When can kids see grandparents?

[Anonymous]

Reviving this thread to see what people's opinions are on this now, as states are starting to move to phase 1 opening. I've mostly been doing my work at night and on weekends and tending to our two little kids during the days while my husband works. I am about to have my busiest 2 weeks at work and will not have a choice but to get work done during the day. I was thinking about seeing if my parents, who are social distancing as much as we are (going nowhere other than 1 person making brief trips into a grocery store once every other week), might want to come visit for a couple days and hang out with the kids while we work. They have offered but I haven't wanted to put them at increased risk.

Now I am worried that the risks will only go up come June, when people start going out and about again, and will be elevated for months to come. If we don't see them now while we are all hunkered down, who knows when it will be? I read an article that broke down the situations where COVID is most likely to be transmitted, and it basically said that short trips into a large grocery store where you don't talk to anyone else are a pretty unlikely transmission scenario. Even if there are some droplets in the air, you aren't breathing in that air long enough to get enough of them (especially if you're wearing a mask). It's the people who work there and have to stay in the store for hours who are at risk. Even getting groceries delivered would seem to be a non-zero risk, as you have to handle the bags and food touched by someone else and it's hard to truly wipe down/clean everything perfectly.

There are no easy answers here. Just curious what others are thinking about the reality that right now might be the lowest risk period we will have for many months.

[Anonymous]

My parents are coming this weekend (three states away) exactly because I think this is the only opening for a long time. Plus, I cry every day and that can’t be good for the kids. I need to get a little work done after ignoring it for 6 weeks and then having to ignore it again.

It’s not the best. But it is the only realistic option. Parents are 62 and healthy, and have only left the house once during which time they were EXTREMELY careful. We have left only for store trips and hikes and have been careful as well. If this is the new reality, fine, but it needs to be sustainable. And isolation while I attempt to do three full time jobs (lawyer, mother, ES teacher) is simply not sustainable.

[Anonymous]

We are hoping to see them in August at their summer home in Michigan (we would drive). I’m torn but no one else seems concerned. They are my in-laws so I have less say and extremely healthy for their age, but not young.

[Anonymous]

We decided to visit grandparents a few weeks ago, and haven't left yet. Trip is out of state, but driveable with no stops. Both families isolated in the extreme for 2 weeks (minimal grocery delivery, wiping everything down before it comes in the house, no outside interaction at all). We packed the food that we had and combined households here. It's been so nice, and I don't know when/if we will ever leave!

I had a similar thought as up thread, that this is as good as it's going to get for a long time. As more things open and more people go back to work, our risks will all increase. This was the only time that I felt like I could truly isolate and not create risk for either side.

It's not an easy question for anyone to answer. You have to weigh your own risks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We decided to visit grandparents a few weeks ago, and haven't left yet. Trip is out of state, but driveable with no stops. Both families isolated in the extreme for 2 weeks (minimal grocery delivery, wiping everything down before it comes in the house, no outside interaction at all). We packed the food that we had and combined households here. It's been so nice, and I don't know when/if we will ever leave!

I had a similar thought as up thread, that this is as good as it's going to get for a long time. As more things open and more people go back to work, our risks will all increase. This was the only time that I felt like I could truly isolate and not create risk for either side.

It's not an easy question for anyone to answer. You have to weigh your own risks.

We are having this debate right now. Thinking we might do the drive in one shot this weekend and plan for unknown time with the grandparents.

[Anonymous]

I don’t see how waiting another month or two makes vulnerable people less vulnerable.
The whole point of isolation was to flatten the curve and get more equipment and manpower, not to get a guarantee of not getting sick ever.

[Anonymous]

My parents (divorced) are fairly young and very healthy. My mom lives solo and is not seeing anyone. She has visited us twice for a week at a time. My dad isn’t being as careful and doesn’t live alone. He’s visited us outside in our yard once. We haven’t seen anyone else and have been very careful.