Is lockdown particularly tough for an only child

[MissPoldark]

I’m wondering about the potential to allow only children to officially bubble with a friend.
I think lockdown is especially difficult for children with no brothers or sisters at home to play with.

Single adults were allowed to bubble with another household, what do we think of the idea that single children could also do this?

I absolutely appreciate that lockdown is difficult for all sorts of people in different circumstances, but this strikes me as being something not too unreasonable that could be considered.

We can’t have a never ending list of exceptions, I know that. It’s just an idea that I think would really help the mental health and continuing social development of many children.

I felt so sad for only children during lockdown, I actually thought they should have been allowed back in school as a priority like key workers children.

My dc argue a lot and don't have loads in common, but I was so grateful they had each other during lockdown.

DS is 4 and it broke my heart in lockdown to see him lonely. DP and I were both furloughed/not working but he’s very sociable and desperately missed his GPs and other people. We enjoyed lockdown as a whole and we were lucky that as a family we enjoyed most of it, but it really heightened the grief I feel that DP doesn’t want another baby.

...partly because of DS being an only child!

My 5 year old benefitted from being an only child. My workload was crazy during lockdown, so my limited spare time could be focused on her. We're lucky that she's good at playing by herself.

The moment that the rules allowed, we arranged regular meet ups outside.

Although we've been ok, the idea of allowing two only child families to bubble is a good idea op. Write to your mp, you never know.

@OverTheRubicon I'm one of two and my brother has SN, playing with him would have been like playing with a toddler kinda and he got most of the attention of my parents (one of whom is a key worker, out of the house) so if lockdown had happened when I was a kid it would have been very lonely indeed

DD isn't 2 yet but became very interested in other kids and it was hard to keep her away from sibling groups playing together in the park

I just asked my 9 year old. He said no 🤷‍♀️

As a PP said he is very good at entertaining himself and enjoys our company.

I do think the above is a nice idea though. If only!

Yes. It’s also difficult for their parents, there’s only so many hours you can spend every day playing 3 year old games without going insane. We’ve unofficially and illegally bubbled with her cousin who is also an only child about the same age, after seeing the impact on both of them of the first couple of months of the first lockdown.

I can imagine its really tough for the parents too.

We're lucky to have a playroom so often me and dh could chill in the living room and watch tv whilst the dc could watch their own stuff in the playroom. If I had an only, I wouldn't have wanted them to be alone in a room whilst I chilled somewhere else in the house.

...I have an only and I was thinking how hard it must have been for children with siblings they don't get on with (which is quite a lot of families) during lockdown!

I think I read an article early in lockdown about a few families living in a flat development who decided to combine households. I noticed the same in my own flat development, there are always lots of children playing together even during lockdown.

My dd is really social . She loved the novelty of me being off work in lockdown but as an only battled with having no interaction with other children. Being in reception (now year 1) we were able to get her back to school for 6 weeks before the summer holidays and the positive difference in her was noticeable. It was also noticeable the parents that decided to keep their children off school pre summer hols were where siblings were in the mix.

I was pretty much an only child, I do have a siblings but the one closest to me in age is 10 years older, I think I would of been fine in lockdown as from age 8 I was the only child of my mother and fathers left in the house! I really, really enjoy my own company and always have, I always occupied myself and played alone as my siblings were much older and my parents worked long hours.. but I had friends that were only and children with siblings who needed interaction from others so I think it totally depends person to person! I would of loved lockdown! I enjoyed my own company but I had friends with siblings who would of hated it because of there siblings and friends that where only would of hated it because they were only children! It’s a good idea to be an option though!

When lockdown restrictions were eased, my ds met a friend in the park. My dd actually said to me "I even miss him annoying me"

Yes I think so, my dd is an only child and we don't have much family around.

My ds loved lockdown, definitely depends on the child but as has been said he has every bit of tech known to man!! and near green space ( he also has no grandparents, so used to not seeing extended family)

Given how much my boys squabble, I reckon they wouldn't mind be onlies instead.

It depends on the child(and age),family circumstances and house rules.

DD was fine in lockdown, even at it's peak. She did spend a lot of time on video calls though, which other parents might not feel comfortable with. We also have a garden and plenty of fields and woods nearby to go for walks,play football,ride a bike or just run around in.

As an idea it's not bad , but it can create issues including friendship issues. A wants C in their bubble ,B also wants C . How do you pick? What is C wants D? Add in family and it would be a nightmare to navigate.

I can't possibly speak for families with more than one child.

I can tell you it was incredibly hard on my gregarious, family-centric child.

I think it's one of a number of factors that can make lockdown harder. Along with having 1 or 2 parents at home, both parents working, living space, having a garden etc etc. Also depends on the age and personality of the child.

As for bubbling, there are plenty of people I'd want to see allowed to bubble before only children tbh. Starting with all those living alone.

As for bubbling, there are plenty of people I'd want to see allowed to bubble before only children tbh. Starting with all those living alone.

They already can? I think it was allowed from June.

My very sociable school loving 7yr old only child was fine during lockdown. I was furloughed throughout though so was able to spend a lot of time with them. They FaceTimed friends and did quite a lot of class zoom lessons. At the end of lockdown we actually asked if they wished they had a sibling at home and they said no 😆

It’s child dependent and also depends on the parent situation too. I know several kids that really struggled during lockdown and they all had at least one sibling.

Mine struggled at times, as did his best friend who isn't an only but has serious problems with anxiety and depression. They played/chatted a lot online, and as soon as it was allowed, we (the two families) decreed them a 'bubble' to allow them to see each other outside and go for bike rides etc. together. We didn't have a bubble with anyone else though (no family living close enough).

It might be, I’m certainly glad mine have each other. That said, if you allow only children to bubble it rubs into all sorts of difficulties defining it - what about step siblings? Siblings with a big age gap? Siblings that hate each other? Onlies whose best friend has siblings - can they bubble, or only with other onlies? I suspect many people are already doing it and making it legal will just add a lot of people deciding actually their child with siblings is effectively an only because of age, gender, interests etc and doing it too....

@Changethetoner

No. They are used to their own company, and probably better at entertaining themselves than kids with siblings.

This was certainly true for mine. Also he’s a keen gamer so had all the networks in place for ‘meeting’ friends online. I remember feeling more sorry for parents with fighting siblings!

Even if they are used to their own company, they would usually go to school 8.30-3ish then have after school play dates, maybe a club a week and see fitness at weekend. So probably only own company about 5ish to bedtime. Very different to all the day for months