I’d be interested on views on this

My neighbour’s parents walk past the back of their house where there is a playing field. My neighbour and family stand on a bench and talk briefly to them over the fence, keeping a safe distance. It is only for a couple of minutes and seems to work ok. Likewise, a friend and her son and husband walk past her mother’s house and wave through the window, no contact.

Paddyanne I’m sure your arms were aching for a baby cuddle but lovely you saw them. My 2 youngest GC are over 100 miles away and it’s a daily video call. 2 oldest are 20 min motorway drive away and feels just as far as 100 miles when I can’t visit. I did make the trip to them when their mum was ill for a week with virus. Dropped box of groceries and cooked meal on doorstep and chatted through closed window. After feeling desperate to see them I could only remain at window for 2 mins as I knew I was about to burst into tears and upset them all.

My son and his family passed on their walk on Sunday and stopped to chat ,we were at the door they with baby in pram at the end of the drive.Baby was delighted to see us and daddy was able to show off her two teeth that appeared last week .We had no physical contact and were no closer than 4 or 5 metres We area very close family and usually see them almost daily and they miss us as much as we miss them so it was nice to see them especially wee madams smiley face .

In theory, if combined with daily exercise, I don’t see a problem. In practice I dare say it’d be very difficult to stick strictly to the distance, plus it’s against the spirit of the rules, and there might well be Stasi-like, curtain-twitching neighbours kicking up a stink, especially if it was a regular thing.

A Swedish friend of mine (in Stockholm) is visiting her son’s house maybe once a week for coffee and a chat, but they sit well apart on a balcony that I know runs the whole width of the house. However she doesn’t see the grandchildren, the elder 2 of whom are still going to school.

Personally I’d find it extremely hard to see grandchildren at a distance and not be able to give them a cuddle, but then mine are very small so they’d find it very hard, not to mention bewildering, too. I suppose there’s some advantage to living an hour and a half’s drive away, so there’s no temptation.
It must be sorely tempting if you’re just a walk away.

As others have said, if it’s on your daily walk to go past family homes, then I think it’s fine to chat at a safe distance.
But no way to be going in to garden, the walkers stay on the pavement and the home owners well inside their property.

Of course she could talk to her family at a distance like people do with friends and neighbours!

I'm another who sees nothing wrong with this. As long as social distancing is observed what's the issue? We've visited our family frequently, as part of our daily walk, and seen the grandchildren from a distance - they know they mustn't come close, even the little ones understand, so there's no risk of them running up for a cuddle.

I really don't understand why this might 'soon lead to drinks, something to eat, using the toilet' etc. We are all grown ups here, and capable of being sensible. Anyone who thinks it OK to go inside to use the toilet, or to shelter from the weather, is probably doing that anyway! I'm sure we've all come across the morons who are blatantly ignoring all guidance.

I honestly believe that over interpretation of the guidelines, sticking too rigidly to them, can be harmful to our MH, so how is that a good thing?

It sounds fine just to sit apart in a garden chatting but it would soon lead to drinks,something to eat,using the toilet then it being too cold or raining so sitting inside.

Even worse with children being involved,not really understanding why they cannot be kissed or cuddled.

I see a lot of families here doing juts that. We met a lady we know on our walk in the park yesterday and from a very good distance away she told us her daughter had a baby last week and she had been round juts once to see the baby through the kitchen window. I would probably have done the same. Its very hard not seeing them isn't it. My daughter and GS is over 100 miles away so heaven knows when we can give them a big hug. I sent her some cheese yesterday which she loved.

I don't see any problem with it, either.

If it's within the reach of your daily 'exercise' walk and you're maintaining safe distancing then it's not setting a 'bad example'. Perhaps those who are rigidly observing the 'rules' to the point of not doing something that is OK within the rules are needlessly depriving themselves.

I do think that it's a bit weird to think that it would cause everyone to lose self control...

She is over-interpreting the rules. If she is not self-isolating because she (or someone in her house) has symptoms or is a contact, then she can walk around outside. She could stand at their gate while they talk out of the window or from their door, so long as she stays some distance away.

What she CAN'T do is meet them close up or hug them. It is better not to join them in the garden or a park, as there is then a temptation to move closer together.

People seem to be talking to their families through the window so is that okay? The rules are not very clear. Maybe she could do that because there is no risk of infection through glass. Unfortunately I can't do that because my flat is on the first floor, although I suppose I could hang out of the window.

I can't see any problem with walking past the daughter's house and waving or talking over the wall or through a window at a safe distance. Going into the garden is maybe stretching the rules a bit far. Just need to make sure that young children (who seem to be pretty savvy) don't rush up for a cuddle.

I think it's because it could set a precedent. If one person does it OK. But if everyone is going to their families home to sit in their gardens and chat at a distance. The chances are that won't happen. Social distances guidelines will be broken. It's hard for families not to sit closer, to hug etc especially if children are involved.
It's hard, I hate it. But I am keeping away from my children and grandchildren and they all live within a couple of miles of my house.