# Alllow kids to play with other kids ?



## aristotle (12 Mar 2020)

Now with the schools closing I cant find much advice on whether to allow kids to play with other kids during the day? I live in a housing estate and its going to difficult to keep the kids in doors if there are 10 of their friends outside playing.

What are other parents here going to do ?


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## Jazz01 (12 Mar 2020)

I'll be leaving mine out to play in the fresh air....


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## DeeKie (12 Mar 2020)

We live in the city without an easy space to let them out too. I think we will arrange a few play dates.


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## odyssey06 (12 Mar 2020)

DeeKie said:


> We live in the city without an easy space to let them out too. I think we will arrange a few play dates.



Would probably make sense to try to pair up with another family \ set of kids rather than with a few different kids.


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## SPC100 (12 Mar 2020)

Every additional contact we can eliminate will help slow the spread.

The faster it spreads the sooner we run out of ventilators in hospital - and once that happens we will have to choose who we let die.

If you do, please keep the group the same, as few as possible, and don't overlap with other groups.


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## DeeKie (13 Mar 2020)

My friends Italian sister in law sent her a long text yesterday about how when they were sent home from school first they arranged play dates and visited shops and now they really wished they had not. I’m not going to arrange any meet ups after reading that long and heartfelt email of advice. Sobering.


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## Easter (13 Mar 2020)

Message from consultant respiratory paediatrician at cork university hospital . I hope you all stay safe during this difficult time . The children will get through this no problem . Paediatric hospitals are empty in Italy at present after 3 weeks of school closure as the usual viruses stopped circulating .  Remember  with corona children are vectors  not victims .  In most epidemics young children are the transmitters . Therefore  for school closure to be effective it’s really important that the kids aren’t mixing with other kids while out of school . They will give it to each other silently pass it on to our loved ones. What we do now will contribute to how this develops in cork . Avoid situations that the children will interact  . If the community respond to this it will shut it down more than anything we do in hospital . From my experiences in the hospital this last week I would say that corona virus is closer to all of us than we realise  and the degrees of separation for all of us is getting narrower . I’m not that good at social media but if this could be shared as widely as possible with parents in cork it will help. This messsge needs to go viral to stop the virus .


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## Ceist Beag (13 Mar 2020)

As Ryan Tubridy put it, dust down the board games that haven't seen the light of day in years. Read books. Watch movies. But as per the guidance given, keep social interaction to a minimum. To me that means no play dates. That's not to say we should lock our doors btw. Personally I'm going to try and get outside as much as possible - with the children as well obviously!


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## Acorn22 (13 Mar 2020)

Kids do not seem to be getting the virus, but they may be carriers.  Scientists are looking into this.


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## NicolaM (13 Mar 2020)

Children will be the vectors, will not get particularly sick, and will pass this illness to more vulnerable members of society, who will get sick.

Please do not arrange play dates. 

Best practice is to minimise social contact with other children.


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## Sunny (13 Mar 2020)

NicolaM said:


> Children will be the vectors, will not get particularly sick, and will pass this illness to more vulnerable members of society, who will get sick.
> 
> Please do not arrange play dates.
> 
> Best practice is to minimise social contact with other children.



That is not official advice at all. Why is AAM turning into twitter or other types social media? We are going to terrify our kids at this stage. Use common sense and follow the guidelines. Nowhere does it say two children can't play together.


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## abc_xyz (13 Mar 2020)

Sunny said:


> That is not official advice at all. Why is AAM turning into twitter or other types social media? We are going to terrify our kids at this stage. Use common sense and follow the guidelines. Nowhere does it say two children can't play together.



For me "people should minimise social interaction where possible" covers this. As per Varadkar's speech yesterday (https://www.irishtimes.com/news/hea...dcare-facilities-in-ireland-to-shut-1.4200977). Logically one of the main reasons to close all the creches/schools is so that kids don't come into contact with other kids right?


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## Sunny (13 Mar 2020)

Closing schools with hundreds of kids is not the same as saying two kids who live next door to each other cant play together. People are still working. People are still using public transport. Shops. Restaurants. Pubs. List is endless. But we decide to stop kids as young as 4 playing together. Teach them about hygiene. Dont scare them into thinking social interaction with other children is wrong or dangerous.


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## DeeKie (13 Mar 2020)

They are not scared into anything. The advice is now to minimise social interaction sunny. I think you are being unfair.


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## NicolaM (13 Mar 2020)

I am a GP , and this is unequivocally the advice that should be followed.  
Read the message from the consultant pediatrician also.


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## Babby (13 Mar 2020)

Sunny, they closed the schools to stop children interacting and spreading the virus.
Children can have the virus and not have symptoms.
Please consider your fellow citizens.


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## Sunny (13 Mar 2020)

Really. So the virus has been spread by schoolchildren has it? Show me the evidence of that? And when you have locked up your kids for two weeks while adults are free to do want, and the government say schools will be closed for another three weeks, are you going to keep them locked up again? How long exactly are you going to tell your kids that they cant go outside and play with their neighbour in the garden. How long are going to keep your kids cooped up inside exactly to avoid meeting one single child? 

There is so much nonsense at the moment. We now apparently have a gp come on here telling me that my 6 year old cant see another child for two weeks because that is the advice been given. While I am free to go to work, use public transport, go to shops, go to pubs, eat out, go to airport, get a flight. Why because the virus is the children's fault? 

If one of you can show me one bit of official advice saying kids have to be kept isolated, then I will change my mind. And minimising social contact is not isolating children. People seem to think this is only a two week thing and have panic bought for two weeks and locked up their kids. They seem to think it will he back to normal then. It wont be. There might come a time when we need to isolate ourselves totally but it is not now. And any medical professional or anyone else claiming that a young child playing with another child is endangering the citizens of this country should be ashamed. Groups of more than 100 have been banned. Not 2 kids kicking a football outside.


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## DeeKie (13 Mar 2020)

Have you listened to any experts today on the radio, such as the doctor on Tubs this morning? You think this place is like twitter but I think your own approach is illogical nor informed. Take a look at various official advices please, before having a pop.


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## Sunny (13 Mar 2020)

So the doctor on the radio station said every child should be isolated? What was his name?


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## DeeKie (13 Mar 2020)

Sunny said:


> So the doctor on the radio station said every child should be isolated? What was his name?


It was a woman. And I didn’t use the word isolated. Straw man or ad hominem arguments are not interesting.


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## Sunny (13 Mar 2020)

It is isolated? What is it?? You are not letting your child interact with other people for the next two weeks. So how is that not isolation. Or is your argument that kids cant just play with other kids but you are free to bring your kids out and about to the shops etc?? I have checked with the HSE and they said there no guidance of any sort that children should not play with other children for the next two weeks. Only advice is to avoid large gatherings, minimise social interactions and practice good hygiene. 

What are people doing here? Not letting their kids out at all for the next two weeks??


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## Ceist Beag (13 Mar 2020)

Sunny said:


> Really. So the virus has been spread by schoolchildren has it? Show me the evidence of that? And when you have locked up your kids for two weeks while adults are free to do want, and the government say schools will be closed for another three weeks, are you going to keep them locked up again? How long exactly are you going to tell your kids that they cant go outside and play with their neighbour in the garden. How long are going to keep your kids cooped up inside exactly to avoid meeting one single child?
> 
> There is so much nonsense at the moment. We now apparently have a gp come on here telling me that my 6 year old cant see another child for two weeks because that is the advice been given. While I am free to go to work, use public transport, go to shops, go to pubs, eat out, go to airport, get a flight. Why because the virus is the children's fault?
> 
> If one of you can show me one bit of official advice saying kids have to be kept isolated, then I will change my mind. And minimising social contact is not isolating children. People seem to think this is only a two week thing and have panic bought for two weeks and locked up their kids. They seem to think it will he back to normal then. It wont be. There might come a time when we need to isolate ourselves totally but it is not now. And any medical professional or anyone else claiming that a young child playing with another child is endangering the citizens of this country should be ashamed. Groups of more than 100 have been banned. Not 2 kids kicking a football outside.


Calm down Sunny, you're getting all worked up over an argument nobody is making. The advice given is to reduce social interactions. The advice also given is that the risk is lower outside compared to inside.
People can make their own judgement over how they interpret that. But nobody on here is saying your child cannot kick a ball around outdoors with the child next door so please stop getting in a rant over something nobody has said.

This is what I said on another thread fwiw


Ceist Beag said:


> Agree with everything else you said Sunny but I think there has to be limiting of interaction with friends here. That's not to say a total isolation but indoor play dates should be discouraged. Playing outside is considered low risk so that should be fine once the children are taught to wash their hands immediately when they come back in and to follow the other advice given.


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## Babby (13 Mar 2020)

Reduce contacts, but 'children can still play together'
					

The Deputy Chief Medical Officer has said that if children continue to socialise and interact as they normally would, that measures to control the spread of coronavirus will not be as effective, but that the Department of Health recognises that children still need to have a normal life.




					www.rte.ie


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## Babby (13 Mar 2020)

Irish doctor warns parents against playdates, outings & vists to grandparents
					

"Children may play a significant role in spreading this virus"




					www.rsvplive.ie


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## NicolaM (13 Mar 2020)

__





						Statement from the National Public Health Emergency Team - Friday 13 March
					

The HPSC has been informed of 20 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland. This brings the total number of cases in Ireland to 90.




					www.gov.ie
				




Dr. Ronan Glynn, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said; “We appreciate these measures have a significant impact on the daily lives of families. However, they are necessary for the public good.

“Parents should try and avoid arranging play dates for groups of young children at this early stage of the outbreak.

“However, rather than staying indoors, consider outdoor activities such as playing football in the open in small groups of 3 or 4 while maintaining social distancing of 2 metres.

“This is a time to be mindful of the public health guidelines and apply these measures to your daily lives.”

Health care workers do not make these suggestions  without a clear evidence basis.
Please take heed. 
As a community,we can  make a difference .


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## DeeKie (13 Mar 2020)

Is the 9pm news on RTÉ good enough for you sunny? Opening headlines just called on banning play dates.


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## Sunny (13 Mar 2020)

Reduce contacts, but 'children can still play together'
					

The Deputy Chief Medical Officer has said that if children continue to socialise and interact as they normally would, that measures to control the spread of coronavirus will not be as effective, but that the Department of Health recognises that children still need to have a normal life.




					www.rte.ie
				




Well then rte need to get their story straight.

My last post on this or any other subject related to cornavirus online. Treating what was introduced yesterday as some sort of absolute law which banned social contact is what led to panic buying. It leads to false information. It leads to increased anxiousness among kids and vulnerable people.  Everyone needs to take precautions but leading as normal life as possible is also important. My friends 5 year old daughter went to bed last night asking was she going to get sick because she heard that in school that everyone was getting sick. And then suddenly school and activities are all cancelled. And then parents decide they csnt even call next door to play in the back garden.

Do what you want guys but let me know how limiting your kids social contact we with any other kids to zero is going in 5 to 6 weeks time. It wont be two weeks. And parents need to be worried about their teenage kids still hanging around in large groups around towns rather than 4 or 5 year old kids playing with their neighbour.


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## messyleo (15 Mar 2020)

Sunny said:


> So the doctor on the radio station said every child should be isolated? *What was his name?*



This speaks volumes.

I think people need to realise that this is not like the snow closedown etc. there are serious repercussions. Is it such a big deal to avoid contact between children - you can still take them outside to run around but just not with other children. The same advice applies to adults in pubs by the way. Some contact is necessary (supermarkets, pharmacies etc) - other contact is avoidable and therefore should be avoided.


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## Babby (15 Mar 2020)

Please view the above link to see how important social distancing is


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## Brendan Burgess (15 Mar 2020)

Make your own minds up on this one.

Nothing new can be added.


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