Are your teens observing rules and guidelines about socialising?

[NotAKaren]

Just wondering if your teens are observing the guidelines around meeting up with others. Are they seeing multiple friends at once, having sleepovers, going to parties?

2 teens & almost 21yo

multiple friends at once: no yes no
sleepovers: yes yes no
(medium size? < 25 persons) parties: no yes no
clubs, raves, big parties: 3x no

I'm pretty sure none of these young people knows a single person who has confirmed +test.

DD,16: No sleepovers, only seeing a max of six friends at a time, almost always outside. Is going into boyfriend's house and not fully socially distancing from him, but was up until a week ago. Has one other friend inside our house but is socially distancing with them. All will be in the same year group bubble back at school next week.

DS,14: Following all rules to the letter, scared to even go for a walk. Has only seen max two friends at a time outside since March, which I have arranged for him. His anxiety is through the roof ☹️

Ds 16.

Social distancing and tells others who arent to back up! No going out to meet friends. No sleep overs. Back at swim training. Wont touch anything on shelves in supermarket. Sanitising properly.

But he's autistic so a lot of this is normal for him anyway!

Ds19. No. Goes to others houses, the pub, student digs in different towns, been to Crete with girlfriend and said girlfriend has just returned from Zante with her mates.

Yesterday she tested + for Covid. She has been staying overnight at our house for the last 3 days.

Great

13yr old has been meeting up with small group of friends, mainly outside.
She did go to a friends birthday, which was a garden party with six friends last week.
She’s been into town, social distancing and wearing a mask when needed.
She hasn’t got bus/train.

No social distancing at friends house and sleepovers. Lots of meet-ups outside with many different kids. No big parties/ raves because they’re too young.

They’ve been back at school full time with their friends for weeks so would be strange to have more barriers outside of school.

No anxiety from any of them and just leading happy lives. We haven’t had a single case in our area for weeks and weeks. Unfortunately from today they are having to wear masks in corridors at school which is utterly farcical.

No.

Dd16 not as sociable but still meets friends, goes to town, on buses and trains. Wears a mask

DS15 & DD14 here. Not following any guidelines around socially distancing with friends. Having sleepovers, back to sports practice, meeting up at the beach etc. Both wear masks when necessary (shops, restaurants etc). All their friendship circle are the same. I've spoken to several of their friends parents who all agree that right now the biggest problem our teenagers face is the effect on their mental health through this so we've decided to prioritise this our the covid guidelines.

Ds 16 has been mainly sticking to rules, video calling his best friend instead of meeting up, but has arranged to meet her tomorrow when her 14 day quarantine is up after returning from Malta & will most likely meet the rest of their clan for a pre sixth form return gossip.

My 15yo dd has been pretty good. She has met up with multiple friends at once, but only outside in small groups. She has been inside some friends' houses but still socially distanced...though I'm sure they forget sometimes. She has been to cafes but mostly sitting outside. No sleepovers/parties etc. Thankfully, her friends are all pretty sensible.

Back at school tomorrow though, so all bets are off!

DS15 & DD14 here. Not following any guidelines around socially distancing with friends. Having sleepovers, back to sports practice, meeting up at the beach etc. Both wear masks when necessary (shops, restaurants etc). All their friendship circle are the same. I've spoken to several of their friends parents who all agree that right now the biggest problem our teenagers face is the effect on their mental health through this so we've decided to prioritise this our the covid guidelines

This is what really worries me about the kids going back to school.

She wears a mask when she needs to...

DD 14 meeting up with friendship group of 5 inside and outside. Been having sleepovers with one friend at a time. Not social distancing with these friends anymore. Going on trains and going out shopping, etc.

DS 12 not going out as much as DD but not for any particular reason. Has been meeting friends one on one. Has had a few sleepovers. Just going to the park or to someone’s house, or someone to our house. Nothing else. Not social distancing with his friends.

They are both back at school later on this week where they will be getting the train with 500+ students and will be in year group bubbles.

No and apparently no one else is either!

Yes, but we're in Italy and the rules are fewer, but more rigid and more enforced.

My 17 year old - no parties (there haven't been any) but he has met up with several people from different households, though usually outside.
My daughter (15) is strict as can be and followed all rules to the letter.

Thanks all. There seems to be a mix of attitudes which I gets reflects society as a whole. My DC have been having sleepovers and seeing groups of friends mostly outside wondering if this will be more difficult for them in the winter months.

14yo has been out socialising with larger groups than 6 (but not huge - maybe 12, outdoors) not social distancing. Has always been outside in parks / gardens until the last couple of weeks. Has had a couple of sleepovers but no big parties. He's back at school in a year group bubble with the majority of the people he is meeting up with so it would seem insane to stop him from seeing them socially.

Ds(16) is seeing friends outdoors only, apart from if they pop into somewhere to eat, outdoors the group might sometimes be slightly larger than allowed but they keep their distance from each other. They also meet up and play at the football fields, but it is usually knockout they play rather than a contact game.

Thankfully they are all doing the same thing, noone has suggested any indoor parties, they grew out of sleepovers last year anyway. Yesterday they met at the old rugby club pavilion so they had seats/shelter from the rain 🤣

Keeping close to the guidelines AND protecting their mental health is possible for most teens. While a minority will be genuinely struggling it is a cop out to suggest it is a black and white choice between one or the other for an entire friendship group and damaging to teenagers with real MH issues who are then not being taken seriously.