Can teenage daughter have friends around if younger children in bed?

[Janus]

We are a larger family, we have 4 children. One is at uni (sort of, to and fro) so sometimes there’s 5 of us
With the new rule next week I’m wondering If the younger 2 are up in bed could teenage daughter have a few friends around?? So 2 adults in the lounge, daughter and say 3 friends in kitchen, totals 6 with 2 in bed upstairs. Have downstairs loo so won’t need to go upstairs. What do you think?

@Janus

We do have a summer house with heating but no loo! So they could be out there? And if they need the loo come in one at a time? Beginning to think it’s too much like trying to break the rules though?

It’s the needing the loo etc that means you are all starting to mingle together. You will be sharing a confined space air, soap, towels, door locks and light switches. Unfortunately this is how it spreads.

Outside in the summer house and cross their legs, then fine.

Every person counts in England rather than age.

I suspect gardens will count as part of the household so as to avoid people having six indoors and six outside.

@Notthisnotthat

Nope too many households

That's not the case. The ridiculous new rules say the 6 people can come from 6 different households..

I think the 'meeting up' needs some clarification.

I'm no Dominic Cummings. I try hard not to do anything that risks community spreading. Not look for loopholes that allow me to carry on regardless. I am just getting so so so frustrated with such confusing communication. I work at a college and their message is really confusing me. So how. An we expect students to comply when they have no idea what they're supposed to be complying with???

Don't think my pic attached.

Are we waiting for the specifics to be outlined? I think the crossing the legs may be the way to go! We have a side gate they can come through so can put dettol spray by that and say each person spray before opening the gate and put hand wash out in the summer house?
My younger two are relatively ok, school going well, see their friends at school etc. It’s the teenage ones I feel are struggling more and missing socialising. I know they see eachother at college but not for very long and all on different courses. If they could just sit and have a good chat and laugh I’d feel better for all their mental health.

@BritneyS

This is the rule/guideline/law (who even knows now): “From Monday 14 September, you must not meet with people from other households socially in groups of more than 6.”

Well the two younger kids wouldnt be meeting with anyone socially. The group of people meeting socially would total 4.

Ridiculous to think young children count in this 6, babies hardly socialise now do they!

Personally I'd say if your younger 2 are in bed then they're not socialising, so it really shouldn't be an issue.

I imagine that this will like the first lockdown, when things will be "clarified" over the coming days.

What has been published so far is the guidance, but the definitive legal position depends on the wording of the actual legislation which, when I checked a short while ago, had not yet been published.

The guidance only refers to the actual meeting, not the number of people in the household - see below. If you're certain the younger children will be asleep and not wandering, I'd say the letter of the law would allow it. Whether you follow the spirit of it would be your call!

Well at least I don’t feel quite so bad posting! It seems the rules aren’t quite as clear as at first glance. As I’ve said, I’m not looking for loopholes either. I’m a complete wuss and like to follow rules, I just want to do what’s ‘right’/‘legal’!

This question was asked on LBC and they said children/people are in their bedroom they don't count in the six

I agree re “not looking for loopholes” but also believe that we need to take risk assessments where the guidance isn’t crystal clear. If your two youngest are asleep and the teenage friends aren't running around licking the walls then I can’t see what the added risk is personally. Let them inside the house, let them use the bathroom, encourage social distancing and hand washing. Give everything a wipe down after they leave (or get your teenagers to of course).

@DarkHelmet

Ridiculous to think young children count in this 6, babies hardly socialise now do they!

Personally I'd say if your younger 2 are in bed then they're not socialising, so it really shouldn't be an issue.

Babies don’t but toddlers and preschoolers are likely to be the least to respect social distancing or cleanliness. I do wish children didn’t count in the total though.

If they could just sit and have a good chat and laugh I’d feel better for all their mental health.

Agreed.

@BubbleShot

This question was asked on LBC and they said children/people are in their bedroom they don't count in the six

Who said?

Surely your teen would have to social distance from her friends, in which case you would need an unusually large home to accommodate more than one at a time?

@SunbathingDragon but if they're in bed, I really can't see a problem.

6+2 = 8. The law says no more than 6 so no, of course you can't.

You will be sharing a confined space air, soap, towels, door locks and light switches. Unfortunately this is how it spreads.

The spread is far more by distancing than by surfaces.

Do you know what? The legislation hasn't been released yet. So all the people saying what you can't do are just guessing.
It's ridiculous that people have been left in limbo since the announcement and we still don't know what the actual law will say.

Ah interesting BubbleShot thank you.
Younger ones aren’t young, 9 and 12, so they will know if I say stay upstairs it means stay upstairs!!

@Mindymomo

The rule is 6 IN A HOUSE. You could live in a mansion with outhouses, annexes etc and the rule is the same.

You’ve made that up.

Nobody knows the answer to this because the guidance is unspecific on this, and the law has not yet been published.

I don’t think they’ve said that those 6 have to social distance have they? (Again, genuine question, maybe they have??). Most of her friends are at a college together and get the local bus sitting next to each other!