Teenage daughter socialising again - keeping us safe, what really makes a difference?

[loveyouradvice]

Okay, please don't flame me for this - teen daughter socialising again after very tough lockdown - and we're supporting her with doing this with some clear limits. Has quite a large bubble of friends (15) who meet up, usually in smaller groups 3-4 times a week, often outside but not always, not social distancing (very few teens locally are), hand washing and masks when out and about. We have let them into our house, again with limits - one large room only

OH and I are following the rules ourselves, and have really enjoyed having mates round for SD supper outside. I'm a bit vulnerable, and aiming to get fitter and lose weight.

Realistically, with case rates right down, what do you think are the best ways to minimise my risks?

My thoughts:

• Be a bit more SD from daughter - sit a good metre apart at dinner, hug and kiss her but briefly, no long hugs watching movie together, washing my hands a bit more and not sharing cutlery
• Wiping down room after her mates have been here, and ensuring nothing edible out we might then consume
• talking to her mates briefly, but not for more than 2-3 mins unless SD in garden

But not to worry about these any longer:

• wiping down shopping
• okay to sit on sofa in the big room soon after they've left, etc

And generally to be a bit more relaxed... recognising I'm unlikely to catch from anyone unless closer than 1.5metres for a good 10+ minutes - that public transport potentially still risky but most other things not.

I'm keen to enable my teen to be able to socialise again as much as possible, especially given how much they have lost and how friendships are what will sustain them as they move into a very tough employment market.......while also minimising my own risks

Thanks all...I totally get that her "bubble" is not the bubbles we have previously talked about when risk of transmission was high - I was using it in the sense that they are talking about "bubbles" in schools, so recognise that each participant has a whole family/friend group beyond that..

It is all about risk mitigation and balancing things - so DH and I follow the rules ourselves, but have decided that having followed then faithfully until now, DD is to be allowed more contact with friends. Balancing the risk to her mental health/wellbeing to be far greater. It is outside the rules, I agree and we have talked about that with her carefully: we are not normally rule breakers.

I'm hearing loud and clear the biggest thing I can do is make sure they don't come into the house - I think we will reintroduce that as very sensible.

Where I get confused is why would she change all her clothes on return? Is there really evidence that in a non-Covid environment (ie outside hospitals, etc), this extra precaution is necessary? Or is it one to introduce if one wants to add another layer of protection.

I'm also confused that people think its fine to have a cleaner in every room of your house provided you air it well after they've gone... yes within the law, but isn't this a significant risk?

She can meet up for socially distanced meets in the park but that’s it

My ds is 17 and is the same. Since the rules relaxed he's met up with up to 3 friends 5 or 6 times. Always outside in a park. And he says one of the girls has a vulnerable parent, so they do stay 2m apart. But when she's not there I suppose they are more relaxed and sit closer together.

Otherwise he does athletics, they don't always stay 2m apart but they don't move at the same pace when training so they can be 20m apart most of the time.

OP I don’t think anyone knows for sure but guidance is about social distancing/minimising social contacts (even if outdoors etc. Your lassiez faire guide to parenting and adaption of the guidance to suit yourself makes life much harder on the rest of us who are trying to do the right thing to protect ourselves if we are shielding or have diagnosed underlying health conditions, elderly family members etc.
Some of us have teenagers who are similarly struggling. Yet some families let their teenagers 14-17 year olds gather in the words near us in April doing drugs, having alcohol, sex, littering and setting fire to trees.

OP, I really wouldn't be letting them inside. DD tells me she's meeting up with friends and they're SD and it's been easy to do so. In fact, she got annoyed yesterday as she went to town and no one in the shops was SD.