Social distancing - what are you allowing, and tell me your reasoning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unlimited screen time, walks with me ...no yard. That’s it.

No yard? Why on earth not?

??? not everyone has a yard.

[Anonymous]

I'll be honest with you, OP. I'm starting to lighten up on my kids. They've been pretty good up until this point, but I can tell this lack of friend interaction is really starting to impact them. And I'm sorry; I just don't believe that the threat is still there, as much as we feared 6 weeks ago. We've flattened the curve. That was the goal. I think it's OK at this point to start living a little again.

Biking with friends - OK. Basketball with 1-2 other friends - OK. I'm not ready to let them start visiting other people's houses yet, but hopefully that will come soon.

[Anonymous]

Think twice about what you allow your teens to do if you think it’s just throwing the ball/riding a bike with “just one” friend. Our neighborhood has a ton of naive parents. Neighbors called the cops on kids in our neighborhood. Saw a pile of 10+ bikes by a stand of trees along the edge of the park. Just behind the trees (but totally visible from the sidewalk!) was a huge group of high school boys drinking. At 3 pm. With visible red cups and beer. It was obvious that every one of them had said “I’m just going on a social distance bike ride with Friend X.” It was visible from our street so we got to watch the summons get written up and parents drive up one by one.

[Anonymous]

I was allowing lacrosse (throwing & catching), and walking/biking with specific friends in the neighborhood. But then the BFF came back from their vacation home, and I don't really trust her to have the self-control not to hug, share food, etc. It would have put my kid in the position of trying to enforce the rules with a friend who is more impulsive and less rule oriented. We did walk to their house so they could chat at a distance (with a parent essentially in the bushes, trying not to eavesdrop). DD has not seen her boyfriend IRL since March 12.

I haven't seen any kids together in public for a week or two, other than ones who are probably siblings (usually with parents). Maybe that is just the timing of my walks and runs though. I have seen some teens out running and walking dogs. And one or two on solo bike rides.

My reasoning? It is really hard to be the one trying to follow the rules if your friend isn't. And not following the rules increases the risk for everyone, not just my kid. It amplifies my risk. It amplifies friend's parents' risk. It amplifies the risk of the cashier at the grocery store. DD understands the why and doesn't fight us on it. But she is more mature/sensible/logical than your average teen.

[Anonymous]

Some ideas...
- Let them ride their bike up to the local grocery store to buy things for the family. I send my kid (aged 14) for eggs, milk, bread, produce, etc
- Let them shoot baskets, play catch, throw a football with a friend. My kid hasn't recently discovered skateboarding and goes with a neighbor along the quiet streets. This is the only other kid that my son has had contact with and vice versa.
- It is still cold where we are, so I can't imagine swimming in a pool. But if it were the same friend, I would not have any problems with it.

I do not allow unlimited screen time. My son would probably be playing video games for 6-8 hours every day.

Remind them to wear a mask, wash hands before and after activity, don't touch face, etc.

This "new normal" will likely last for many months.

[Anonymous]

I'll be honest with you, OP. I'm starting to lighten up on my kids. They've been pretty good up until this point, but I can tell this lack of friend interaction is really starting to impact them. And I'm sorry; I just don't believe that the threat is still there, as much as we feared 6 weeks ago. We've flattened the curve. That was the goal. I think it's OK at this point to start living a little again.

Biking with friends - OK. Basketball with 1-2 other friends - OK. I'm not ready to let them start visiting other people's houses yet, but hopefully that will come soon.

Biking with friends is ok? Basketball with 1-2 other friends is ok? NO! This is not ok! Why do you think your kids are such special snowflakes that they don't need to follow stay at home orders? There is no carveout for teens. The lack of interaction is affecting everyone, not just your kids. The threat is still there, but to the extent it has been mitigated at all it is because the people around you are doing their part. Do yours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'll be honest with you, OP. I'm starting to lighten up on my kids. They've been pretty good up until this point, but I can tell this lack of friend interaction is really starting to impact them. And I'm sorry; I just don't believe that the threat is still there, as much as we feared 6 weeks ago. We've flattened the curve. That was the goal. I think it's OK at this point to start living a little again.

Biking with friends - OK. Basketball with 1-2 other friends - OK. I'm not ready to let them start visiting other people's houses yet, but hopefully that will come soon.

Biking with friends is ok? Basketball with 1-2 other friends is ok? NO! This is not ok! Why do you think your kids are such special snowflakes that they don't need to follow stay at home orders? There is no carveout for teens. The lack of interaction is affecting everyone, not just your kids. The threat is still there, but to the extent it has been mitigated at all it is because the people around you are doing their part. Do yours.

Stay at home order doesn’t prohibit bike rides or basketball.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'll be honest with you, OP. I'm starting to lighten up on my kids. They've been pretty good up until this point, but I can tell this lack of friend interaction is really starting to impact them. And I'm sorry; I just don't believe that the threat is still there, as much as we feared 6 weeks ago. We've flattened the curve. That was the goal. I think it's OK at this point to start living a little again.

Biking with friends - OK. Basketball with 1-2 other friends - OK. I'm not ready to let them start visiting other people's houses yet, but hopefully that will come soon.

Biking with friends is ok? Basketball with 1-2 other friends is ok? NO! This is not ok! Why do you think your kids are such special snowflakes that they don't need to follow stay at home orders? There is no carveout for teens. The lack of interaction is affecting everyone, not just your kids. The threat is still there, but to the extent it has been mitigated at all it is because the people around you are doing their part. Do yours.

Stay at home order doesn’t prohibit bike rides or basketball.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'll be honest with you, OP. I'm starting to lighten up on my kids. They've been pretty good up until this point, but I can tell this lack of friend interaction is really starting to impact them. And I'm sorry; I just don't believe that the threat is still there, as much as we feared 6 weeks ago. We've flattened the curve. That was the goal. I think it's OK at this point to start living a little again.

Biking with friends - OK. Basketball with 1-2 other friends - OK. I'm not ready to let them start visiting other people's houses yet, but hopefully that will come soon.

Biking with friends is ok? Basketball with 1-2 other friends is ok? NO! This is not ok! Why do you think your kids are such special snowflakes that they don't need to follow stay at home orders? There is no carveout for teens. The lack of interaction is affecting everyone, not just your kids. The threat is still there, but to the extent it has been mitigated at all it is because the people around you are doing their part. Do yours.

Stay at home order doesn’t prohibit bike rides or basketball.

+1

+2 The order is that you do not congregate in groups of more than 10 people. My kid is welcome to go out and play soccer with his 3 good friends. This helps him tremendously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son goes out for a walk every day. He goes on his own and knows to move to the other side of the street, or otherwise stay away from other people. On a few occasions — 3 times in the last (5?) weeks— he has said he encountered someone he knows out walking, and they walked together/safely apart, for a bit, or stopped and talked. I think that’s fine. But that’s it for us. No organized interactions.

+1. No organized outings.

My son has taken up running too. Added a step counting app to his phone. Up to and averages 10-15 miles/day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'll be honest with you, OP. I'm starting to lighten up on my kids. They've been pretty good up until this point, but I can tell this lack of friend interaction is really starting to impact them. And I'm sorry; I just don't believe that the threat is still there, as much as we feared 6 weeks ago. We've flattened the curve. That was the goal. I think it's OK at this point to start living a little again.

Biking with friends - OK. Basketball with 1-2 other friends - OK. I'm not ready to let them start visiting other people's houses yet, but hopefully that will come soon.

Biking with friends is ok? Basketball with 1-2 other friends is ok? NO! This is not ok! Why do you think your kids are such special snowflakes that they don't need to follow stay at home orders? There is no carveout for teens. The lack of interaction is affecting everyone, not just your kids. The threat is still there, but to the extent it has been mitigated at all it is because the people around you are doing their part. Do yours.

Stay at home order doesn’t prohibit bike rides or basketball.

+1

-1. Basketball or other sports with those NOT UNDER YOUR ROOF is a NO.

[Anonymous]

The order USED to be no groups of more than 10. It is now NO Groups at all-stick to those who live in your home.

We are not loosening things up because we care about EVERYONE not just ourselves. We teach our kids we are not special fragile snowflakes. They keep in touch with friends online. It's tough, but it is manageable. They get plenty of exercise too. We feel it is important to teach them not to be entitled and expect special treatment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'll be honest with you, OP. I'm starting to lighten up on my kids. They've been pretty good up until this point, but I can tell this lack of friend interaction is really starting to impact them. And I'm sorry; I just don't believe that the threat is still there, as much as we feared 6 weeks ago. We've flattened the curve. That was the goal. I think it's OK at this point to start living a little again.

Biking with friends - OK. Basketball with 1-2 other friends - OK. I'm not ready to let them start visiting other people's houses yet, but hopefully that will come soon.

Biking with friends is ok? Basketball with 1-2 other friends is ok? NO! This is not ok! Why do you think your kids are such special snowflakes that they don't need to follow stay at home orders? There is no carveout for teens. The lack of interaction is affecting everyone, not just your kids. The threat is still there, but to the extent it has been mitigated at all it is because the people around you are doing their part. Do yours.

Stay at home order doesn’t prohibit bike rides or basketball.

+1

All the basketball hoops at our local park have been taken down. You can play basketball at home with your FAMILY who live in your home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'll be honest with you, OP. I'm starting to lighten up on my kids. They've been pretty good up until this point, but I can tell this lack of friend interaction is really starting to impact them. And I'm sorry; I just don't believe that the threat is still there, as much as we feared 6 weeks ago. We've flattened the curve. That was the goal. I think it's OK at this point to start living a little again.

Biking with friends - OK. Basketball with 1-2 other friends - OK. I'm not ready to let them start visiting other people's houses yet, but hopefully that will come soon.

Biking with friends is ok? Basketball with 1-2 other friends is ok? NO! This is not ok! Why do you think your kids are such special snowflakes that they don't need to follow stay at home orders? There is no carveout for teens. The lack of interaction is affecting everyone, not just your kids. The threat is still there, but to the extent it has been mitigated at all it is because the people around you are doing their part. Do yours.

Stay at home order doesn’t prohibit bike rides or basketball.

+1

-1. Basketball or other sports with those NOT UNDER YOUR ROOF is a NO.

Legally, basketball with a few friends is a YES

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah it's sustainable in my house/yard too. I realize not everyone has a home with privacy and a yard, but if you do, suck it up buttercup.

ya gonna do this for 2 years, "buttercup"?

Where are you getting two years from?