Outdoor gathering with elderly grandparents?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. The tricky thing is my 4 yo wants to do a Christmas show for them. He’s been practicing singing Christmas carols and a dance for weeks and wants to sing for, and with them. So I can require him to wear a mask but then my grandparents won’t be able to hear him. They are both hard of hearing and when we wear masks they really can’t understand anything. I know singing is considered high risk, but I was thinking we’d space out 12+ feet apart. We also have ceiling fans throughout and I was thinking to blast them the whole time.

Just do the show outside.

Op here. The entire visit will take place outside, including any bathroom needs (pool bathroom). And like a PP said, we won’t even bring them in the house-they’ll come through the side gate to our outdoor living area.

I would not be concerned if I were OP and everyone stayed outside and in their "section". Make sure your parents wear their masks the whole time.

This.

Honestly I am also OK with giving them their own plate of cheese/crackers/fruit/cookies and bottled drinks at their "station" as long as they consumed it about 10 or so feet away. Kids stay masked and 8-10 feet away at all times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It feels like you're putting your grandparents in a tough spot choosing between the wishes of you and their great-grandchildren for a get-together and the wishes of their son, who lives with them, to avoid gatherings.

Op here. My grandparents very much want to do this and it was their idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP again. Where are your boomer parents in all of this? What do they think?

Op here. My mom passed away several years ago and these are her parents.

[Anonymous]

I think your logistics sound fine and the activity would be safe. I might put down some tape around their "area" and let the kids know not to go past it. That said, if your uncle is adamantly opposed and he lives with them, I think you have an issue.

[Anonymous]

If they want to do it, you can keep masks on most people, this sounds pretty low risk to me.

But do realize that it will never be NO risk. The fact that their son is asking you not to do this would give me very serious pause.

Also, could you do a gathering during nap time so the kids aren’t an issue? Your 4 year olds feelings about his performance shouldn’t come into play at all. He’s not capable of making Covid safe decisions.

[Anonymous]

Op here. I guess we are moving forward. My uncle is on board. We’ve got the space configured for everyone to be spaced apart. My grandparents aren’t very good about wearing masks, but DH, uncle, and I will, and so will our 4 yo except when he sings his song, but he will be more than 12 feet away from them at that time. Planning to have some food but it will be in our outdoor kitchen, which is separate from our outdoor dining and living room. So people can separately go grab food from the kitchen area, then bring it back to their spot.

Let’s hope it all goes ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. I guess we are moving forward. My uncle is on board. We’ve got the space configured for everyone to be spaced apart. My grandparents aren’t very good about wearing masks, but DH, uncle, and I will, and so will our 4 yo except when he sings his song, but he will be more than 12 feet away from them at that time. Planning to have some food but it will be in our outdoor kitchen, which is separate from our outdoor dining and living room. So people can separately go grab food from the kitchen area, then bring it back to their spot.

Let’s hope it all goes ok.

What’s the worst that could happen? I mean really.

[Anonymous]

We are crazay cautious and we do outdoor visits. We do at least 8 feet apart-no masks to be honest, but no food either. No dogs. The dog can bring germs from person to person.

[Anonymous]

Make sure kids know, not OK to run up to relatives. Maybe fence in the kids? I am only part joking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. I guess we are moving forward. My uncle is on board. We’ve got the space configured for everyone to be spaced apart. My grandparents aren’t very good about wearing masks, but DH, uncle, and I will, and so will our 4 yo except when he sings his song, but he will be more than 12 feet away from them at that time. Planning to have some food but it will be in our outdoor kitchen, which is separate from our outdoor dining and living room. So people can separately go grab food from the kitchen area, then bring it back to their spot.

Let’s hope it all goes ok.

What’s the worst that could happen? I mean really.

Exactly. Who needs to say goodbye in person?

[Anonymous]

1) your kids need to wear masks. They are old enough. If you do outside, distanced, and masked, this seems very safe

2) no food. The only problem with food is that people have to take their masks off to eat it. And in my experience, there is always someone who then wanders around without their mask on for a while afterwards (probably your 2 year old. Or maybe grandpa gets up to go to the bathroom without his mask on).

3) but the uncle gets to veto. If he lives with the grandparents and he thinks this is risky, even if he’s being unreasonable, don’t have them over. They will be vaccinated super soon. Just wait.

[Anonymous]

For heaven’s sake, don’t let the four year old sing a song without a mask on. And don’t serve food buffet style. If you do that, everyone is touching the same serving utensils, which has always been against recommendations. Fauci says to have one (masked, obviously) person serve food if you’re going to serve food. And the two year old needs to wear a mask.

This is how people get covid at an outdoor event and then say they don’t understand how it can be spread outside.

[Anonymous]

Oh my gosh - it’s all fine - this is a virus - it’s not going to leap 20 feet thru outdoor air - only concern is two year old so I’d put up some fencing to keep him contained and away
It could be their last Christmas - why wouldn’t you find a way to do this safely

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. The tricky thing is my 4 yo wants to do a Christmas show for them. He’s been practicing singing Christmas carols and a dance for weeks and wants to sing for, and with them. So I can require him to wear a mask but then my grandparents won’t be able to hear him. They are both hard of hearing and when we wear masks they really can’t understand anything. I know singing is considered high risk, but I was thinking we’d space out 12+ feet apart. We also have ceiling fans throughout and I was thinking to blast them the whole time.

Zoom his performance.

So he does he performance, they can’t really hear it behind the mask, but they clap at the end and tell him how wonderful it is. And they don’t get covid. Surely you can see how that’s better than risking their health over your 4 year old’s song, right?

[Anonymous]

I think it sounds fine but not worth causing family drama.