Surely young children should not be isolating in their rooms with covid?

[CA0932017]

I get that all families are in different situations and many teens would be happy to isolate in their room for days. But young kids? surely it's too young?

There's been an outbreak in both DC's class. There are class group chats and Facebook groups etc and I'm amazed how many people are saying they are isolating their 6/7 year olds in their rooms. Also in ds's son at 10, I feel is too young still.

We all had covid last month. Dp first then all
of us next. We didn't isolate away from each other. Our house is too small, we have one bathroom. Kids have sen, it wouldn't be an option for mine. They don't leave my side. They weren't overly poorly either.

I feel sad for kids that are expected to stay in their room for 10 days? I don't think I would cope in my room for 10 days, let alone a child.

One poor kid has done a full 10 days in his room according to his mum.

I'm not sure what the point of this post is. Nothing to do with me and people can make their own choices but I feel so sad for them.

I was asked by test and trace which room my kids were in when we had it and they seemed relieved when I said in the same room as me.

It just feels sad when covid is mild in most people!

To add, Dd has tested positive again. I just couldn't imagine making her stay in one room!

[Title edited by MNHQ at OP's request]

When my 9 year old ds tested positive I was really shocked when a friend assumed I would make him isolate. We made the decision to isolate together, we had spent the weekend with him watching tv in bed with us over both weekend mornings and cuddled up on the sofa watching a film so I thought it was inevitable anyway. I tested positive the same day anyway so he had already passed it on. My dh didn’t isolate from us at all but he didn’t test positive at all. It was bad enough being all stuck in the house for 10 days without it being in one room alone. If I had a vulnerable adult in the house I would look to isolate them if possible rather than the child.

I think a lot of people are struck in the mindset of covid positive needs to isolate and that’s the right thing to do. But when you actually have it in the household it becomes clear quickly that it’s not practical with young children

@Antssausagedog

What kind of loving and responsible parent would fucking shut a young child in its room for ten days, or even one day. It’s just brutal. Honestly shame on any parent doing that.

I agree with this. I don't think there can be any justification for it.

I can't imagine how awful it would be for a child to be made responsible for keeping their parent "safe". They get locked in a room for 5/7/10 days and then parent gets it anyway - the child feels responsible. That would mess you up for life!

Yet another example where the pandemic revealed how utterly shit some parents are and how utterly shit some childrens lives must be

There has been a big reveal of the selfishness of some parents for sure.

Shouting for schools to be closed is another example.

My 8 and 9 year old had it - I cuddled them and treated them exactly as normal - it's their home too, so they stayed at home but they stayed part of the family as normal. Yep, I caught it, which I pretty much expected when they came down with it - but that is just what being a parent is - if you have an ill, germy, ball of snot - they're YOUR ill, germy, ball of snot and you love them regardless.

I don't give a shit about whatever your reasoning is - if you lock your ill child away to satisfy your own neuroses and need to fell "safe" - you're an abusive fuck. I don't care how much the child is loving being supplied with unlimited xbox and haribo - you are failing as a parent.

I despair for the mental health of this poor generation.

[quote Toanewstart22]@knittingaddict

it’s not going to kill him

Is that your parenting style?[/quote]
Like I said in more recent posts, I hadn't read the original message. I might allow lots of screen time if my child was ill and getting over covid. I watch more tv when I'm ill. I definitely wouldn't be isolating my young child away from others in the home. It wouldn't even cross my mind to do that.

I also found it strange. I cannot imagine shutting your child away. But I know many parents who did - and they are good parents. Just shows how we all approach things differently

I remember having flu as a 13 year old and being incredibly ill. My mum sat with me while I was feverish and read Miss Marple books to me. If she'd locked me in my room, I think I'd still be unable to forgive her thirty years on.

Thanks all. From experience isolating at home with covid can be hard enough for children and adults without being confined to one room.

DS had covid last month. He was ill for one day and had to isolate for the whole 10 days - as was before the new rules come in. Even isolating at home with us all had a negative impact on him. He is usually a very sociable child, who enjoys school and the routine of it. He likes to go out and do stuff as hates being stuck in - he is on the spectrum which makes it harder. Since covid and isolation his anxiety levels are through the roof and we've had a hard job getting him settled back into school. This would have been I would imagine even worse if he had been confided to one room for 10 days - it was bad after 10 days being stuck in the whole house!! I just don't think it's the right thing to do in most situations.

My eldest DS (7) had Covid at the beginning of December. We didn't make him isolate in his room (absolutely wouldn't under any circumstance - he has SEN and I just find it cruel) and none of the rest of the family got it.
He has it again now (presume different variant) and I do too. Neither of us are isolating from my DH and other DS but none of us are going out - kept youngest DS home from nursery and both me and my husband WFH. I realise we're lucky to be able to do this though - if I had to work out of the house I might behave differently.

All three of my teens have just had covid ( last one went back to school today). We just wore masks when in communal areas, cleaned after ourselves - especially when we used bathrooms, kept to our own hand towels, and stayed at opposite ends of the living room. Those who had covid at the time ate meals in the dining room and non-covid people had dinner on their laps in the living room. Windows were open to keep the air flow fresh.
I work as a extra needs TA so just tested every morning and wore a mask at work for the duration. I did not catch covid.

@CoffeeWithCheese

My 8 and 9 year old had it - I cuddled them and treated them exactly as normal - it's their home too, so they stayed at home but they stayed part of the family as normal. Yep, I caught it, which I pretty much expected when they came down with it - but that is just what being a parent is - if you have an ill, germy, ball of snot - they're YOUR ill, germy, ball of snot and you love them regardless.

I don't give a shit about whatever your reasoning is - if you lock your ill child away to satisfy your own neuroses and need to fell "safe" - you're an abusive fuck. I don't care how much the child is loving being supplied with unlimited xbox and haribo - you are failing as a parent.

I despair for the mental health of this poor generation.

👏👏👏

@NanooCov

My eldest DS (7) had Covid at the beginning of December. We didn't make him isolate in his room (absolutely wouldn't under any circumstance - he has SEN and I just find it cruel) and none of the rest of the family got it. He has it again now (presume different variant) and I do too. Neither of us are isolating from my DH and other DS but none of us are going out - kept youngest DS home from nursery and both me and my husband WFH. I realise we're lucky to be able to do this though - if I had to work out of the house I might behave differently.

I totally feel your pain. I mentioned above, but not sure if you have seen... We all had it in December and now Dd has it again, just her so far. Both my kids have sen too! Never bloody ending! 😪

@Hoppl

I think a lot of people are struck in the mindset of covid positive needs to isolate and that’s the right thing to do. But when you actually have it in the household it becomes clear quickly that it’s not practical with young children

Yes, quite a few people seem robotically programmed to follow rules utterly inflexibly regardless of common sense or humanity.

Mine is only 4 so that would be bordering on neglect/abuse anyway but I wouldn’t dream of it! He got Covid first - needed cuddles and to share a bed at night etc. My attitude was that if he has it, I will catch it.
I also isolated from when he tested positive, despite being fully jabbed.

I certainly wouldn't make small kids isolate. Me, DP and our 2 sons (20's) had CV19, we didn't isolate from each other. Plus it can prolong the experience if one gets it and then the next doesn't get it for a week etc.

I made the 21 year old 😂 but definitely not the lo.

My 7yo was ill enough to be in bed for 2 days, by day 3 we hung out in my bed together as she was lonely. Not a chance I'd isolate her.

Honestly, if someone I knew said they were doing this I would directly challenge them, get evidence and report to the school.

Its abusive and cruel and if you see it you should not be just biting your lip, you should be doing something about it.

6 and 7 year olds don't have the capacity to understand being locked in their rooms. My 7 year old is one of the most emotionally intelligent and aware of the wider world in his class. He just wants hugs from Mummy daily - cos he's 7.

You cannot tell a 6 or 7 year old they have to stay in their room otherwise others might get it and be really sick as a result. Even if you are CEV. Because thats passing the responsibility to a young child who lacks the ability to process this - image if you still get covid (remembering the period just before you test positive or when you test positive is when someone is most infectious, so the chances are you've already been exposed anyway so its probably too late).

Its gross. And should be said bluntly and actioned upon.

You have to be one cold hearted bastard to do this and that alone is a massive red flag for saying you aren't putting your child first. Even in a CEV situation.

Well said @RedToothBrush

My friend made her foster daughter isolate over Christmas in her bedroom, she had to shout down if she was using the loo, and text if she needed anything. She's 8 🥺

Absolutely no way. Firstly mine just wouldn't do it anyway. They'd last about 5 mins. Secondly, if they are unwell, for any reason at all, I want to be by their side.

I think many people have a latent cruel streak. It sounds terrible but that has been the only conclusion I can come to.

Back closer to the beginning of the pandemic I listened to a radio interview of a woman living in a seniors home where all the residents had been locked in their rooms for three weeks to prevent them catching covid. That went on for some time after the interview too.

No word on how many hoped to catch it and die by the end.

Of course it isn't ok.

It's just another example of how people have lost their minds over covid - I didn't even make adult ds isolate when he had it so to make a child do it is unthinkable to me.