Are parents having their kids social distance in your area?

[siren0119]

Would it? Or would the people who want to be out have had more space to spread out? A common thread with the packed parks is that most have been in places where some are open and some are closed - the OC beaches, for example - so everyone flocks to the limited spaces that are open. Would thousands of people go to the same place if there were other parks/beaches open? Would more people come out if more were open, or would the numbers be fairly constant and the demand more spread out?

The number of people in the Narraganset area this weekend wasn't even close to what it is when the beaches are open.

 

[mousefan73]

I allowed my son to meet up with his buddies ( group of 2 or 3 ) in the woods / hills to work on their mountain trail and ride it. They totally kept their distance. They are about 50 yards distance as you kinda have to be to ride. In Germany most states allowed one non- household member to join in family walks. But only outside. My DD would go for long walks with her BF. My DH and I would hang with our neighbor outside ( min distance kept) and have drinks in lawn chairs in our own lawns. Maybe 8 ft apart.

 

[Tink9721]

Would it? Or would the people who want to be out have had more space to spread out? A common thread with the packed parks is that most have been in places where some are open and some are closed - the OC beaches, for example - so everyone flocks to the limited spaces that are open. Would thousands of people go to the same place if there were other parks/beaches open? Would more people come out if more were open, or would the numbers be fairly constant and the demand more spread out?

Maybe. I know they were closed because people were flocking there when they were open every time the sun came out. RI is a small state and we're not supposed to cross state lines right now, if the beaches were open most people would be flocking to the same spots. I can't really say what public spaces in RI look like right now, I haven't been out of my neighborhood in almost three weeks. I just know over the weekend there were a lot of people in the neighborhood that don't live here. Maybe if the one beach in town was open they would've all been there, but that wouldn't really have been any better.

 

[Tink9721]

The number of people in the Narraganset area this weekend wasn't even close to what it is when the beaches are open.

Exactly. Those beach areas like Narraganset and Newport would be overrun with people right now if the beaches were open.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I frequently have neighborhood kids knocking on my door asking for my kids to play and I used to say no but now I allow them as long as they don’t touch each other and they stay outside. My teens have been pretty much keeping up with their friends by texting and they complain but they understand and willingly self isolate. We still get some socialization with the neighbors though. A family in our court has weekly unofficial block parties in their front yard for the neighborhood with chairs 6 feet apart and tape markings everywhere to keep people apart. They have a little bonfire and show an outdoor movie and everyone brings their own food to eat. It’s fun and gives everyone something to look forward to each week but there are some disapproving neighbors peeking at us through their blinds judgingly.

 

[RangerPooh]

This past weekend was the first weekend that my kids have seen their friends since mid-march. Our family has been social distancing and the kids haven't gone anywhere. Even as adults we've social distanced when possible. Seeing friends means hanging out in a parking lot 10' apart drinking coffee at 6:30am before we 'report' to work. We see facebook posts from friends who are allowing their kids to play with others. Last week we were in a zoom parent meeting with our Cub Scout pack and two families shared that they've allowed their kids to play together outside the entire time. Didn't see the need to social distance. It shocked many of the families in the meeting, especially those with medical backgrounds. What was worse is that one dad argued that it was 100% safe since it was outside. So nothing could possibly be caught. No need to wear masks either.

While we realize that we cannot do this forever, we're trying to be as considerate of others for as long as we can.

 

[JimMIA]

From what I see on my very limited "excursions" people in my area seem to be taking both stay at home and social distancing seriously. There is traffic on the roads, but nothing like normal. In grocery stores, everybody is wearing masks and the vast majority are observing social distancing.

Teenaged kids seem to be adjusting in their own fashion. They are meeting via Zoom, FaceTime, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. They are texting non-stop. And they are also getting together to play games online, including childhood games like Club Penguin!

Yesterday, when I went to pick up dinner, I saw a shopping center parking lot birthday party in progress. Probably 50-75 kids, almost all of them in their cars and widely separated. The birthday girl was in one lane of the parking lot and her friends were on the other side.

My impression is that the kids are actually probably adapting easier than adults because their lives are so attached to social media to begin with.

 

[loves to dive]

Our neighbor across the street is a teenager (18 I think) and he has had friends over many times since this started. I haven't noticed any of the other neighborhood kids hanging out with each other but we are on the end of the street that doesn't have young kids and I rarely leave our yard so wouldn't know.

 

[pxidst119]

Most people here are taking it seriously and keeping a good distance. Many are getting creative to see each other in person but in their cars or distanced in their yards. My teens are taking it seriously. The parents in their small circles are watching closely if a few hang out in their front yard on their own blankets. Boys have been fishing more so no sports or balls to transfer germs when they are together.

We are all doing the best we can. We are not going in to work, we are doing curbside pick up for groceries or anything we need, no school, constantly cleaning and wiping things down etc. Everyone in my circles seem to be doing the same. It may not be 100% perfect but when you think of all of those changes and how little we are coming in to contact with any germs these days compared to our normal lives, I think it has to be helping to slow the spread.

I’m more horrified by what I see with the lack of distancing at the protests than anything I’ve see in my neighborhood or town.

 

[mom2rtk]

The 2 kids we have living here are absolutely social distancing. The one who lives 2 hours away is mostly social distancing and is working from his apartment. We just saw him for the first time in 6 weeks, and he self quarantined for 2 weeks before coming for a long weekend. I'm sure any nosy neighbors we have think we're being careless since his car was out front for 4 days and they have no idea he self quarantined before coming.

 

[Hikergirl]

I am working on a plan with a couple of my ds's friend's mothers to get our sons together.
We figure they can hang out outside 6 feet or more apart with masks on for an hour and be low risk to themselves or others. None of these kids have been out of the house (in public) for 2 months.
Our stay at home order is set to expire in a little over a week, our curve has flattened so I don't see any reason to keep my kids isolated when there are ways to be safe about getting together.
They aren't going to be doing the same things with friends before all this, but sitting around the yard 10 feet apart wearing masks for an hour isn't a risk so that is what we will allow.
As time goes on we will just play it be ear and see what we as parents are comfortable with.

 

[TJA]

My 2 teens did the whole social distance/stay at home thing for about 30 days. Then enough was enough and they started to go to a track to run, etc. A couple other teens would also go and they'd run together but in a line to keep social distance. After about 40 days passed by, a small group of them met at a local park, brought chairs and lunch and sat in a social distance circle having lunch together. They said they had to shout so they could hear each other, but it was good for their mental state to reconnect given that they have lost so much happiness/events that normally occurs during spring time.

 

[EveDallas]

I love how people think social shaming is going to really change behavior. I, personally, couldn't care less what anyone thinks of me.

 

[pigletliz]

Until last week, I hardly saw any kids out at all. Just started seeing some kids out this week. Almost all of them are masked up. None of my friends are letting their kids socialize together.

 

[mom2rtk]

My problem with the shaming is that in many cases, in my area at least, it isn't based on science or on local lockdown rules but rather on what the most self-righteous true-believers think we should be doing. The things I'm seeing people shamed for right now are allowed activities that the shamers don't think should be allowed - hiking, for example, or socially distanced visits with neighbors/family - not things that are actually breaking rules or putting people at risk.

True in many areas. Including the DIS.

 

[Pooh2]

I love how people think social shaming is going to really change behavior. I, personally, couldn't care less what anyone thinks of me.

Social bullying would seem to be a more fitting term to describe the new national pastime.

 

[mefordis]

My kids are being pretty good, likely because 1) they're fairly smart 2) their nurse mom is pounding it into them how serious this is.

But everyday on social media, they see other teens hanging at each others' houses or driving together. I get that teenagers will be sneaky and feel invincible, but they are flaunting their actions and their parents are fine with it. Yesterday, being a gorgeous day here, took the cake in terms of ignoring guidelines. Some parents are upset about those not complying and post their frustration on facebook, then defensive parents snap back trying to justify their decisions.

For me, it's just depressing. I'm all for getting out of the house and using parks, beaches, and high school athletic fields/tracks safely, but I'm worried they will have to be closed if people keep being so careless.

At first they did but now they are not. I see a lot of people gathering without masks

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

Life is for the LIVING!

for the dying and dead not so much

I'll continue to social distance and wear a mask when out.. You're WELCOME

 

[anniemae]

People here were good in the beginning but I have noticed lately people relaxing more and more. I see kids who I know are not siblings out playing together and riding bikes together. No masks and definitely closer than 6 ft. One is an only child and I am sure the mother is going crazy trying to entertain her.

 

[DisneyDillyDally]

My only child is still being kept away from kids. I feel bad for him - he had flu at the start of March so he has not played with another child since then, as his flu overlapped with the start of the lockdown here. Looking forward to him being allowed to play with other kids. We don’t have many cases here - maybe 30 active cases right now.