Struggling with older generation in support bubble not understanding the rules - anyone else?

[Lemons1571]

I mean, they know there are rules. They understand the rules. But they just can’t seem to apply them to their own actions and lives.

For example, I’ve just offered to pick my nearly-80 parent up to drive them to a restaurant they insist on going to. This parent lives alone and is in our support bubble. This parent has their sibling from the other end of the country staying with them (different household). But social distancing / not sharing a car is out the window because “it’s X they’ll be alright”. Parent seems completely perplexed that I would even think of coming to drive them to the restaurant so they don’t share a car with someone not in their household.

Also parent just cannot understand why being test and traced would be a problem for a busy household. “Surely you just get a test and if it’s negative you carry on as normal?” Any mention of incubation periods leads to a face.

There must be so many people for whom the rules are beyond them. I don’t want to break up the support bubble but I’m worried about
them and also in case it impacts on us somehow. Anyone else finding this?

Yep i want to break up the bubble we are in, not an elderly person though, a single parent and she is sooo breaking the rules, you would freak if i told you what she has been doing, But it would mean her kids wont have my kids to play with and i worry for there mental health

The rules aren't beyond PIL, but in a high risk area where household mixing is now banned they're choosing to ignore them.
MIL has just told DH they've had a barbecue today with SIL, BIL and two DC. But they live next door so that's ok.
So wrong the youngsters are getting all the blame.

My parents are insisting that wearing a clear visor is sufficient, they don't need to wear masks. They are basing this on their worry of catching the virus, with no concept of protecting others from catching it from them. I suspect nobody is challenging them because (a) they are elderly and (b) they shop in M&S ...

I have a thread running myself about my 93 yr old GM Who is determined to ignore any of the guidance and wants company most days in the form of visits from family and friends. She’s a master of manipulation anyway but a few are almost too polite to say they won’t come and now she expects them.
A few members of the family are abiding by the rules and keep visits to her at a minimum but some don’t mind, especially if they are in the same county. I live two counties away (we are in Wales all come under local travel restrictions) but she wants us to visit on the premise it’s providing ‘care’.

She cannot comprehend that she’s at risk of catching it as she doesn’t leave her house. And everyone who does visit her apparently do t go anywhere themselves either so they are safe too.
Anyone who won’t break the rules are branded ‘ridiculous’, ‘over the top’ and not caring about her 🤯

A couple of anecdotes online hardly represents a whole generation.

For what it's worth I understand why some older people might feel it's not worth following the rules. They're not facing a potential lifetime of disabling Long Covid. It won't really impact on them. Younger people can't afford to be unable to work for six months or longer.

It's harder for the elderly to face restricted movements because they have left time left to lose. Luckily most care enough about the younger generations that they very much abide by the guidelines. Only a minority don't.

The recent spresd is definitely not down to the elderly. Statistics showed the increase in cases last month was in young people. However, we shouldn't rush to blame younger people. They're more likely to be working in public facing roles, living in shared housing, and travelling to work on public transport. It's not their fault they have less chance to socially distance.

Don't let your parents pressure you into taking risks you don't want to take. You tell them you want to support them and make sure they're not isolated but they need to respect your feelings. You intend to stick to guidelines put in place to protect the economy and lives. I'm sure they wouldn't want you to develop a long-term disability.

@Lemons1571

Yes having this problem too. Thought dm had bubbled with us, despite living a fair way away, to give her access to come and stay at ours, or vice versa if needed, which she has done once or twice. Then turns out she’s actually bubbling with another 2 friends more locally, who are also still seeing their own families, including school kids, socialising singles etc. Suddenly realised our “bubble “ is bigger than we’d realised. Dm is very wary of getting the virus, and is generally sensible but doesn’t seem to realise the extra risks involved in mixing in various bubbles.

@moominmomma1234 , are you allowed to bubble with a single parent, I didn’t realise that?

@cptartapp @EggysMom

My PIl are identical to this. Bit awkward as dh dithers about putting them right as he doesn’t like to offend.

Yes.

My Mum (and sister have never obeyed lockdown rules though they are quick to pretend they do to others, and cite lockdown if something doesn't suit.

I'm surprised nobody has reported either of them to be honest. I'm exasperated by them, and can't honestly say which of them is being worse. What usually happens is they cite why THEY think it "should be allowed" and carry on as if they have been especially granted permission by virtue of being "right"

Clue : they aren't even close to being right

So, someone has a dm or gm who had guests round from other bubbles or something...

And they don't get the risks I know I'm badly paraphrasing... It's just, it really highlights what's going on in schools.
Our head, is teaching among many different bubbles, then back to staff room, where we have our only access to fridge, liquids etc.
Many teachers, teach across different bubbles and I'm supposed to stay in one bubble on whatever day.

My actual bubble is about 50 or 60? But that's barely including the expose via different teachers to different bubbles.

My dd 1 is in a 70 strong ish bubble at primary. Dd2 is in a 230 ish strong bubble at secondary.
We are allowed tutors, themselves teachers so that's another large expose between us although we sd, have lessons outside. It's probably the safest link we have!

If anyone of you have dc at school.. Don't freak out over the 4 extra people your elderly granny may see!!

Yes a support bubbles are to support single adults regardless of age

It's nothing new or surprising. It's seen across the generations.
If everyone abided by every law, we'd have no need for any police or prisons.

Some people think they should be allowed to risk spreading an infectious disease, others think they should be allowed to drink drive. Some think they should be allowed to burgle or shoplift, some think they should be allowed to punch anyone they don't like.

I expect most of us have at some point wanted to do something we're not allowed to do. Most of us (over the age of about five) accept we can't always do everything we want to.