If your kids are doing distance learning, how much in-person socialization do they have with friends

[Anonymous]

My 11 year old wasn't doing well with isolation this summer.

And my biggest challenge is that kid's friends aren't social distancing, which means that it's not very attractive for them to do a socially distanced thing with my kid when they can do anything they want with other kids.

So what I've done since school started was "lunch in the driveway." He has an hour long lunchbreak and I drop him off in a different kid's driveway each day. Outdoors, with chairs set up maybe 9 feet apart. It's not great, but at least it gives human contact.

Of course, it's starting to get too cold for it. One family said they might start up their fire pit to prolong the occassional lunches. Or I may see if the other families want to do a shorter period (30 minutes kicking a ball, but not sitting still eating lunch).

The nice thing about lunches in the driveway has been that a) the other kid is happy to participate because their other option is sitting at home alone, and b) it can be a very controlled situation (it's easy to specify how far apart they should stay).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids run out the door every day at 3:16
to play with a large group of kids outside. They even went in the rain today. They are all desperate to see other kids after a day in the virtual salt mine. We are also doing outdoor sports and birthdays. Cases are low in Fairfax right now so I’m fine with it.

This is us, too. And I don't know who all these kids are wearing masks outside to play but I have never seen it. (Fairfax)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have 5 children and they hang out and play with each other... it’s a pandemic so we are not really keen on socializing outside of our family unit.

Weird.

Why is this weird? Bc you wouldn’t do it?

[Anonymous]

It depends. This summer, they participated in swim practice and saw other kids 5-6 days/week. This fall, they played soccer and saw kids 3 days/week + at least 1 day/week when I threw them outside to ride bikes with neighborhood friends. Now, they see other kids about 1 day/week when I make them ride bikes. I fear that they won't see anyone much this winter (unless it snows.)

They do talk with friends every night on Xbox.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No socializing even outdoors. We don’t live near other kids, in fact our kids are the only ones for about 2 blocks. Grades k and 5.

Your kids must be losing their minds. I cannot fathom the mental health issues coming your way.

DP. What on earth makes you think this is an appropriate comment. All kids are different. They are not only chlldren, they have a sibling to play with. Some kids are introverted. You don't know them or their kids.

[Anonymous]

15 year plays two sports so has practice/game daily. On sport uses masks when not in play other sport is no masks. Both outdoors. He also has sleep overs with best friend.

6 and 8 year old play with neighborhood kids outside daily. They don’t wear masks outside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have 5 children and they hang out and play with each other... it’s a pandemic so we are not really keen on socializing outside of our family unit.

Same, but 4 kids. They do virtual, but no in person. It's not ideal, but I think 18 months of hanging with siblings only would have less impact than losing a high risk family member because they went to hang out with someone they probably won't be friends with in the future.

My house is filled with laughter and they have never complained so that helps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have 5 children and they hang out and play with each other... it’s a pandemic so we are not really keen on socializing outside of our family unit.

Weird.

Not at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No socializing even outdoors. We don’t live near other kids, in fact our kids are the only ones for about 2 blocks. Grades k and 5.

Your kids must be losing their minds. I cannot fathom the mental health issues coming your way.

DP. What on earth makes you think this is an appropriate comment. All kids are different. They are not only chlldren, they have a sibling to play with. Some kids are introverted. You don't know them or their kids.

Exactly. I’m sure the family has a nice enough time together and everyone will be just fine! To each their own.

[Anonymous]

My older 2 see their friends daily. Either riding bikes, walking around town or in back yards. My youngest isn't mature enough to be unsupervised so they only see friends in person when we go to the playground about 4-5 times a week.
It is a calculated risk but we need to keep our sanity.

[Anonymous]

No real interruption to their social life since mid June. For kids I feel that this pandemic is more harmful to their mental and emotional health/growth. I'm actually sitting at a bowling alley right now while they bowl with their friends. Yesterday was top golf.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No socializing even outdoors. We don’t live near other kids, in fact our kids are the only ones for about 2 blocks. Grades k and 5.

Your kids must be losing their minds. I cannot fathom the mental health issues coming your way.

DP. What on earth makes you think this is an appropriate comment. All kids are different. They are not only chlldren, they have a sibling to play with. Some kids are introverted. You don't know them or their kids.

The comment seems fair to me. So many kids have parents that are destroying their mental health. It's sad.

On the upside will be very lucrative business for medicating and therapy for these future damaged adults.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No socializing even outdoors. We don’t live near other kids, in fact our kids are the only ones for about 2 blocks. Grades k and 5.

Your kids must be losing their minds. I cannot fathom the mental health issues coming your way.

Oh, those poor, poor children. Heartbreaking.

so unbelievably sad.