Anyone Feel Guilty for Isolating Their Kids due to COVID???

[Anonymous]

OP checking in to say that after lots of reading and deliberation, we decided to let our kid play with others outside even if they don’t have masks (she still wears hers). This opened up our socializing possibilities from zero to infinity. And I’m really excited to see that she picked up the social skills right away, no issues at all, it’s like the last year didn’t happen.

I feel like she’s almost certainly going to get covid now with all this interaction, but I’ve made my peace with that risk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you're not a terrible mom, and you're also not alone in exaggerating the risks of COVID vs. other risks to your child specifically. Moving forward, take your daughter to the playground, please. If *she* wears a mask, even if other kids don't, the risk to her is extremely low. Risks to children are low anyway, but especially outside.

Moving forward, pay attention to biases and how you think about mental health. Social isolation to the degree you describe isn't healthy, especially for children, and it's also not necessary given the very low risks COVID poses to children.

I've been following Emily Oster's framework for thinking about COVID risk, which takes into account risk in context. Too many people are considering only absolute risk and ignoring the risks they take daily for other things, and minimizing risks to mental health (kids are resilient!!!!!). I understand that COVID is novel and scary, but we've known for a long time that kids are less impacted *and* that being outdoors is reasonably safe, particularly when masked.

Stares in “majority of pediatric covid deaths have been Black and Brown kids”

Meaning...?

That the majority of the deaths have been among children of color is tragic and unacceptable. It also doesn't change the fact that severe illness and death in children from COVID are still *extremely* rare outcomes, including in children of color.

You don't get to play the race card and think it gives you moral high ground in this case. What about the staggering increases among children in suicidal ideation and attempts? Eating disorders? Depression? Do those outcomes not matter?

Those outcomes are now being blamed on poor parenting. "you didnt raise your kids to be resilient enough". As if all parents have to do is put on a smiley face during the pandemic and their kids will magically be happy, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP checking in to say that after lots of reading and deliberation, we decided to let our kid play with others outside even if they don’t have masks (she still wears hers). This opened up our socializing possibilities from zero to infinity. And I’m really excited to see that she picked up the social skills right away, no issues at all, it’s like the last year didn’t happen.

I feel like she’s almost certainly going to get covid now with all this interaction, but I’ve made my peace with that risk.

Good for you, OP! I'm glad you see positive changes in her. The chances of her, masked, getting COVID from a unmasked kid outdoors is extremely small, if not zero. If she does, it's also likely that the viral load would be low, i.e., a milder case.

In any case, I hope you all have a great summer.