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?

Do you have gardens? My ds chats to his friends over the fence, all in thier own gardens. They just stand on something high (the neighbours go on thier trampoline, ds on a small wall in our garden, and they chat, show each other trampoline tricks, football skills etc.

Why are people so concerned with exact rules? The virus is spreading. No unnecessary contact with anyone outside your household.

This. My dc has just spent half term alone at home in order that he can go back to school tomorrow.

Let's reduce any contact that isn't necessary!!

This. My dc has just spent half term alone at home in order that he can go back to school tomorrow.

My dc did not spend half term at home alone, yet they still went back to school.

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?

But the other child might infect you (parent)?

And you might not have caught it otherwise as your dc May be immune.

Ffs, what is so hard to comprehend.
Lockdown. Only essential interactions.
Schools are being considered as essential; that is the only reason they are (at the moment) remaining open.
Your child playing in the park with a friend is NOT essential. If transmission rates continue to increase, we are in trouble.
Do you want schools to close?

We really must work hard and make sacrifices SO THAT schools and hospitals can stay open!

Please do let your children or teens mix outside of schools.

At our school, social distancing is taken very seriously. No way would children keep that distance when meeting up socially.

The rules are:

1. Meeting with family and friends

You must not meet socially indoors with family or friends unless they are part of your household - meaning the people you live with - or support bubble.

A support bubble is where a household with one adult joins with another household. Households in that support bubble can still visit each other, stay overnight, and visit outdoor public places together.

You can exercise or visit outdoor public places with the people you live with, your support bubble, or 1 person from another household (children under school age, as well as those dependent on round-the-clock care, such as those with severe disabilities, who are with their parents will not count towards the limit on two people meeting outside).

Outdoor public places include:

parks, beaches, countryside,
public gardens (whether or not you pay to enter them), allotments
playgrounds

www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november#meeting-with-family-and-friends

They really don’t SD at school to be fair, even at secondary, they share desks as before. And outside at breaks obviously no SD. Secondary here.

DD walks to school with her mate . I won’t be stopping that obvs. They can walk anywhere together if they really want(but too cold), as that’s 2 people - but won’t be going to eachothers houses.

So I’d let little kids play football in a pair, or playground, but not inside playdates .

At our school, social distancing is taken very seriously. No way would children keep that distance when meeting up socially

You must either have tiny class numbers or huge rooms as most schools don’t have the room to put a 2 m distance between each child nor the staff to enforce the distance at break etc

Use the small print/loop holes. Like Cummings did.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/pre-school-children-will-not-count-in-two-person-limit-for-outside-meetings-3b63nq7fh

This should stop some frothing. I suspect people will still find a way to lecture people though. There will no doubt be more U turns in the next week.

But the OP's child is not a pre-schooler.

It's not against the rules, it's not a loophole. The rule clearly says you can meet 1 other person outdoors as long as you social distance. My 11 Yr old and his friend are perfectly capable of doing it. They sit outside and have a chat and kick a ball between them for a bit, they get fresh air, exercise and the chance to have some social contact. I see no problem.

And how are you going to be sure that they're not meeting up with a larger group of kids?
And if you and the other mother are there supervising, that breaks the "meet one other person" rule.

@CallmeAngelina

And how are you going to be sure that they're not meeting up with a larger group of kids? And if you and the other mother are there supervising, that breaks the "meet one other person" rule.

Because, as the OP said, the two children will be playing in the cul-de-sac, or the shared driveway, where they live and where she or the other parent will likely keep an eye on them. The children are 10, I believe, and are old enough to follow rules. Considering the children are in the same class at school, it makes absolutely sense that they form a social bubble of 1:1 out of school rather than with other people.

“.. Parents are able to form a childcare bubble with another household for the purposes of informal childcare, where the child is 13 or under...“

From www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november#childcare-and-childrens-activities

Heading number 7.

If the children are under 13 it’s fine for them to mix. From reading this the parents can mix too.

If my dd went and played footy with her mate, she wouldn’t meet up with a larger group. And it would be within the rules as they are 2 of them. They wouldn’t SD as they don’t at school inside so I wouldn’t worry about them SD together outside . What I would avoid is adding myself into the mix of course .

I think it's fine, OP. As pointed out, as long as they are old enough to be 1:1 it is within the rules.

I don't understand why pps are trying to to make the rules even more draconian than they actually are.

School is tough at the moment, the kids and teachers were all exhausted by the start of half term. It is really important for all of us to have a tiny chink of light in our lives at the moment, even children.

Can you remember how slowly time passes when you are a child? We have been through such a shit time. Seeing 1 friend will keep many of us going, including older children.

Ooh do they not even let you m ow you’ve been loved boards now?

Not moaning. Just a throwaway question that I did think needed the CV board.

I give up.

What is the fucking point?!

Use your own judgement. Personally ,as a non scientist, it doesn't seem to increase the risk if they are together all day in class anyway and as others have said it could possibly come under the childcare clause anyway.

OP I agree with you on this. It’s against the ‘rules’ but LOGICALLY I don’t see the problem. We have exactly this situation. We live about 250m from school, us and next door neighbours 5 year olds often walk/run to and from school together (With respective parents socially distancing) and obviously are together all day in class with no distancing. There is no additional risk for them to walk the 250m home from school and then continue to play together!

It is within the rules. Two individuals meeting for recreation. I've literally been the most law abiding cautious person I know IRL and I don't think there is anything wrong with this, either in the rules or due to common sense. I've said to my teens that they can arrange to meet one other person (from their school bubble because I am cautious) to kick a football between them. They've told me they think they will be ok for the moment with the interaction they get at school and when gaming, but if the winter weekends get hard for them, I will encourage them to arrange a bike ride or table tennis at the park. If the rules tighten up, they won't do this. I'll go for a dog walk with a friend or my mother once a week which will be socially distant. It is ok to do that. When we are told it isn't, I won't.

Actually, I don't think it IS within the rules, or at least, not in the spirit of them. It listed them on the bbc news just now and said we are not allowed to mix at other people's homes, indoors OR in the garden.
But 2 individuals can meet outside for exercise. In my view, that was quite clearly intended for people who live alone to get out and about once a day or so for exercise, not for small kids who've been merrily mixing at school all day to go out yet again.

@CallmeAngelina

The actual guidelines say

You can exercise or visit outdoor public places with the people you live with, your support bubble, or 1 person from another household (children under school age, as well as those dependent on round-the-clock care, such as those with severe disabilities, who are with their parents will not count towards the limit on two people meeting outside).