know that you can’t transmit a disease if neither party has it, don’t you? Neither group we met (outside) have seen anyone else for literally months. I really do despair at the lack of critical thinking some of you show. Going for a walk with another family who haven’t been out for months isn’t the same as going to the beach and being exposed to hundreds of people!

[Stuckforthefourthtime]

@tulipstulips We took a calculated risk... which is what we’re all going to have to start doing unless we want to live in lockdown until there’s a vaccine

Or, you know, until we get the current number of cases under control, which won't happen when multiple play dates a week are going on. But hey, you do you!

[Tulipstulips]

I have had a couple of play dates this last week. We told the children no hugging, no kissing - but they were rough housing and holding hands within half an hour of meeting up. At the moment around 0.01% of the population has covid19, and both families I met haven’t seen anyone else (and nor have we) since March. We took a calculated risk... which is what we’re all going to have to start doing unless we want to live in lockdown until there’s a vaccine.

[Nonotthatdr]

@manicinsomniac

The spirit of the rules is that eyfs kids are permitted/encouraged to play with each other in childcare environments, it’s not adding any other risk than that already permitted.

Childcare environments not available to us so I cannot socialise my dd witching the rules at present however If I register as a childminder with my local authority it becomes ok to have a child round (and them there allowed inside as well!).. might go off to google how to do that, but I’m certain the filling in of a registration form does not stop covid.

[RC000]

@Needsomegoodies and @manicinsomniac I COMPLETELY agree. It is selfish not to follow guidelines. You can justify any breaking of them however you wish. But it doesn't make it okay.

[Needsomegoodies]

@manicinsomniac I totally agree. Each person can have their own valid argument and their own interpretation of minuscule risk but that’s the thing about statistics - all of the numbers are someone. If we all make our own lax interpretation then transmission increases. It’s not about what that means for individual risk, it’s what that means for the whole country. Less than 10% infected so far.

My family has had it (and I’ve still got lingering issues after 12 weeks) but I’m not letting that change the responsibility I feel to prevent others getting it for now if I can.

[CornishYarg]

The government didn't give any hope of this in their road map, a critical oversight that's left people feeling desperate.

Exactly this

[LockdownLou]

@whatswithtodaytoday

So you’re basing your one perspective on the needs of roughly 8 million children? Because you were an only child and didn’t get out much for five years? Tbh I think that shows.

[Tonkerbea]

@Drivingdownthe101 fair enough, my two seem to be coping (though who can tell what long term repercussions might be), so I've not been driven to organise free play with other households. Though I'd like to, I'm very conscious that in some areas, if transmission increases, we could tip back over R1.

Of course I don't like the lack of socialisation for children, its an awful sacrifice they're having to make. I do think if bubbles with other families had been allowed, people wouldn't feel the need to take matters into their own hands. The government didn't give any hope of this in their road map, a critical oversight that's left people feeling desperate.