What are you doing if your kids' activities haven't been cancelled?

[maize]

Local schools have closed, but so far none of my kids' extracurricular activities are cancelled.

There's part of me that really wants to just keep everyone home. 

My biggest concern is actually martial arts because dd16 is an employee there and can't just stay home--she usually teaches Monday through Friday. I can keep the younger kids home, which would probably do some good--they are both more likely to pick up and more likely to spread germs.

Our Irish dance school is small and classes are usually my kids plus 2-3 others. That one I feel fine continuing for now as long as the teachers want to. 

Tumbling... Is a bit more of a concern, I asked them yesterday about their plans and they said they are still evaluating. The homeschool class is just my kids and four others in an otherwise empty gym, but ds14 is on team and is there when the gym is full.

Then there is theater--the production hasn't been cancelled.

I'm not planning to withdraw from anything as far as tuition goes, my husband will get paid even if he has to work from home and I figure these small businesses can't take a heavy hit.

Our area doesn't have widespread identified cases yet, but that might be only because our state hasn't done much testing yet.

Edited March 15, 2020 by maize

[Carrie12345]

All of my kids’ current activities except for firefighting have been canceled, so it’s not entirely fair for me to answer.  But I did pull my family from co-op before co-op decided to close.  Then again, I was avoiding co-op as much as possible already because some of the members have horrible ideas about winter illness in general.  🤷‍♀️ 

[wintermom]

This is theoretical for us, because all the facilities have shut down for 3 weeks. I would have assessed each activity individually, just like you are doing.  Hockey would have been fine, though limit dressing room time. Basketball would have been fine, just lots of hand washing. Musical theatre probably would have been alright if they avoided singing and simply worked on the dances and blocking. The actual performance would have to be delayed.

My own tennis league was cancelled, but dh and I are still playing on our own where there is no indoor facility. 

[73349]

Maybe I shouldn't respond as we got sick before most things decided to close, but... I think keeping people at home when possible will not only keep them from catching/spreading germs, but will also encourage those businesses to suspend activities. Owners/teachers might be wanting to close but feeling nervous about parent backlash. Families, especially those with multiple participants, choosing to stay home will make them feel better about making the call to close.

[Meriwether]

Nothing has been canceled here, because it isn't officially in our area. We traveled outside of our immediate area this weekend where there are a few cases, so we are self-quarantining. I think by the time we are done self-quarantining, things will have closed taking the decision out of our hands, but we will see.

ETA: My daughter also teaches at a dojo. She got one of the other teen instructors to cover her three classes.

Edited March 15, 2020 by Meriwether

[teachermom2834]

My dd is in a ballet production which I really believe will ultimately be cancelled. I believe the schools systems will close and that will force the cancellation. I think the only reason the schools haven’t closed already is that this week is spring break so they don’t necessarily need to make an announcement right now. 
 

Her rehearsal is an hour long. I’m going to stay in the car and she will wash up before and after rehearsal. She has hand sanitizer she can use and share with the other girls during any breaks. 
 

I wish it was just cancelled. Not because of super high risk but just because pretty much everything else is canceled so it would be good if everyone would just stay home and this is pretty unnecessary. I don’t have the backbone to make that call right now though. We are all very low risk and it is not technically in our area (though I’m of the opinion it is everywhere). I would look like a lunatic for pulling her and I have close personal relationships that would take a hit if I made that move.

But we are absolutely staying home and not going to expose other people after this.  
 

[mlktwins]

LAll ours are closed except for year round swim.  I am emailing the coach today that we are not coming until further notice.   We are staying home by ourselves.

 

 

Edited March 15, 2020 by mlktwins

[Arcadia]

Ours are all cancelled except for recreational tennis for my teens. We are skipping this session of 6 weeks as my teens opt to stay home. Their Chinese tutor would meet them at my complex clubhouse as the libraries have closed.

[mmasc]

I’m another one that doesn’t really have to make the decision for the most part because everything my kids are involved with has been cancelled—except for church-related activities, which are currently still on. We will be staying home and avoiding the gatherings. 

[wendyroo]

Everything here is canceled.  But, even before the announcements were made, I had already alerted all activities that my kids would not be attending this upcoming week.  Now it looks like everything will be following the lead of the public schools which will be closed at least until April 6th.  We will be staying home except for family hikes, soccer games, bikes rides, etc.

Wendy

[Wheres Toto]

Dd's TKD dojo hasn't closed yet.   She won't be attending classes regardless.    They just opened up their new location in September and have been rebuilding the business so I don't know if they can afford to close.

I've closed all my classes down for at least next four weeks - three weeks to the end of our current session, then our usual break week before the next session starts.  I'm reevaluating then, although I somehow doubt this will have settled down by then.  I was really torn on whether this was "too early" to shut down since I think it's going to last a while but I think closing now was the right call.  I'm in NJ so we have quite a few cases and a lot of cases among younger people.  Dh and I are both moderate risk levels.    Dh will still be working a mix of at home and in the office, but his company is less than 25 people and in their own building so the risk isn't that great.  They are letting people work from home as well and he'll probably do that at least part of the time.   He is usually the first one in and is done with his day earlier so doesn't spend a lot of time around other people anyway.    With his salary, my business can afford to take off until September if we have to.

[Paige]

Our dance studio is closed, which I am grateful for. Our martial arts studio is not closing. My kids will be staying home. DS is an instructor but is injured so we don't have to tell him to quit. The dojo does a lot of child care during school breaks and is doing more now. I appreciate that this service is essential for some parents. We live in an area where a lot of parents are unable to stay home because they are essential. But, it's not essential for us, and I'm not going to contribute to the crowd over there. 

A lot of homeschool activities are not cancelling. They are even rescheduling and relocating to different venues (mostly homes) if the original venue is closed. I don't understand that mindset. I'll be cancelling my club activity, but I'm waiting until the date is closer. I suspect that my venue will close and then I won't be the bad guy. I won't be relocating to my house!

[Loowit]

We aren't involved in a lot lately, but the boys are still in scouting.  So far we have not heard they are cancelling troop meeting, although a lot of big council events are cancelled or postponed.  I have been debating the last few days in if the boys should go to the troop meeting tonight.  It is a fairly small group, but the room they meet in is small so no social distancing.  Both DH and youngest are high risk if they were to get this virus.  Honestly I am not sure what we are going to do, but I will have sit down with the boys and DH to discuss it this afternoon.

[maize]

Just got an email that tumbling will be closed this week and then they will re-evaluate. 

I wish the dojo would close. Their current plan is to offer day camps for kids who are out of school.

[ScoutTN]

Most things are cancelled or delayed until April.

School and tutorial are digital. Dance, musical theater, church, AHG, and flag football are off at least through the end of March when they will reassess. 

Everything here is on Spring Break this week anyway. Our piano teacher will use tech to do lessons if families wish or just skip. Dd is applying to attend piano camp this summer at a local uni, so we will continue in person lessons as long as we and the teacher and her family are not ill. If someone gets sick, we will do lessons via Skype or whatever.

Eta: Scout troop is  still running, with the usual virus provisos. Camping  trip next weekend is on. Ds will go if we can borrow a pack. Their weekly troop meetings will be outside, under a lighted picnic shelter until next fall. Their building space is closed for the virus now and maintenance later in the spring. All their gear is in trailers, not inside. 

 

 

Edited March 15, 2020 by ScoutTN

[happi duck]

All my things were cancelled...It was nice to have someone else make the decision!

I would cancel.

I want the future to look back on this time and see that we sacrificed our wants for the greater good and averted disaster.

 

Edited March 15, 2020 by happi duck

[historically accurate]

Co-op closed for the next two weeks. Oldest's rocketry club, which is ran through a school, is cancelled. Library activities are cancelled. Church youth group is cancelled. 

TKD is still going. It is opening a first come, first serve, 5 person limit class daily as well as the normal classes (which run from 8ish- 30ish people). We MAY make it to one of those if doctor approves it. We are talking to the cardiologist tomorrow to see if DD's cardiac issue makes her high risk. Unfortunately, DD (with the cardiac issue) is on the TKD Demo team, and I just can't see that as DD sits out for certain moves. Therefore, she is sitting on the mat for 5-30 minutes every team practice. Today we remembered that one woman there is an ER nurse, and she has 4 boys in TKD as well, so I am now leaning (no matter what doctor says) on no to TKD. We do have a punching bag, paddles, and a TKD form video here at home so they can continue to practice.  

Note we have no cases in our county, but we do have 2 the next county over.

[SKL]

At the present time, 3 days after they closed all the schools statewide, nearly every other activity has been canceled or postponed.  They didn't all close at once, but gradually each one decided it was the right decision based on their combination of pros and cons.

Our TKD school is still open, but they have changed it so nobody touches anyone and spread out the times so the number of people present is small.  I do want to make it there, but have not so far.

I am told that horse riding is still on, though they are not open again until Tuesday (their normal schedule).  I will happily send one if not both of my kids to the barn.

I think church is still on.  We will not attend because there are so many elderly people.  I won't do voluntary things that risk older people's health.

The kids are supposed to have their first communion on Maundy Thursday.  We'll see.

[Tap]

We are in Washington, where all schools just closed for 5 weeks. All of our programs have cancelled or greatly altered interactions. DS is a youth pastor and is deciding today how he will proceed the youth  programming at church under the guidance of the elders. (Today is the last traditional church service). 

For sports with any physical contact between people, I would cancel due to particulates. People wash  their hands, not their arms, legs, feet, neck etc.   If things can be modified (cheerleaders avoiding throws, Martial arts working on form or against devices that can be cleaned between people etc) then I would consider it. 

For  sports with several feet between people or some kind of physical barrier (swimming, ultimate Frisbee, fencing etc) I would consider case by case. For sports that use the same device (like Frisbees, I would wash before and after and be prudent about anyone with coughs/colds not playing to do particulates. 

For sports with mats, I would cancel. Particulates are live on surfaces for 3 days. Even with space between people, there is no way to clean them effectively. 

Sports with spit, blood, snot, sweat interchanging (basketball, football, wrestling etc). I would cancel for the entire season.  

[mom2scouts]

Everything except dd's sport has cancelled. They are spreading out different groups' practice times, taking temperatures when everyone shows up, and cleaning equipment, but athletes come from at least 5 different cities (including one that now has a confirmed case). I'm not sure what we're going to do.

[madteaparty]

Her nature program hasn’t cancelled yet and neither has her art class. I expect both to close soon but if not she will be going. 

[HollyDay]

All of youngest dd's activities are cancelled.  Oldest will know more on Monday.  I'm concerned about mine.  I take a Pilates reformer class twice a week due to chronic pain.  It helps tremendously with my pain and missing classes (even if I do mat exercises at home)  always results in increased pain and mobility issues.  But, I'm concerned about going into a gym environment.  And the kids camp will run next week since schools are out. 

Edited March 15, 2020 by HollyDay

[fairfarmhand]

I run a drama group and had 2 parents contact me with concerns. They had high risk family members and were worried. I shut it down for the rest f the month at a minimum mostly to help those parents. Also, if the parents of high risk families kept their kids home that would make it really hard to rehearse anyway. 

[mom2scouts]

DH is a Scoutmaster and he's agonizing about whether to meet. The church where they meet is very small and has an aging congregation. The church has been closed. DH thought maybe the Scouts could meet at a park and do bike maintenance or something because being outside might present less risk. I told him I think the governor is just trying to get everyone to stay home as much as possible, so now dh thinks maybe he should just go ahead and cancel.

[maize]

Irish dance studio is considering doing zoom lessons.

The difficulty of course is lack of an appropriate practice floor at home.

[SKL]

Our TKD place just announced that they are setting up a way to do lessons online.  They will still do belt tests in person, but in a very different way so that there are few people there.

[bibiche]

We’re not going.

To do otherwise would be irresponsible, IMO. I have no idea why things have not all been cancelled. It is criminal. 

[SKL]

My kid's clarinet teacher just called.  She and I are both thinking the same thing.  Lessons canceled until at least April.  I asked her to give some assignments for progress in the meantime, and she just said to move up to the next page every 4th day.  I told her to let me know if this gives her any financial difficulty, and she said she is fine for now.

I'll be texting the trumpet teacher also.

[Janeway]

8 hours ago, whitehawk said:

Maybe I shouldn't respond as we got sick before most things decided to close, but... I think keeping people at home when possible will not only keep them from catching/spreading germs, but will also encourage those businesses to suspend activities. Owners/teachers might be wanting to close but feeling nervous about parent backlash. Families, especially those with multiple participants, choosing to stay home will make them feel better about making the call to close.

I think they are more worried about being obligated to give refunds as most of these businesses are small businesses. If people don't show, then they are fine. But if they shut down the activities, they have to issue refunds or make up time.

[Janeway]

I thought about the whole...what if it is a small group theory..like just 2-3 kids at dance. But, I think it is like sex. If you don't want to get pregnant, don't risk just doing it once. Sure, the risk might not be as great as if you were around a large group of people, but when you are with those 2-3 kids, you are with everyone they were with before they came in, and everyone they were with, and so on. Since it is supposed to take two weeks to have symptoms and most places do not have the ability to even test, I would say even in small environments, it would be best to stay away for a few weeks. One of the biggest problems is everyone getting it at once and our medical system not being able to handle it. I feel like it would be better to get Covid in a couple months from now than now. Of course, seems like it would be best to not get it at all. 

[maize]

6 minutes ago, bibiche said:

We’re not going.

To do otherwise would be irresponsible, IMO. I have no idea why things have not all been cancelled. It is criminal. 

Small businesses still have expenses such as rent; they are in a really tough place.

Have you had to face giving up all your income while still paying business expenses?

[bibiche]

45 minutes ago, maize said:

Small businesses still have expenses such as rent; they are in a really tough place.

Have you had to face giving up all your income while still paying business expenses?

I personally have not, no. I fault the government, not the business owners. 

[carriede]

Public school hasn't been canceled and neither has anything else. We are staying home this week.

I expect big changes in the local can't-stop-us attitude as the week progresses.

[Chris in VA]

7 hours ago, maize said:

Just got an email that tumbling will be closed this week and then they will re-evaluate. 

I wish the dojo would close. Their current plan is to offer day camps for kids who are out of school.

That is so.irresponsible. 

[Chris in VA]

3 hours ago, mom2scouts said:

DH is a Scoutmaster and he's agonizing about whether to meet. The church where they meet is very small and has an aging congregation. The church has been closed. DH thought maybe the Scouts could meet at a park and do bike maintenance or something because being outside might present less risk. I told him I think the governor is just trying to get everyone to stay home as much as possible, so now dh thinks maybe he should just go ahead and cancel.

Our churches closed, and are not allowed to continue with offering the space to others; it is an effort to protect the space renters  (not that they pay rent, just dont know what to call them). To meet somewhere else feels disrespectful to their efforts. It is like parents meeting for playgroups when the  school is closed. Cancel. 

 

[rebcoola]

We are in Washington but not Seattle area.  Nothing has been cancelled lots of people out doing things.  The gymnastics place we just left is advertising their camps and open gyms.  Our family gym is expanding kids programs ☹️.  We are skipping it all. 

[theelfqueen]

Everything else we do has been cancelled, even our library is closed. But the dojo has made no reference to closing. Their average class is about 4-5 students. 

DH and I are in different pages on this. So we shall see how that goes. 

 

[Janeway]

We have almost two weeks to our next outside class for the younger kids. And Tuesday, teenager has ballet, it has not been cancelled. I am torn over the ballet. I figure by the time the younger children's class comes around, I will feel more sure of my decision to withhold or not.

[Meriwether]

Our dojo is organizing for when it hits our area. They are looking at doing video/app lessons plus one free private lesson per family per week and then some free seminars once things are up and running again. 

 

ETA: Private lessons would be no contact, so no sparring. My family is lucky in this regard. Dd16 teaches tiger classes and can work with Dd5. Dh, Dd16, Ds13, and Dd10 can spar together at home to keep skills sharp. Since all 4 of them have an excellent chance at winning at least one District Championship this year, it is good they can keep working.

Edited March 16, 2020 by Meriwether

[SKL]

Our dojang is finally closing because they say the state is about to shut all gyms down.

They will be providing online lessons via facebook starting tomorrow.

[rebcoola]

Guess it's all closed now governor just closed all recreational facilities, and entertainment venues.  Restaurants are take out only.  

12 hours ago, mlktwins said:

LAll ours are closed except for year round swim.  I am emailing the coach today that we are not coming until further notice.   We are staying home by ourselves.

 

 

Does your team have their own pool?  Our schools closed last week, but all the teams here swim short course at schools so it all ground to a screeching halt.  Homeschool choir only canceled yesterday, but I already told the kids we wouldn’t be going.  Entire families camp out there for the afternoon and it has been the source of my illnesses this winter.  Piano for my 6yo is my big up in the air item.  The teacher is old, but his wife died of a blood clot 10 years ago and piano is his life.  I plan on calling to check on Tuesday morning.  I really don’t get the impression he teaches for the money at this point (his rates aren’t high, he doesn’t push little kids into long lessons, two Steinways in the house) I think it is what gives his life purpose.  I am so torn...

[bibiche]

3 minutes ago, Mom2mthj said:

Piano for my 6yo is my big up in the air item.  The teacher is old, but his wife died of a blood clot 10 years ago and piano is his life.  I plan on calling to check on Tuesday morning.  I really don’t get the impression he teaches for the money at this point (his rates aren’t high, he doesn’t push little kids into long lessons, two Steinways in the house) I think it is what gives his life purpose.  I am so torn...

If you value him you won’t go. You could kill him. 

[ktgrok]

Vegas is closing down. The NBA has shut down. It is ridiculous to have them shut down but dance classes for kids still feel they have to push on. 

[Loowit]

We did our troop meeting tonight.  There were 6 kids and 4 adults there.  We had good distancing between us.  The scoutmaster has said that we will continue to meet as long as we are allowed to, but that no one is to come if they are feeling sick.  I am not sure if we will go next week or not with the new restrictions in our area that came out tonight.  We don't have any confirmed cases in our county, however, there are people with symptoms that are not being tested, including my nephew.

[theelfqueen]

So our dojo posted today that they are not closing (at least not yet) but they are dropping any close quarters/contact activities to maintain physical distance and have deep cleaned every surface and will maintain this and dont come sick and ... all that and that they will also be offering some online classes. I still dont know what we will do. DH will definitely want him to go... and nothing in the CDC guidelines really would prohibit it as long as they maintain distances. I just dont know. 

On Friday, DS was the only person who showed up for classes so maybe the problem will self resolve lol. 

[mom2scouts]

DD's last extracurricular activity has finally cancelled as of this morning. It's a family business and they were trying to stay open with lots of new measures in place, but I think they just couldn't justify staying open any longer. Our governor has been very proactive and it was only a matter of time before he started shutting down more businesses. I'm glad because I was really starting to wonder if it would be worth sending her. Some groups are trying to go to online meetings.

[hjffkj]

We are sick currently, with a bad cough and some of the kids have a fever. So, we are staying in, even the healthy kids, even though kung-fu is still going on as normal

[maize]

Theater practices have been cancelled for now.

This leaves only martial arts. I'm going to talk to the owner today about maybe cutting back dd16's work hours and whether they have considered offering online classes.

Edited March 16, 2020 by maize

[Wheres Toto]

Our TKD dojo evidently doesn't consider itself a gym.  Our governor has shut down all gyms, movie theaters, casinos, racetracks, bars and restaurants to take out only, everything except supermarkets, pharmacies, medical offices and gas stations have to close at 8pm.    But dd's TKD is planning to stay open.   😒

I told them she will not be attending any classes.