Coronavirus: Are children able to adhere to social distancing?

How difficult will it be for children to social distance when they see loved ones for the first time in months?

The Welsh Government has eased lockdown restrictions so, from Monday, two households in a local area can meet if they are outdoors and remain 2m apart.

The editor of a grandparents website said users had expressed concerns about the practicalities of the changes.

And a mother-of two said she has decided against taking her children to see their grandparents who live nearby.

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'You can't hug them'

Emily King lives in Llanharry, Rhondda Cynon Taff, with her husband Stephen and their two children, aged one and two.

She said: "We'll have to explain to them, yes you can see your grandmother and your grandfather but no you can't hug them and you can't go in their house.

"You can go in their garden, when they call you can't cuddle them, you can't go with them like you used to do.

"That's going to be like a tease...

"That would actually be worse than me just saying no, we can't go and see them."

Before the lockdown Emily King's children would stay with their grandparents once or twice a week

She said their grandmother had left toys and cupcakes at their door and she had told the children they had been delivered by a fairy.

'Think about the pros and cons'

Bethan Phillips, a clinical psychologist who works with children and young people in Cardiff, said people need to decide what works for them.

"I think my advice would be to think about the pros and the cons and think about what's important for you and your children and your wider family," she said.

"So some families may decide, first thing Monday morning, they're driving to granny's house and they're going to go and see them and others may decide not to, and both of those decisions are fine."

Clinical psychologist Bethan Phillips says people need to decide what works for them

She added: "It's important to realise that people have different needs and different priorities and different things going on...

"Try not to judge or get tangled up with what other people are doing because that's not going to be helpful."

She advised parents to talk to their children in an age-appropriate way, and also their families, and make a plan about what will happen ahead of any meeting.

"Maybe think about some games that you could play that could keep a social distance but can encourage that relationship," she said.

"So a game of rounders, or a game of cricket if you've got an outside space or something but it doesn't involve sitting and hugging and kissing and those kind of things."

'Burst into tears'

Lara Crisp, editor of the grandparents' social networking website Gransnet, said users of the site had been expressing concerns about how the changes will work.

"One grandmother said to me that she had recently met with her six-year-old granddaughter who just couldn't get the social distancing," she said.

"She wanted to hold her hand and help her climb a tree.

"It ended up with the grandchild bursting into tears, upset and confused at what was happening.

"Many older children get it, but for younger children it is hard."

She said users of her site were still concerned about catching the virus.

"Some feel this has been pushed forward without just cause.

"They're worried they are guinea pigs. They're most at risk and they're worried."

Behave 'responsibly'

Announcing the changes on Friday, First Minister Mark Drakeford said the Welsh Government was acting on the advice of scientists and the chief medical officer.

He said families should "think carefully" about how to see each other while behaving "responsibly".

He added it may be that children who would not be able to socially distance would not be part of gatherings "in the first instance".

Any households meeting up will need to stay in their local area - within five miles as a "general rule" - and remain two metres apart.