Getting back to a new normal - which risks are you taking?

[Anonymous]

I'm a SAHM, pregnant and due in July. DH works from home (and did pre-COVID).

Childcare: Not sending DD to "summer camp" at our preschool. She was scheduled for 2 different weeks in July but will be staying home. We'll make a decision about August late this summer.

Errands: We are using delivery for most things but I made a Target run last week after some really silly Instacart substitutes. I have a haircut scheduled for mid-June but we are limiting our outings. We'e done takeout/delivery a few times and throw the containers away and sanitize counters after.

Socializing: No play dates, in-person church, or other gatherings. We are getting together informally with our neighbors in their front yards but not going inside or eating together. The kids played in a kiddie pool together this weekend and we will likely go to our neighborhood pool soon. It's by reservation only and limited to 10 persons total.

[Anonymous]

I got a babysitter. I want to venture out more but DH is really paranoid.

I did storm off in my car and went to Target...in person...when DH And kids got on my last nerve. (I wore mask & gloves at least...)

[Anonymous]

Somebody was concerned about using public restroom while traveling. I know they have portable toilets on PA turnpike though of course they are not very sanitary but at least you don't encounter people in there (-:

[Anonymous]

We have a college student (neighborhood kid who has babysat for us for years) caring for kids this summer. We talked about how much she's been social-distancing, and we're comfortable that we're taking similar precautions.

I'd love to go to a restaurant, but I find it hard to imagine doing that based on current rates of spread and what we know.

I want to see how the science plays out over the summer when it comes to school. I am also concerned that even if schools open, there will be a lot of disruptions with future lockdowns in the fall. I'm seriously considering that we might look into hiring someone with a teaching background to school our kids (I don't have the patience to homeschool myself). My kids are little, though...if they were older I would probably make different decisions since they might be better able to transition to DL.

I am considering outdoors playdates with families we know this summer, but we haven't decided.

[Anonymous]

Play dates with one kid at a time yes, trips to parks/walking trails yes, going out to stores yes and I wear a mask, dining in at restaurants (when those open) I will hold off on. No in person church for awhile either.

[Anonymous]

Op - opening the country is 324 million people, each making incremental decisions, one day at a time.

No one can wrap their head around it

[Anonymous]

As things stand now, I am prioritizing my 14-year old. He really wants a haircut, so when MoCo opens we will take that risk. I will wait a bit longer for my haircut. If his day camp opens, I will send him as long as he is comfortable. Similarly, I will send him to school in the fall if it happens. I won’t go back to work in the office for a long time, mostly because I take metro and that’s out of the question for me.
I am not in a rush to go to restaurants. It would be nice to see friends, but I can wait for that, too.
Of course, all of this is based on what I in know now. Things could change.

[Anonymous]

We will send kids to daycare. That’s about the only change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op - opening the country is 324 million people, each making incremental decisions, one day at a time.

No one can wrap their head around it

Yes! Just reading all these the pp’s reply’s has been interesting. Not that anyone is right or wrong. Like OP said, different levels of comfort or discomfort. For us, I ha e a special needs child with severe medical issues. We will not go on vacation this summer, do camps or the pool BUT are considering having my special needs sons aide come back for the summer and be an extra hand during ESY and daily activities. My husbands busy season is summer and my special needs child needs one on one attention All THE TIME. So we’ve decided to take that risk of having her help us.

[Anonymous]

We went to the beach this week. We rented a house on the beach with a private pool. We drove straight to the house from our house without stopping. My kids have been having a blast. Still staying away from people.

We have not yet done any play dates. I plan to let my kids ride bikes with a friend. We don’t live in a neighborhood with a lot of kids. Actually my kids have no friends in our immediate neighborhood. Another mom asked about letting my son bike ride with her son and I said yes. They haven’t gone yet though. I have to drive my son and his bike over.

I have plans to see some friends next week. We hope outdoor restaurants will be open. If not, we will probably have a picnic and try to stay 6ft apart and bring our own food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are planning to go to the beach (no restaurant or boardwalk) and will go to the pool if it opens as often as we are allowed. If school opens, my kids will go. DL is a joke for young kids and they can’t miss any more of this learning window.

Small groups outside or spread out is fine. Anything indoors I will avoid as much as I can, though we have done a few medical appts. I expect another tighter lockdown in the fall so we need to breathe now. In the fall, if school is DL and there is no daycare, we will hire a nanny. The childcare crisis is real and killing me.

Agreed. It is a crisis.

[Anonymous]

It's confusing and my thoughts change a lot. For now-

Playdates - have had 1 outside with a classmate and her family, hiking. Have also seen cousins outside in our yards. We plan to see a group of 2-3 of the same children (classmates), mostly outdoors, this summer but haven't begun that yet.

Travel - Cancelled our usual int'l travel. We don't want to fly at all. Will drive to the eastern shore and have rented a house (July/Aug).

Food - Not up for eating in a restaurant yet, even if they were open. Maybe if dining outdoors, but even then probably not with my kids. Ok with carryout - just extra careful. Still using grocery delivery because it's been working for us and I wipe down the groceries...haven't been into the store in a couple of months.

Camp: I may have been ok with outdoor tennis camp but it was cancelled anyway so I didn't need to make the decision. No indoor stuff. Our Calleva was cancelled for June....again would have considered it for July possible depending on climate.

Self Upkeep: I'll need to cave and go to the hair salon at some point - maybe July or August. Who knows what things will be like in the Fall so maybe the best window. Nails etc - not worth it right now. Not like we are being that social anyway. Love to get a wax though. Miss massages.

[Anonymous]

Forgot to add-

School - will likely send if it's an option, depending on how the climate is by Sept. The Fall/Winter make me nervous - somehow feel better being out in the warmer months. We always get hit hard with viruses in the Winter so that whole period gives me anxiety thinking of coronavirus on top of it.

[Anonymous]

We see elderly relatives daily so their comfort level sort of dictates our family agenda. Definitely no summer camps, and that in part because I’m not making my kids wear masks for extended periods. Seems unnecessarily traumatizing.

[Anonymous]

I guess I’m more on the looser side of things which is surprising. I would send my kids to camp (5 and 7) and as of now their July/Aug weeks haven’t cancelled. I would go to the pool. I’ve been letting them bike outside with a neighbor the past 2 weeks and will continue to allow that. Will prob start to allow more outdoor play time with friends. Would eat at an outdoor restaurant. I colored my own hair today. Dying for a pedicure and Botox.