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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:
Original poster
Scatmandude · 17/07/2022 11:07

If my kids were ill of course I wouldn't isolate from them.
Every situation is obviously different. If it wasn't so clear that I was the only exposed one, then it wouldnt be this clear cut. Plus the kids are old enough to have consent. If they don't want the virus, and if they don't want me to prepare their food or be hugged by me then surely it's their right?

OP posts:
3amAndImStillAwake · 17/07/2022 11:11

Scatmandude · 17/07/2022 11:07

If my kids were ill of course I wouldn't isolate from them.
Every situation is obviously different. If it wasn't so clear that I was the only exposed one, then it wouldnt be this clear cut. Plus the kids are old enough to have consent. If they don't want the virus, and if they don't want me to prepare their food or be hugged by me then surely it's their right?

Of course they can choose not to be hugged, no one is suggesting you chase them round insisting on it.

My DD is much younger than your children (so couldn't make meals or empty the dishwasher etc), and when I had covid a few months ago I didn't isolate from her or DH at all.

Original poster
Scatmandude · 17/07/2022 11:15

@3amAndImStillAwake my dc were little long before covid, but had I had many vomiting bugs etc and just got on with it. It's different with little ones. They just want mummy ❤️

OP posts:
liveforsummer · 17/07/2022 11:17

When I had it I was still testing positive when I returned to work after day 10 which was the isolation span at the time. I did not stop cuddling my dc apart from maybe day 2 when I was too hot and achy for it to be pleasant. Neither did I stop cuddling them when they had it. We had it at quite different times. No one caught it off each other

49er · 17/07/2022 11:17

I gave it 5 days before I was in close contact with my family OP.

ihavenocats · 17/07/2022 11:19

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 😊

And this is going to go on for how long? Rest of your life?

liveforsummer · 17/07/2022 11:19

Scatmandude · 17/07/2022 10:50

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

Well then there you have your answer - when the dc will let you I guess!

user1487194234 · 17/07/2022 11:24

We have never isolated within our home
I no longer follow any restrictions,or testing
Time to get on with things

DontBuyANewMumCashmere · 17/07/2022 11:29

user1487194234 · 17/07/2022 11:24

We have never isolated within our home
I no longer follow any restrictions,or testing
Time to get on with things

I have stuck to rules all through the first two years, pretty much. This year I've been much more relaxed and intent on 'getting on with things'.
However this week I had it when my DD didn't. I felt a compromise was her still going to school, but me keeping my distance and pick up/drop offs.
At the end of the week she had a headache and I kept her off, so to avoid passing it on to her friends - several friends are breaking up this coming week and going away on first holidays for two years...
So whilst I've not exactly isolated and tested every day I have tried to limit passing it around.

Would you be happy to keep mixing with people?

user1487194234 · 17/07/2022 11:32

I am not testing
If I feel I’ll I will stay home
Otherwise I am carrying on as normal and

BertieBotts · 17/07/2022 11:38

I got it from DS2 so no point isolating from him, but I wouldn't have isolated from the little ones anyway. Late primary age with another parent to look after them, yes it makes sense. For my 3yo and 6mo, isolating from them would have done more psychological harm than covid IMO.

CornedBeef451 · 17/07/2022 11:39

DH has it but the rest of us are negative so he is isolating in our bedroom. He's been in there since Tuesday night.

Weren't sure when he can come out as he is still testing positive. It's 8 days since we think he was exposed, 5 days since symptoms started and 4 days since the first positive test.

No idea when he can be free as the guidance is very confusing. Good luck figuring it out OP.

AnneLovesGilbert · 17/07/2022 12:12

I wouldn’t have stopped hugging them. DD is 3 and would be very upset if I isolated from her. Different if they’re older, can understand and look after themselves.

Senso21 · 17/07/2022 12:55

My partner currently has it. I’m CEV and we’re not even attempting to stay apart or the kids. It’s absolutely everywhere at the moment so I just don’t see the point!

Abraxan · 17/07/2022 13:43

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.

Whilst I didn't isolate at home please don't minimise covid as 'just a cold.'

It isn't and never has been - it's a totally different virus and can affect many people in different ways.

For you it was similar to a cold.

For others it was much worse.

For me it caused long term health issues and led to a hospital stay. I'll be taking medication for life as a result.

Arucanafeather · 17/07/2022 13:46

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.

That’s been our experience. Two of the kids have had it separate times from each other. One didn’t have symptoms or positive LFT (back in the days when you did a PCR of a close contact of confirmed positive case) and one who did have mild symptoms and positive LFT. We didn’t isolate as a family both times and no one caught if from them.

Grumpybutfunny · 17/07/2022 13:52

We've had it in the house recently, DH actually didn't try to avoid catching it as we have a holiday coming up so a booster of antibodies would have been useful. He still didn't catch! I think DS gave it to me but as per NHS guidelines we aren't testing him.

Unless you have plans I would do the 72hrs when most people are most infectious then go about normal life. Kids are unlikely to get symptoms so as long as you don't test them they don't need to miss out on anything (which is the guidelines)!

Original poster
Scatmandude · 17/07/2022 15:36

OK.. So I think today is the last day of my isolation then in the light of these responses. I've been tired and have had mild temperature over the past 4 days, so have not minded being left alone in my room.
The kids have something planned next week that they've looked forward to, so they definitely didn't want the virus, and I'll refrain from kissing/cuddling them until I've stopped being snotty and coughy 😁

OP posts:
LovinglifeAF · 18/07/2022 18:28

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.

This

i can’t believe how people are still carrying on about Covid 2.5 years in. We’ll probably all get it multiple times in our lifetimes. Seems futile to try and avoid it.

JustDanceAddict · 18/07/2022 21:32

I went back to relative normal after a week of symptoms.
In this house we’ve all had it at different times and not caught it from each other despite dh and I bed sharing pre-positive test both times!

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