Support Bubbles for children

[Tryingtryingandtrying]

Only children should get the opportunity to bubble with another family, for developmental and mental health reasons. How can it be OK for children not to have any opportunity to play with another child for what is looking likely to be 4 or 5 months. Single adults needs are recognised but not only children. It's essential the development of their sense if self, physical health, cognitive skills. Or even if two adults are meeting outside their children can come too, it doesn't have to be inside play or as formal as a Support Bubble.

I agree, fully!!!

Agree. But not just only children.

@tappitytaptap

Agree. But not just only children.

Then where would it end?

Maybe a rule similar to other countries where children under a certain age are excluded from certain rules. So children can meet outdoors, with an accompanying parent, for a walk or exercise. Or indeed a parent can meet with another adult, and bring their children too young to be left.

Completely agree! I have 2 boys and a baby girl. The two boys have just been playing football outside together and was just thinking this must be really hard for only children. Also siblings who are very different in age as well.

Completely agree that only children and those with very big age gaps should be entitled to a support bubble.

My youngest is 10 and when we were allowed to mix with one other person from last June I allowed her the same. She chose her best friend and since then they've seen each other every couple of weeks outside for a run around/dancing/chatting and it's done he the world of good. I'm sick to death of children being treat as if they're lesser citizens who's needs aren't as important as adults.

So, you would want to see adult support bubbles banned?

I’d scrap the new baby bubble and have one where only children can pick one household to bubble with and meet outdoors only.

Tighten up childcare bubbles for where parents are at work out of the home not to socialise with family or have child free time.

Single people with babies can still bubble under the single rules so wouldn’t miss out. Those in couples with babies support each other anyway surely.

But they can? In England you can meet one other person outside for exercise. So children can go to the park with a friend, go on a bike ride with a friend, go for a walk with a friend.

We stick to the rules but we’ve been picking up a schoolfriend on local walks and taking them to let off steam in the park. Teenage DC have been carefully meeting a friend here and there outdoors, going to play football (skills, no contact) or skateboarding at the (mostly empty) industrial park.

What about those only children too young to go on their own Lou?

*But they can? In England you can meet one other person outside for exercise. So children can go to the park with a friend, go on a bike ride with a friend, go for a walk with a friend.

The issue is surely about younger children who can't meet their friends without a parent around? I think it would be reasonable to allow support bubbles for only children of primary school age that would at least let them meet to play outside. I don't think indoor play is necessary.

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss What you're missing is that a baby under 1 who has no contact with any adults other than their parents is going to be affected when things do go back to normal. It's also all very well to say that couples support each other, but what about when one is working and the other is constantly at home with a baby trying to make things work on their own and feeling incredibly isolated? As someone in this situation I can honestly say that having a support bubble has got me through the last few months. My mental health has suffered badly and I'd be in an even worse position now if I had nobody to help.

@LouNatics

But they can? In England you can meet one other person outside for exercise. So children can go to the park with a friend, go on a bike ride with a friend, go for a walk with a friend.

We stick to the rules but we’ve been picking up a schoolfriend on local walks and taking them to let off steam in the park. Teenage DC have been carefully meeting a friend here and there outdoors, going to play football (skills, no contact) or skateboarding at the (mostly empty) industrial park.

No quite the same as if that’s socially distanced so they should be at least 2m apart at all times if both aren’t wearing a mask.

It’s not a bad idea, but it does increase the number of different people/households in contact with each other again. If you are going to do that, it might be a good idea to cut something else.

I wonder if a better idea is to suggest that qualifying households may form a maximum of one bubble with another household. So if you had an only child bubble, you then couldn’t have a support or childcare bubble. Well you could, but it would just be the one bubble you used for all three and would have to choose well.

There’s just too many bubbles at the moment especially if households also have people working out of home in them as well.

Yes I would like to see this. I have siblings that are very different in age. The older teen can organise herself and goes on walks with a friend, the younger teen enjoys gaming with friends and occasionally meets one for a kick about... my younger primary dc needs more company and someone to play with.

I wonder if a better idea is to suggest that qualifying households may form a maximum of one bubble with another household. So if you had an only child bubble, you then couldn’t have a support or childcare bubble. Well you could, but it would just be the one bubble you used for all three and would have to choose well.

Sounds sensible.

Just as a bit of a thought experiment, would people still be ok with this if it meant schools were shut for longer?

@XenoBitch

So, you would want to see adult support bubbles banned?

That’s a huge stretch to get that from the OP 🙄. Not everything needs to be turned into an argument.

I absolutely agree. DS’s social skill were extremely damaged in the first lockdown when he didn’t see another child for 3 months. This time he is spending time outdoors on the street skateboarding with his 2 best friends. I’m happy to stick to the rules for me and DH but I won’t ruin his childhood anymore than it has to be.

We've made this happen. Her friend comes with us to the park and our walks. We stay away. It's her 'meet one person for exercise', we just facilitate that.

That’s a huge stretch to get that from the OP 🙄. Not everything needs to be turned into an argument.

Sorry, I read "only children" as that it should be just kids that can have support bubbles and not adults. Just realised it meant kids with no siblings

My youngest is too young to go on their own to meet friends. Hence picking up one of their friends for local walks/going to the park. The parks are open. The play parks are open.

But isn't that technically illegal Lou? I have no issue with it and we are also going on walks with another only child but the point people are making is that it shouldn't be illegal.

Why just "only children"? The same argument applies to those who have children that don't play together due to diverse age ranges, or simply those who don't get on.

And why should children get the chance to meet with others socially, but not any other section of the population?

surely a blanket "you can meet one other household outdoors" rule would cover a much wider range of "gaps"? In fact, I'd like to hope that might be one of the first things to be allowed when restrictions start to lift.

In Scotland children under 12 are exempt from the numbers for meeting up. Why can’t we just do that?

Why don't you form a childcare bubble with another household with kids? If the kids in both households are under 14 that is allowed.