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Original poster

When can I cuddle my kids again?

45 replies

Scatmandude · 17/07/2022 10:06

I'm on day 4 of covid (first time ever) . Fully vaccinated, mild symptoms (bit of temperature, cough, sore throat).
I'm the only one in the house who has it. Dc and dh don't have symptoms and have tested negative. I'm self-isolating in my bedroom.
So, when is it safe to cuddle my kids again? How long do I wait?

OP posts:
AnneLovesGilbert · 17/07/2022 10:13

I wouldn’t have stopped. Since you have are you waiting to test negative?

DontBuyANewMumCashmere · 17/07/2022 10:17

There's a recent thread on this topic about length of time testing positive, most people are saying they're testing positive for between 10-13 days 😮

I've just tested positive on day 8 of symptoms.
We didn't self isolate but kept our family isolated. Haven't really been out and since my DD got a headache we've kept her out of school.

Hope she can go back next week before school breaks up.

(I can't believe families are testing every day multiple people. We tested once last weekend to confirm it was covid, and once this morning as we'd hoped to see family, now cancelled. It's so expensive!)

Original poster
Scatmandude · 17/07/2022 10:17

Sorry, you wouldn't have stopped what? Cuddling?

OP posts:
unicormb · 17/07/2022 10:20

I wouldn't isolate from my young kids. I currently have covid and youngest is in bed with me watching tv. Eldest gave me it!

twoandcooplease · 17/07/2022 10:23

I wouldn't have stopped cuddling either

Original poster
Scatmandude · 17/07/2022 10:24

I went away on my own without the family and was in contact with someone who had obvious covid symptoms, and I knew I'd probably get it.
So, coming home I didn't cuddle anyone as much as I'd normally do, and since testing positive, I've self-isolated. My kids actually told me to stay 2m away from them 😅 Not allowed to cuddle pets eather. They've done light housework and sorting out easy meals for themselves. They're just about old enough to manage all this. Surprising really. Quite proud of them 😊

OP posts:
bakewellbride · 17/07/2022 10:29

Each to their own but I wouldn't have done anything differently at all. I'd have cuddled my children and behaved normally the whole way through and not taken a single precaution.

floweringpoppies · 17/07/2022 10:38

@Scatmandude I've recently had it and my children didn't want to be anywhere near me 🤣

Original poster
Scatmandude · 17/07/2022 10:38

@bakewellbride ok.. I'm quite surprised at these responses. So if you knew you'd picked up covid and were unwell with it, you'd just carry on as normal whilst sweaty and coughing, knowing that you'd pass it on to your family?

There's been times when we've all been unwell and just carried on, but this time I absolutely knew where I got it from and I was the only one exposed. My dh and dc told me to isolate, and dc got all smart about it.. emptied the dishwasher, made breakfast, walked the dogs etc.. They are late primary aged.

OP posts:
Original poster
Scatmandude · 17/07/2022 10:42

@floweringpoppies ah, so you get me then 😂 They actually tell me to go back to my room if I try to come downstairs for a chat. It's been amazing to see their life skills coming out at this 'crisis' 😜 Never knew they were this capable.

OP posts:
daisymade · 17/07/2022 10:43

@Scatmandude Im quite surprised you are isolating, is someone in your immediate family clinically extremely vulnerable? If not, no way would I be hiding from my children, that’s mad.

I’ve had covid four times and yes the last two instances I’ve just carried on with work, shopping, school etc as usual - it’s a cold.

JudithHarper · 17/07/2022 10:46

You've got a minor viral infection, not bubonic plague. Give the kids and hubby a hug and get out of the bedroom and enjoy the weather.

JazzyBBG · 17/07/2022 10:46

@Scatmandude also on day 4 and feel rough as... my kids are avoiding me too which is fine as we are supposed to go away next week so I am really hoping it doesn't take everyone else down 😬

Original poster
Scatmandude · 17/07/2022 10:48

@daisymade it's the first time I've got it.. Other family members have not had it yet at all. Don't ask how this is possible, because I have no idea.
I guess I'm self-isolating because dc and dh don't want the virus. They've got plans, dc want to play with their friends, birthday parties etc..

OP posts:
SparklingLime · 17/07/2022 10:49

I would isolate like you are doing, OP. Are you taking an LFT every day?

This explains that there is no scientific consensus on when someone becomes non-infectious, but not sure it will help much!

Covid

Original poster
Scatmandude · 17/07/2022 10:50

@JudithHarper if I tried to approach them with a hug, they'd all run away screaming 😅

OP posts:
TemperTrap · 17/07/2022 10:52

Scatmandude · 17/07/2022 10:38

@bakewellbride ok.. I'm quite surprised at these responses. So if you knew you'd picked up covid and were unwell with it, you'd just carry on as normal whilst sweaty and coughing, knowing that you'd pass it on to your family?

There's been times when we've all been unwell and just carried on, but this time I absolutely knew where I got it from and I was the only one exposed. My dh and dc told me to isolate, and dc got all smart about it.. emptied the dishwasher, made breakfast, walked the dogs etc.. They are late primary aged.

Lots of people who aren't isolating from family either haven't had Covid or had it mildly I think. Having had it a couple of months ago and feeling awful, I was very careful not to spread it as I wouldn't want people around me feeling that shit.

In our case it was too late anyway but spreading can be avoided.

floweringpoppies · 17/07/2022 10:53

@daisymade it isn't mad when your child wants to go to a party and doesn't want to get it!
I isolated (had a lovely time catching up on This Is Us) and no one got it. Win win.

I was actually quite poorly for 3 days so was in bed anyway.

TemperTrap · 17/07/2022 10:54

daisymade · 17/07/2022 10:43

@Scatmandude Im quite surprised you are isolating, is someone in your immediate family clinically extremely vulnerable? If not, no way would I be hiding from my children, that’s mad.

I’ve had covid four times and yes the last two instances I’ve just carried on with work, shopping, school etc as usual - it’s a cold.

It's not just a cold for many and it's not just CEV people who suffer badly.

bakewellbride · 17/07/2022 10:55

"@bakewellbride ok.. I'm quite surprised at these responses. So if you knew you'd picked up covid and were unwell with it, you'd just carry on as normal whilst sweaty and coughing, knowing that you'd pass it on to your family?"

Correct. Dh is a paramedic and worked all through the pandemic so is extremely knowledgeable and would've done the same. He has seem countless households where no precautions were taken - same bed, same toothbrushes in the bathroom pot etc - and the covid didn't spread at all. This is the side of covid that never made it to the media so people don't know about it. All that isolating you've been doing could've been for nothing but of course the key word there is 'could' and it's your own judgement call so each to their own. But I just thought I'd respectfully offer my perspective- it doesn't always spread like wildfire.

Original poster
Scatmandude · 17/07/2022 10:56

@SparklingLime not testing every day. I've been quite tired and been happy to lie down most of the day until now.
I'm still coughing a lot, so thought maybe I'll stay within a distance until that's stopped.

OP posts:
xyzandabc · 17/07/2022 10:56

We've had it in the house 3 times. 2 adults, 9, 12, 14 yr olds. No one has ever isolated from each other. 1st time was 12 yr old over Christmas. There was no way we were asking her to isolate in her room. We totally carried on as normal (within the house, obv plans to visit people were cancelled) and no one else caught it.

2nd time all 5 of us caught it.

3rd time, again, only 1 of us had it.

If you and your family are all happy with you holing up in your room for 7-10 days or whatever random number of days you pick, then do that.

If your not happy doing that, then don't.

Personally I don't think it's necessary unless someone is going to see someone vulnerable, or there is a major event coming up for some that they really really wouldn't want to miss (wedding, holiday, special birthday etc) then I would consider it.

GiveMeNovocain · 17/07/2022 10:57

I caught it from dd so carried on as normal and we all got our first dose over and done with in about 2 weeks. If I was trying to avoid passing it on I'd follow the guidance- negative tests on 2 consecutive days from day 5 or day 10. I was still positive on day 9 so stopped testing and went out from day 11

BeeYellowMumma · 17/07/2022 10:59

I isolated recently from my DH and DD aged 3, I stayed away until the swab was negative. It took 7 days for first negative. I then just came back to the rest of the household but still limited contact until the second test came negative the next day too.

I work in NHS, so I'm grateful for free tests and I have to test whilst positive daily from day 5 until 2 consecutive negative tests as that's the policy.

I wouldn't want either of them sick unnecessarily as it's so disruptive and I felt awful, was my second bout and was far worse than the first.

Each to their own, but I don't get why people would carry on business as usual. My daughter is a higher risk person and when she gets unwell it always means a trip to the hospital and at least a night in there, I don't want to chance covid with her if we can be sensible about it.

MichaelAndEagle · 17/07/2022 11:00

I behaved like i would if I had any other nasty cold I didn't want to pass on. Didn't isolate as such, and they didn't get it.
Stopped when I started to feel better.