Confused over children and outdoor exercise. Help?

[TheWindBeneathMyPits]

I was texting a friend sounding off about how challenging DS8 behaviour has become recently so she suggested we get the children out for some exercise tomorrow with a walk.

I’ve agreed and I think DS will really benefit as he’s been so very down lately. But I’m now wondering if it’s actually ok to do what we’re planning. I know you can meet one other person outside for a walk but what happens with the children?

She has 1 DD8 . I also have a DD4. Neither of my children are old enough to be left at home alone so they would both have to come along.

Are two of the children classed as meeting one other person and then friend and I as meeting one other person ? Or is it one household can meet one other person ?

I was really looking forward to it as my DC haven’t seen any other children for months but I’m worried about breaking the rules (morally!).

It is technically breaking the rules if you’re in England. Permitted in Scotland.

Just go for a walk with them, you’ll all feel better mentally, kids over five really have been forgotten in England and I’m furious about it.

Morally the government should have done a better job, kids are massively paying the price for that, put your son first, that isn’t a criticism I know it’s hard when you’re a rule follower but I think they government have been so shortsighted on children, especially the ones that can’t go out by themselves.

Your son and hers can walk or run far enough in front to still be seen but also to allow you, your daughter and her to walk together behind. That would be allowed because your daughter is under five and therefore doesn't count (in England). It's what e cu patent I know is doing with primary aged children.

@TooCold I agree . Children over 5 are just expected to get on with things like adults do but it’s an impossibly hard situation for them.

You are allowed do meet another adult outdoors who's outside your household/bubble, kids don't count,

Assuming you’re in England you would be technically breaking the rules by meeting another adult with any child over the age of 5.

But tbh at this point I’d be saying sod the rules and meeting up anyway. It sounds like you and DS need support and real life contact, and meeting up outdoors is extremely low risk. Children have been neglected, demonised and generally shat on throughout the pandemic and it sounds like a walk could make the world of difference to you both.

As far as I’m concerned, it might be the law, but the law is an ass in this respect!

Kids over 5 do count in England @lovemenomore

Just go for the walk.

Just go for the walk. It's fine

The rules (in England) are here. You are allowed to meet one other person, for exercise, outdoors, once a day. Children under 5 do not count towards that limit. So you and your 4 yr old could meet your friend, or you could meet your friend alone, but you can’t meet your friend with their 8 year old with them.

@lovemenomore

You are allowed do meet another adult outdoors who's outside your household/bubble, kids don't count,

That's not true. Kids over 5 do count. I think a lot of people bend the rules and the 8 year olds walk ahead and have their own walk together. Although I wouldn't do it I don't begrudge others doing so. And if my child was struggling then I would bend the rules in that way.

Go somewhere fairly open where you can keep an eye from a distance on the older two while you, dd and the other mother go for a walk around the park near the older two.

I've been obeying everything so far, but I too am close to the end of my tether, particularly with regards to children being counted.

You're allowed to go to the playground alone with your children. If it's anything like my town, there are always kids and adults bumping into people they know 🤷‍♀️.

Something as blatantly illegal as the walk I'd be less sure about doing.

Didn't they form up the advice over the weekend about children playing? That were allowed to take them to the park to play with other children for their exercise, but adults supervising must stay 2m away from raccoon other? I'm going to try to find out where I read that.

Just go. There is a difference between technically breaking a stupid rule that will make absolutely no difference to coronavirus transmission and doing something that could potentially affect virus transmission.

Clearly those making the rules have never had responsibility for young children, the fact that children over 5 have been so overlooked is evidence of this.

If you need to, make sure the two kids are 6m ahead of you so technically they're walking together (socially distanced) and the Mums plus smaller kid (who is exempt) are walking together.

But as long as you socially distance from the other family, what's the difference in terms of virus transmission? You're right, there is none.

The people making the rules are idiots.

There comes a point when a child's mental health is more important than meaningless (in terms of the virus) technicalities imposed because those making the rules know not the first thing about children or parental responsibility.

Technically you arent meant to do this but I do. I walk with the adult and my DD and her dd walk together but go ahead.
A policeman saw us the other day and didnt bat an eyelid.
I think you'd have to be unlucky to be fined for this OP.
Younger children deserve to see a friend too.

@Kolo

Didn't they form up the advice over the weekend about children playing? That were allowed to take them to the park to play with other children for their exercise, but adults supervising must stay 2m away from raccoon other? I'm going to try to find out where I read that.

I'd love to see that, it would make so much sense.

You and your household can only meet with one other person.

uk.news.yahoo.com/ministers-backtrack-advice-only-children-113918814.html

There were a number of statements from Downing St following the story of the boys and their dad being sent home by police for making a snowman, then no.10 saying only kids without gardens should use public playgrounds leading to furore and culminating in the announcement that parents could of course take their kids to the playground for exercise abs supervising adults should keep to social distancing rules.

"The spokesman stressed that adults should not use a trip to the play equipment as an excuse for socialising with fellow-parents And he said they must maintain two-metre social distancing, even though this is not required from children at play."

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/coronavirus-lockdown-playground-matt-hancock-b1800964.html

@Wigeon

The rules (in England) are here. You are allowed to meet one other person, for exercise, outdoors, once a day. Children under 5 do not count towards that limit. So you and your 4 yr old could meet your friend, or you could meet your friend alone, but you can’t meet your friend with their 8 year old with them.

This is correct. Our household “broke the rules” for the first time this week because I arranged to meet one other parent with a child who is over the age of five. Technically that isn’t allowed in England despite us keeping a generous distance the entire time.

We have interpreted/bent the rules in this way before-I meet my ds’s friend’s mum and he meets his friend.

The boys know they should keep their distance but in reality they don’t stay 2m away from each other. They do keep their distance from the other one’s mum though.

It’s a reasonable thing to do I think.

I go for a socially distanced walk with my friend once a week and our two 6 year olds. Always outside.

Just go, its fine. Transmission outside is so much lower, obviously tell the kids not to jump all over each other. I meet my mum with my 2 kids every week for a walk - one is under 5 but one isn't so really I'm breaking the rules repeatedly, and I've lost 2 close family members to covid and suffered badly with it myself so I don't take it lightly at ALL. Go on the walk.