If you have an only child -

[Workyticket]

have they played with anyone else since Christmas?

DS is 8. We play, chat, cook together etc and he chats with pals on the xbox but he's not played with another child since before Christmas and I'm struggling with the thought of him not having the opportunity for god knows how long

It's his birthday next week too which I think is making me feel more emotional about it.

Why can't he see his friends? Just get your child socialised it's going to affect his mental health and development for gods sake

My daughter is enjoying some social clubs through outschool ... not the same as face to face, but she is a total extrovert so this at least gives her something (you need to really use the filters especially for age and time of day)...

outschool.com/?signup=true&usid=oJXLafjD&utm_campaign=share_invite_link

We had a whole morning of tantrums from my 7 year old then she logged in to do her little club and was chatting away cheerfully to the other children and she was a different person for the rest of the day

My DS is in nursery 3 times a week so he gets to see his best friend and friends on these days.

If the situation was like the first lockdown where he wasn't allowed in nursery I would definitely be trying my best for him to mix with other children.

During the first lockdown I arranged a play date once a week and they would go out of their bikes. It was harder then though as parks were closed.

I don't need to do that on this lockdown and I respect the teachers position so I won't have DS mixing with loads of others children whilst he is in nursery. He does go to the park occasionally. The last two occasions it's been too busy and I saw people not socially distancing so not going on the weekend again. DS hasn't been bothered about playing with other kids. He just loves using the play equipment and using his scooter.

@Workyticket

Would it be really bad form to ask ds' best friend's Mam if her son wants to come to the park for a kick about tomorrow?

Please do it if the other parent is happy.

I would also consider asking for your son to go to school even if it’s part time as you’re a KW.

I’m a teacher and my Oh is a KW and our kids have continued going to nursery and pre school throughout. We also meet friends and their kids outside in playground or for football; I think we need to protect our children’s mental and physical health.

Thanks @Overtherainbow88

I've messaged asking her - I hate that this shit has made me feel anxious about such a little thing that would make a massive difference to ds.

She's read it but not answered. I'm hoping she's mulling it over rather than thinking I'm a heartless bitch wanting to risk the kids!

We are in a childcare bubble. Am also a lone parent and need the time to work.

Copy and pasted from the citizen advice - easier to read then the gov hi long list.

You can meet for exercise with 1 person from another household. You can't take anyone else from your household to meet them - except for a child under 5. You can only meet to exercise, not to socialise - for example, you can't have a picnic or social meeting.

Hope this helps and I'm not judging anyone who does this will a child over 5. You risk assess you're own situation regarding your child's mental / physical health.

Gov uk*

Your* 🙈 sorrrry

No. We have an only teen, she has not met any friends since school in-person ended and her sports team finished training (both before 20th December).

She met 3 DCousins on 23rd Dec, for less than an hour. (Having last met them in July for 2 lunches, and an overnight in DGranny's house next door to DCousins in early July - but otherwise not since Christmas 2019).

We are worried about how insular she has become on this lockdown in particular. Not even going out for walks/exercise as much as before. We would be happy to allow walks/exercise with 1 or 2 others, but she won't organise it. (And she's at an age where it has to be her and not us doing this - we can only plant ideas and encourage).

@BiddyPop

No. We have an only teen, she has not met any friends since school in-person ended and her sports team finished training (both before 20th December).

She met 3 DCousins on 23rd Dec, for less than an hour. (Having last met them in July for 2 lunches, and an overnight in DGranny's house next door to DCousins in early July - but otherwise not since Christmas 2019).

We are worried about how insular she has become on this lockdown in particular. Not even going out for walks/exercise as much as before. We would be happy to allow walks/exercise with 1 or 2 others, but she won't organise it. (And she's at an age where it has to be her and not us doing this - we can only plant ideas and encourage).

I'd be pretty worried about this. Why can't she meet friends for a walk etc?

My 5yo hasn't seen anyone her age since before Xmas and it's breaking my heart. She has speech issues and over the autumn term, her speech was unbelievable because she was talking all the time to her friends and trying really hard so they could understand her. Since being home on her own without anyone her age, her speech is starting to regress hugely and she's lost a lot of confidence.

Our school has no live lessons at all. We get given worksheets on a website and that's it. No teaching element involved, which means that she's increasingly disengaged with her learning because she doesn't understand it's coming from the school, not from us. We have a weekly virtual rainbows (which is mind numbingly boring) and I've been trying to do some facetime with her friends but it doesn't work with her, not really. To see how much she's changing is terrifying; she was always a happy go lucky kid, whereas now, she gets upset at the slightest thing - we've had a full blown tantrum every single day this week which isn't like her at all.

I can't arrange a play date in the park because we're in a childcare bubble with my parents so I can at least work 3 days a week, so I'm scared to meet up with anyone her age to reduce the risk of passing anything on to them.

It's a fucking disgrace what they've done to children over the past year.

Good news, I have two DSs relatively close in age, bad news, DS1 (10) has ASD and can dominate over DS2 (7) this has lead to DS2 rapidly losing social confidence in the past year.

DS2 hasn't got any secure friendships.
I could probably arrange for DS1 to meet his friend in the park and observe from a distance. I haven't got anyone I can ask for DS2. The names he used to talk about are KW children and he got left out of the loop for 5.5 months, and failed to slot back in Sep-Dec and now hasn't seen anyone since 18th Dec.

They've seen cousins once in the past year in August because they are very risk adverse and strict about things like the rule of six.

I know one other family with a 7yo son, but he has social issues and doesn't interact with DS2, and DS2 tries to hang around with the DC1s and gets rebuffed. Again, rule of six is an issue, plus they are 15 miles away in the next county.

It's a hideous situation that's just stuck on standby for months and months, hurting us.

I despise the way it's been made so difficult and often illegal for children to meet their rights to play and interact with other children.