Lockdown: You can meet up with someone else but what about kids?

[Sundiamond]

So, I could meet up with someone else for a walk.

What about my primary aged child? He can't go alone. So, this means I can go but he can't go?

@rosielrh2

10 month old baby here too

I will be ‘exercising’ with another mum and baby.
And I will take my baby with me to ‘exercise’ with my mum.

I’m not looking for loopholes, I’m using my common sense that tells me this is not a risk to anyone.

Apparently we are not allowed to use our common sense so be fully prepared to read you are directly to blame for grannies dying and the NHS buckling.

@PhoneAddict

No one's MH trumps anyones physical health, but your physical health doesn't trump someone else's PND either. That kills too.

This is interesting to me.

Many parents are arguing that schools should not be closed and that despite schools not being a safe place for staff, it’s worth the risk.

Yet your statement goes against that view also.

A young Welsh teacher has just died from Covid. As a nurse, you’ll know that’s an horrendous death. No doubt she has a family she’s left behind.
If parents want schools open, do they not have a duty to do everything they can to prevent spread, including meeting up with others?

@LittleMissLockdown I'm in the exact same boat, DH key worker out from 6am-7pm every day, weekends I let him have a lie in after working all week. 12+ hours of just me and my (wonderful) but demanding 4 month old is HARD. I like you can't bubble or see anyone as I'm (very fortunately) not a lone parent or in need of childcare!
I'm worried for my sanity truth be told over the next few weeks as the days are loooong.

@bigchris I've been going to baby sensory, baby yoga, a mum and baby fitness class and swimming. That's all going to stop! Maybe baby sensory might go on zoom. Not expecting my 4m old to sit through that. So missing out on classes/experience/ chance to talk to other mums and I've lost out on the money for said classes. Absolutely a first world problem but a problem to me regardless

Also my baby won't take a bottle and is Ebf so can't even leave her to go out for a walk with one other adult

Why can no one see the ridiculousness of saying we can't go for a walk in a park with a friend if they have children, but the children can play and interact with each other at school or nursery all day and that's fine, but going for a walk in the park isn't?!?

@Hahaha88
So would you rather schools were shut?

Because the other alternative is shutting schools which people have actively campaigned against

In all of the other threads people are stressing that schools must stay open and be an exception to the rules. Either we aknowledge that it doesnt make sense but we are prioritising schools or we say all of it closes.

But childcare is allowed isn’t it, I appreciate that not everyone has access to child care but those who do could use that rather than take their child out with them

@Lindtballsrock

But childcare is allowed isn’t it, I appreciate that not everyone has access to child care but those who do could use that rather than take their child out with them

Which stands a pretty good chance of being more risky than taking the child to an outdoor meetup.

Ginfilledcats sorry to hear you are in a similar situation.

I'm worried for my sanity truth be told over the next few weeks as the days are loooong.

This really resonated with me. It was hard enough in the first lockdown but when I could eventually go and sit on a park bench or the grass for a while it broke the day up a bit. However this time I suspect the weather wont allow for much time outdoors so I guess I'm back to staring at the same 4 walls.

If you ever need to vent feel free to message me. The days are so long, and when you don't see another person all day and there is no one to hand the baby to it can feel very suffocating.

@DBML I didn't write enough, apologies I wasn't clear. I appreciate teachers are in a difficult position, and you've been absolutely screwed over by the government when it comes to PPE and other protective measures. I understand the fear.

It's just that what I also understand is this particular scenario. I can honestly say I haven't broken any rules, and will continue to do so. But had this happened a few years ago, when I was in mid swing of PND with my eldest child, I'd have been screwed. My mental health was so bad I was very close to driving my car into a tree. Not because I hated my child's company (as some people are saying) but because my PND was so bad I was convinced I was a failure as a parent. Being in lockdown during that time and not being able to go for a walk along the seafront with one friend would have been awful.

I'm lucky now, I'm in a far better place emotionally, and I'm quite happy to sit indoors and have cuddles with my newborn for a month (at least I don't have to practice breastfeeding in public ) But I'm painfully aware I really am lucky, and I can't bring myself to judge those who might put the baby in a pram and go for a walk with their Mum. The people I hold judgement for are the ones that flaunt the rules just because they want to, not because their health will suffer tremendously without some support. Obviously I would think differently if it were an action that caused super spreading, but this particular example I can't get myself worked up over.

@Hahaha88

Why can no one see the ridiculousness of saying we can't go for a walk in a park with a friend if they have children, but the children can play and interact with each other at school or nursery all day and that's fine, but going for a walk in the park isn't?!?

Everyone can see that it seems like one rule for school, one rule for home. The approach is to minimise risk as far as possible, while allowing your DC’s education to continue.

The alternative is closing schools and going back to your DC having no interaction with their peers at all.

Why does no one want to spend time with their own children?

I’m putting this as mildly as I can when I say - Fuck off. I’ve been “spending time” with my three year old DD since March, bar 8 hours a week of nursery since late September. Oh, and I have this little side-gig called a job, like many other parents with young children. It’s not controversial to say that parenting young children can be hard, monotonous, lonely. So pardon me when I meet another parent in the park for an hour for our kids to have a bit of interaction, and for the parents to have an hour’s peace. I expect it’s a higher risk crossing the road to get to the park.

Thanks @LittleMissLockdown I will do! Yeah we went into lockdown as I entered my 3rd trimester and the weather was good and I was working from home and taking walks around the garden (to stop my feet from swelling). Now to get us both out the house is a bloody mission! And as you get out the house it inevitably pours down!

The thing is, everyone's having a shit time, no ones experience is worse than the next, yes, even teachers, and everyone has different limits and tolerances.
The only people having a grand ole time in all this are the MPs, those completely ignoring the rules and the guy that owns Amazon!

@sociallydistained

I'll be meeting friend outside with toddlers. End of.

"End of"

Typical of the person who means "I'll do what I want and no one can stop me".

@PhoneAddict

Thank you for coming back and explaining. I’m really sad that you went through that.

I do understand a little what you mean, because every day on my drive to school I think to myself ‘If I crash my car, I won’t have to go in’. That’s where my anxiety level is right now, which is probably why I am hyper sensitive to all the posters saying that they’ll do what they like for their MH.

I don’t think anyone is enjoying this pandemic...well perhaps just a few...but it’s hard for everyone.

@DBML For what it's worth, I appreciate everything teachers do. I made use of my key worker place from March to the summer holidays. My eldest child is in middle school (3 tier system here) and her old first school were kind enough to take her for the duration so she could be with her little sister, and in a place she loved and knew well. I'll be forever grateful to the teaching staff for doing that.

I'm sorry it's affecting you this way, and completely understand why you may be sensitive to posts.

It's now being reported in the press thay pre school children will be exempt from the 2 person rule. So parents with a child can meet 1 other person.

The guardian and mirror have ran stories and Nadine Dorries has tweeted it and advised it will be reflected in the full published guidance.

Basically your children are supported by you. They see friends at school so not isolated.

You, as the parent, may need some company other the kids, so can meet another person to exercise outdoors including going for a walk. This includes if you have a partner etc.

This also applies to people who are all alone and may well need that company.

You, as the parent, may need some company other the kids, so can meet another person to exercise outdoors including going for a walk.

It isn’t just to exercise.
You can meet in outdoor public places. You can sit on your arse all you want and not move a muscle.

Interestingly, the recently published guidance says this - of note is paragraph 2 about informal childcare with another family. I guess that's going to be a loophole for some!

1. Childcare and children’s activities

Parents will still be able to access some registered childcare and other childcare activities (including wraparound care) where reasonably necessary to enable parents to work, or for the purposes of respite care.

Early years settings can remain open. Parents are able to form a childcare bubble with another household for the purposes of informal childcare, where the child is 13 or under. As above, some households will also be able to benefit from being in a support bubble, which allows single adult households to join another household.

Some youth services may be able to continue, such as 1-1 youth work and support groups, but most youth clubs and groups will need to cease for this period.

Nadine Dorries reckons preschool aged DC will be able to come with their parent to meet another person.

mobile.twitter.com/NadineDorries/status/1322909509355003910

You can still meet with one other person WITH your children if they’re under school age.

I’d like to see that coming from a better source than Nadine Dorries.

@PurpleDaisies

I’d like to see that coming from a better source than Nadine Dorries.

As would I, but hopefully she's correct. We really shouldn't be putting pointless barriers in the way of outdoor socialising.

I totally understand wanting to meet with people, especially a fellow adult. It’s a tough one because where I live people literally do what they want and have totally ignored the rule of 6 and isolating rules. One mum had contact with a Covid positive person and declared that as she had had a negative test 4 days later she could continue to do the school drop off, despite the requirement for 14 days isolating. I accept she has lots of reasons to want to see others I get that it would be better for her MH but at the same time she had absolutely no regard for anyone that she came into contact with and that’s the saddest thing. We all have reasons to not want to stick to a months lockdown. It’s crap and I’m dreading it but having seen how sick my DH was with it I can see the flip side. Ultimately I guess it comes down to how individuals feel about their own moral obligations and whether they feel there’s a bigger picture or not.