Kids mixing after Thursday

[Singlebutmarried]

So, if the kids are in school together, in the same class and they live next door to each other. Would you let them play together outside of school?

'Don't get me wrong I'm relieved the schools are staying open but what is the government thinking? That the virus somehow magically doesn't infect anyone between 9 and 3?'

It reduces contact. Where are all these kids who follow rules and only play with friends from their class?! Imagine them sending someone away from a few doors away becaue they arent allowed 🙄. If the parents can't follow advice I doubt their offspring will.

OP in your situation I would totally let them play. Even indoors. My experience is that only children who live next door and go to school together are a whisker away from being siblings in an emotional/relationship sense.

20Thrownaway

If people arent able to grasp that kids cant mix outside of school then schools will have to shut.

If we want to keep schools open we have to aknowledge the rules dont make sense but follow them anyway

No. Schools remaining open depends ultimately on parents doing the right thing and minimising their contacts outside of school. I want my kids’ primary school to stay open (both for them but also so I can still work as a secondary teacher!!) so I’ll play my part as a parent in ensuring they don’t take the virus into their bubble.

All the vitriol about the rules.... really, two responsible children playing outside together (but staying distant) is a) not against the rules in england b) highly unlikely to generate any additional risk in the circumstances stated. If others join, then yes, of course it is going to be more risky. Then, they leave. Kids need fresh air and social interaction. Just like adults.

But I do understand that the above depends on your children. Mine are a bit older (late primary and early 2ndry) and I would trust them.

Rafals Exactly - it depends very much on the age of the children (in general you could probably trust an 11 year old more than a 7 year old to socially distance) and the place where they are playing (if it's the cul-de-sac where they live where there are no other children then more likely to be fine than busy local park!)

My teens will be making full use of this rule. They can't really socialise much in school due to the restrictions that school has imposed but are old enough to be trusted to go for a socially distanced walk or to sit 2 metres away from a friend in the park.

School is different as covid 19 is extremely intelligent and will not enter schools as it wants to allow kids an education. However, it hates kids socialising so will happily infect them if they play outside. So no, you cannot let your child play with another child after school finishing time.

'If others join, then yes, of course it is going to be more risky. Then, they leave. Kids need fresh air and social interaction. Just like adults'

'Then they leave'. Good luck with that. It would perhaps need a supervising adult as dc tend not to be that sensible and rule abiding. Of course if an adult was present that would be too many people. Keep it simple! let them play at playtime at school and stay in at home. It's Nov fgs, how much time would they be playing out? Realistically they will be indoors and then you have households mixing.

'So if adults see other people at work, why do they need to see others outside of work too?'

During a lockdown, they don't need to see one another outside of work. They ought to be avoiding additional unnecessary contact, especially if it is likely to involve close prolonged contact.

@12frogsincoats

School is different as covid 19 is extremely intelligent and will not enter schools as it wants to allow kids an education. However, it hates kids socialising so will happily infect them if they play outside. So no, you cannot let your child play with another child after school finishing time.

Yes, that's it

We can all be as pissed off as we went. The last thing I want is to go through another lockdown. But the general spirit of the rules is really very simple: people of all ages should only be mixing in groups of more than 2 outside of their household or support bubble if it's essential i.e. work, school, care for someone who needs it.

We can all nitpick and find as many holes as we want but the general spirit is pretty fucking straightforward.

How old op? I think 2 8 year olds who are fairly self sufficient, can go back to their own home of they need the loo etc is fine. Two 5 year olds who will need adult intervention no

The guidance IS clear - you are allowed to set up a childcare bubble with one other family so if you have no other arrangements in place, do that!

It is totally bonkers that kids can be together all day everyday in school, in a room with barely any ventilation and no social distancing, but can't play together outside of that situation.

There is distancing in schools though? It isn't ideal but, aside from EYFS, children should be in a seating plan so that schools can identify close contacts. That goes out of the window if they're mixing out of school

Those who say it is fine because they are mixing at school anyway would presumably be OK with school staff socialising outside of school in groups? No I thought not. The kids should not be meeting up outside school. I think this should be fairly obvious. The only exception to this would be older kids who can meet with one other person and can social distance. I am not convinced that teens would do this tbh.

stop trying to look for loopholes ffks!no it might not all make perfect sense.but it couldnt.so limit/stop all contacts.school is school.its is not the same rules for out of school.
does it feel weird because they are together in class?yeh perhaps but the rules are here so your kids can be in school still.
your child can see one ohter.but no not as buddies.only as a socially distanced two.just do it.

@Thrownaway

If people arent able to grasp that kids cant mix outside of school then schools will have to shut.

If we want to keep schools open we have to aknowledge the rules dont make sense but follow them anyway.

This is hyperbolic nonsense. Kids mixing with school friends outside of school will make no difference to the transmission rates of the virus. They already spend 35 hours a week together.

Jeez - more people adapting rules to suit their own needs. No wander cases rise and we are back in this situation again.

No.

I don’t understand why people must immediately descend into nitpicky ‘what if’ scenarios that are all about circumventing what is being implemented. No, it’s not perfect. No, it’s not necessarily logical across the board. But the point is to stick the spirit as well the rules: we’re supposed to be minimising contact and mixing as much as possible. Playing out together after school doesn’t fit with that guidance.

Why can’t people just what we’re told so that this is over as quickly as possible?!

We have stuck to all the rules rigidly with one exception, DDs boyfriend can come round. They are together all day at school then walk home together
I know it’s not allowed and if we get fined then it’s our own fault

Yes,

@CodenameVillanelle

Lots of people (rightly imo) are campaigning for schools to remain open, because we think that despite risks that an education is more important. We've asked that education is an exception to the rules and as a special case

However if people use the fact that schools are open to not follow guidance out side of school, then really the only alternative is to shut schools.

Of course i totally agree that the virus doesnt care if its 4.30 and they are in a park, however if we allow kids to mix constantly, eg if my 2 kids are at your house then why cant the adults be? Why can't my todflers mix? Etc The whole lockdown breaks down

Im willing for rules to be bent for schools but we have to then agree to follow them outside of schools

People are deliberately obtuse. You can’t extend being in a bubble at school to it being OK to have sleepovers, etc, as that is unnecessary prolonging of close contact in dangerous settings, so it is patently obvious you are increasing the risk of the virus being transmitted - nobody is really that dim that they can’t see this. Being in school all day does not guarantee you will get covid 19. Extending the amount of time you spend in close contact with the same people obviously increases the risk. However, the rules specifically permit meeting up outside with one other person - provided you remember social distancing. Forget social distancing and you are ignoring the rules and increasing the risk of transmission by prolonging close contact beyond that already achieved in school. Maintain social distancing and remain outside and you don’t even need to ask whether or not this is within the rules, as it obviously is. It’s bloody annoying, though, and I resent it massively. I also don’t see meeting up with a couple of friends from your school bubble to kick a football around, or go for a walk, as increasing the risk of getting coronavirus off them significantly, but I also know too many people are wilfully misinterpreting/ignoring the rules and I suspect the thing about only 2 people being allowed to meet up is partly to make it easier to tell when people are flouting the rules.

'Those who say it is fine because they are mixing at school anyway would presumably be OK with school staff socialising outside of school in groups? No I thought not. The kids should not be meeting up outside school. '

It's crazy isn't it. So depressing and disappointing that people can't just do the right thing. As if 2 young children won't be in and out of each others houses. Parents just step up and say no. Spend time with your kids after school!

These two spend the school day together, so why not play outside together after school?

You clearly don't get the point (or are refusing to). This will increase their contact, and every contact adds to the risk.