Is this going to work? - bubbles

[SophieRay]

So as of Saturday I, as a single adult household with DC under 18 can bubble with another household. I choose DP.

Children can go between parents still and still bubble with another household.

DP has DC who go between him and their mum - so therefore 3 households.

My DC will be seeing their dad - so now 4 households.

He is a single adult and will no doubt choose to bubble with his girlfriend - 5 households.

Her children have been seeing their dad - so 6 households. No idea of their dads situation, but if he is a single adult he may choose to bubble with a partner/girlfriend therefore increasing this even more.

Pretty sure this isn't what the government intended, however all perfectly legal from Saturday - I'm not complaining as can't wait to see DP, but I have got this right, haven't I??

Sorry, but if your children are seeing their Dad you are already in a bubble with his household and shouldn't be forming another bubble with another household.

Agree with pp.
You are already part of a bubble.

I'm confused now as this is what it states on the Evening Standard website:

What about parents who are separated but who currently split childcare? (we don't split childcare by the way, they just wanted to see him)

Children can continue to travel between both parents' homes.

If the parents are the only adult in the household they can form a bubble with another household – meaning the children could potentially be in two bubbles, one for each parent.

Yep all that’s perfectly fine! The main point of it is to help with loneliness everyone on their own is possibly suffering quite badly from.

If parents are separated and share childcare, this carries on as normal and doesn’t affect a single parent being able to form a bubble. From the government website:

If you share custody of your child with someone you do not live with
Children with separated parents are already permitted to move between both households and there is no change to that. From 13 June, it will also be permitted for those households – if there is only a single adult in them – to form a support bubble with another household.

However, it is very important that if someone in any of these linked households shows coronavirus symptoms, or is otherwise self-isolating, you should all stay at home. This is critical to controlling the virus, by avoiding a chain of transmission.

That is such a relief Harriet and 40something, was worried when read previous PPs. Thank you for confirming, does seem a bit mad when it means the bubble is 6 different households though.

Yup OP, I've been thinking about this too.

In general, people need to think very carefully about who they choose to bubble with, for all sorts of reasons.

It highlights some considerations in the guidance but these aren't in what was announced or what's being reported upon.

www.gov.uk/guidance/meeting-people-from-outside-your-household?utm_source=e51a81c3-504a-48be-9355-469253c88f96

I agree with you OP - it’s madness!!

My sister co-parents with her Ex, so the children go between his and her house.

Her Ex lives with a new partner and she has 2 children from a previous partner, so those children are going back and forth too.

My sister will be ‘bubbling’ with her partner as they don’t live together. He has a child with his ex-partner so that child is also going between homes. The mother of those children is also going to bubble with her new partner (they don’t live together) and his children - who are also split between both parents homes.

So yes.... 5 to 6 households all coming in contact with each other but I can’t have my mom over for a cup of tea.

It’s madness.

I think you have it right.
However, as a household, unless a single adult chooses us, we are a solo unit. Still no mixing of households allowed here.
So, while some households will be in a chain like yours, others will be still totally seperate bubbles. It is raising the risk of Corona transmission slightly while alleviating much of the loneliness those isolating in single adult households have been enduring.

Yes, the extended bubble consequence is inevitable in these sorts of situations. But the Govt will know that, and realistically if they had said "ah, but if your kids move between homes you can't bubble" you remove many of the people this is specifically aimed at!

We are easing our way out, and this is one of the steps. The additional risk, if everyone involved is reasonably sensible, is very small now.

The thing is, just because you can doesn't mean that it's safe or that you should do it. You are being allowed to, not forced to!

You need to look at the situation and make your own risk assessment within the guidelines.

Personally, I'd not want to "bubble" with 6+ additional households, many of whom I wouldn't know well enough to feel confident about how well they are sticking to guidelines/how good their hygiene was/whether they would self isolate etc. So in the situation you are in, I'd choose not to bubble as I think it would pose too big a risk that is easily avoidable. You, however, knowing your own circumstances, the people involved etc and must make your own risk assessment, and do what you consider best to keep your family safe.

I'm not sure the kids would be allowed to go both their dad's mum and dad's girlfriends houses. Isn't that two bubbles?

But apart from that it sounds right. No system will be perfect. I'll be bubbling with my parents and I don't think the kids' dad is planning to bubble with anyone. We're both single and his parents are shielding.

Thank you for the replies, I know it isn't helping everyone but after being on my own (with DC) for 3 months it really is the best news and wasn't expecting it to happen yet!

mrsm - I would much rather not bubble in six households, just with DP - but he will still be seeing his DC. That would just be 3 households.

I have absolutely no interest in being in a bubble with DC dad as we do not even talk, there is no support and no childcare - however DC would like to see him and it is allowed and there is a court order in place so I don't see I have any choice in that.

Obviously I have no control over who their dad bubbles with and wouldn't even know. I just think it highly likely it will be the girlfriend and I know her kids have been seeing their dad.

If I could choose then it would be DP household and his kids mum - 3 households, obviously still don't know what goes on in his kids mum's household but it would reduce the risk of 6 households. That's not a choice I am allowed to make though.

*mrsm - I would much rather not bubble in six households, just with DP - but he will still be seeing his DC. That would just be 3 households.

I have absolutely no interest in being in a bubble with DC dad as we do not even talk, there is no support and no childcare - however DC would like to see him and it is allowed and there is a court order in place so I don't see I have any choice in that.

Obviously I have no control over who their dad bubbles with and wouldn't even know. I just think it highly likely it will be the girlfriend and I know her kids have been seeing their dad.

If I could choose then it would be DP household and his kids mum - 3 households, obviously still don't know what goes on in his kids mum's household but it would reduce the risk of 6 households. That's not a choice I am allowed to make though.*

No that's not a choice that you get to make.

Your DC's relationship his Dad trumps yours with your DP, I'm afraid.

You do not have to bubble with your DP. This would significantly reduce the number of households you bubble with.

You can decide that the additional risk to you and your DC from seeing your DP is worth it, or not worth it. Equally your DP can decide whether or not the additional risk to him and his family of seeing you and your DC is worth it or not worth it.

Personally I'd 100% choose mine and my children's safety over seeing a DP, but I'm clinically vulnerable, so that influences my decision. As I said, you have to make your own risk assessment of whether or not you wish to take the additional risk to your family of adding your DP and everyone he is bubbled with to your own bubble.

Princess:
"but I can’t have my mom over for a cup of tea."

But you now can.

I'm starting to doubt covid.
This bubble thing at least is relaxing things.

Oblomov - why are you doubting covid?

I believe it’s allowed. Kind of crazy when one household of two can’t meet up with another household of two. The only thing is, if one of you gets any of the symptoms, then everyone in the six household bubble will have to isolate for 14 days. So I guess it means you will just have a higher chance of this happening.

This might come as a surprise OP, but not everyone has the sort of extended range of shared parenting that your particular group of adults has. The children should already have been moving between households, so this just adds a few connections more. The additional risk to those few households is balanced against the people who are entirely on their own as an adult at the moment. Rates are reducing, life will slowly open up again.

Do what you want, just don’t post on Mumsnet for validation. Works for me!

Because I'm just fed up with the governments and schools response.

They haven't made long term plans to get kids back to school.

Plus less people have died in our area, borough, than what they would have done in a normal spring!

So covid isn't that bad here!

It would have been allowed anyway if you had moved in with your dp.