Grandparents don't have to socially distance now? Confused

It’s obvious that as there is no longer any key worker childcare that many grandparents will have no option but to step in and fill the gap. This has happened in my family. One grandchild is still cared for by his parents as one works mainly from home (only one meeting in London since lockdown) and the other parent was made redundant, so at home all the time now. However, my daughter and her husband are key workers and have three young children. The youngest still goes to his nursery, but the six year old twins would have no childcare if we had not filled the gap for three days a week. The guidance on childcare is not law. It is guidance. The government cannot expect key workers to go to work, and others to return to work, if there is no childcare in place. Consequently grandparents have had little choice but to step up to the mark. Presumably that’s why the question of grandparents and grandchildren is guidance not law. I don’t suppose the government want grandparents being prosecuted for taking care of grandchildren. Imagine the headlines

My cousin & family are visiting our 94 yr aunt.Their other son lives in London & goes to stay with them. So can’t ‘bubble’ with her too?He lives 15 minutes from her whilst I live 90m. He phoned as wanted me to take our aunt to visit a retirement home which is nr him. I explained i couldn’t for 1 shouldn’t be in same car. I now find out he & son have been over to borrow her car (not a problem) & son gave our Aunt a big kiss, I care about my cousin but do not think he he grasps the guidance rules at all....or am I being extreme & too careful?

I don't understand why people can't assess risk.

We know the virus spreads mostly by close contact with others. Or surfaces.

So meet in open air, maintain distance. Low risk.

Meet inside, hug. Much higher risk.

Meet inside, close contact, with people who have been meeting with other people. Really high risk. This is how the virus spreads.

What is it that people dont understand?

My MP wrote to Boris yesterday.

The gov.uk website has now been updated to show the correct guidance on grandparents and child care. It states that childcare by grandparents should only take place if it is possible to maintain a 1 metre minimum social distance. Otherwise it is not advised (despite what Boris Said) It also states that the situation is under constant review and will be adjusted as soon as it is safeto do so. I am signed up to a daily newsletter from gov.uk which details changes. Not very hopeful and all we can do is to keep reminding our MP to raise it with Boris.

I thought Boris had said two grandparent households can form a bubble with another household thinkfree. It was in answer to one of those questions from the public in one of his last Downing Street Broadcasts. But he was a bit ambiguous using the phrase "using common sense" quite a bit. So we've used our commons sense and formed a bubble with DS and family. There's still only five of us in it so we figure (using our common sense) that it's ok. We still see our DD2 and family occasionally, but continue to distance and stay outside if possible.

@thinkfree, maybe grandparents who feel as you and I do and think bubbles should be allowed between two families, should all email or write to the PM. I feel as if this issue has been forgotten about and once winter is on its way, it is even less likely to be thought about! A month or two of hugging would go a long way to helping people cope if lockdown proper returns.

@MerylStreep
you are right of course

The only thing I'm puzzled about is why would someone contact their MP and expect a straight answer ?
Unlesss he/she is part of the government committee on covid I would hazard a guess that my postman knows just as much.

@growstuff
IfI were single I could "bubble" with them and hug the little one and interact naturally with him.
I do not think I am the only one wishing that our PM would allow "bubbles" between trusted family members.
Do I really sound like a "trouble" granny??

Grandparents are such useful childminders, aren't they.

Boris wants people back at work.

Schools can't cater for all pupils.

It seems that the elderly are still 'disposable' in his view!

Thinkfree:

My son is the same.
He really needs help with a twin babies and a 3 year old, but he says as he is in the medical industry he cant be seen to be flouting the rules and he is not taking a risk with the babies.
He hasn't seen any friends as they are not social distancing and allow the children to play all together.
He is the same with the other grandparents.
I do not try to reason with him, its his choice and if anything did happen he would them blame you.
I have told him what our local MP has said and the link from the BBC.
He wants us to move and live close to him so I don't think the problem is with the mothers - Growstuff. Just people react differently to certain situations. My friends son has had Covid 19 and was in ICU, she totally agrees and understands my son.

thinkfree

Trouble is with my son....he is convinced that it is law....convinced we are all gonna die,convinced it is doing the child no harm to have grannies who must not be touched. His wife is the same....I cannot reason with them. They say it is protecting everyone. And yet they let the toddler play in the park . He should say under 5s are exempt or allow us to form the same bubbles as single grandparents.....now

I would imaging your son thinks the problem is with his mother.

We are not hugging anyone - but do meet up with family outside. GC, even the littlest, are very good at keeping their distance - but not what I would choose.

DD from the north coming down on Friday with 17 year old GS to hep sort stuff ready for move. They will wear masks and gloves in my home as they are from a totally different area.

But several friends of mine are on hols with other members of their families who are not in their bubble - and in shared accommodation.

Totally confused, so, GC 12 and 7, been in garden to visit with single Mum..works in school, so children been in school, no hugs for any, social distancing in garden from us, aged 65, with managed BP and 58, no issues. Could we do more?

Can I see my grandchildren? My husband is having chemotherapy, so has been isolated. We can see them, socially distanced. We are over 70. When can I look after them?

Indeed. After he said today that anti-vaxxers were nuts I began to think they must actually have a point.

I agree franbern last weekend we finally got to see our DGD now 4 months old.
After a long drive we stayed for 2 days and there were lots of cuddles and hugs.

My DH received the Shielding letters. Pages of advice and guidelines, but the last paragraph states that it was advisory, albeit strongly advisory, and it was up to him how much he followed. So we have adapted the advice to our situation as I believe Boris intended when he kept going on about using common sense. I heard that bit about grandparents forming a bubble and assumed he’d seen the sense and unfairness of it being ok for one grandparent on their own to bubble with another household - which was fine when it was first introduced to prevent loneliness - but that a couple couldn’t. That it was ok for two grandparents to form a bubble with another household. He confirmed what we are already doing so it’s nice to be ‘legal’ again!

Trouble is with my son....he is convinced that it is law....convinced we are all gonna die,convinced it is doing the child no harm to have grannies who must not be touched. His wife is the same....I cannot reason with them. They say it is protecting everyone. And yet they let the toddler play in the park . He should say under 5s are exempt or allow us to form the same bubbles as single grandparents.....now

Surely, all these are GUIDELINES -not LAWS. So, people can take sensible decisions regarding their own lives based on their own circumstances. Do not really need governments (particularly one as inept as this one) to lay down how they can live their lives.

A few weeks ago I met up with my two youngest daughters and their three primary school aged children in a park. I was taken there by a further daughter together with two of her children (she is my 'bubble' family). So, there were nine of us - outside the whole time. And, yes I did give those three g.daughters a hug!!! and my two daughters.

I really do not need to read the totally confused and muddled advice from those who seem to make their own rules for their lives in anycase

Nonnapig - maybe Grasnet can help you get started ?

It is so unhelpful when MPs, including the PM don’t understand the rules anymore. This needs to change so that two families can form a bubble whatever their “single/partner status”. A family could still see other people with social distancing in place but see their bubble family with hugs included, just as single people families can now. Keep writing to MPs, pushing for a change is how I feel about it or some sort of grandparent petition? Any ideas how you start one gratefully accepted!

Nonnapg. I too am in contact with my MP who was convinced this would be resolved by August 1st. However it seems that it may be November before anything on this front changes. I can only think that we should chain ourselves to railings outside number 10 or bombard our MP with e mails. Or all of us turn up at the doctors surgery with depression etc....I have not touched my only grandson who is 18 months old since beg. Of March.

I have also messaged my local MP on the bubble issue. He says that as far as he was concerned it was OK now for grandparents to hug grandchildren and babysit. I asked him for the written info/ links..... as you can imagine, totally confusing. I haven't seen my 2 year old granddaughter and twins ( born 22nd December) since January. We were supposed to go and visit just before lockdown, but we were ill. My DIL says the 2 year old will not understand social distancing, so we cannot visit. We live up north, they live down south. They have formed a bubble with her brother, but he can is busy with work and only visits to help one day every two weeks. I feel my son is getting worn down with all this and no help. Why can't Boris be clear ?