CLEVELAND — As the state continues to reopen, many parents are now faced with the decision of whether to allow their kids to participate, keep them at home, or something in between.
“I think that every family is going to have to make that choice for themselves,” says Marcy McArthur.
Marcy is the mother of 3 kids ranging from 4 to 14 years old. Her decision to allow them to take part in their usual activities isn’t a clear one.
“The unknown is what I think about,” says McArthur. “There has to be those precautionary steps taken so that parents fell comfortable enough that the kiddos are safe.”
Marcy’s 3 kids all have different potential activities this summer and she says if she has to allow one to participate and keep another home because of her comfortability, that’s what she’ll do and just be honest with them.
“I think that once I break it down and the steps and reasoning behind it, they would be very sad and upset, but I think that they would definitely understand where we’re coming from,” says McArthur.
Dr. Amy Edwards, an infectious disease pediatrician with University Hospitals agrees. It’s all dependent upon individual situations.
“The answer is going to vary by family, by activity and by how well prepared said organization is for this opening,” says Dr. Edwards. “When it comes to things like pool, I’m actually pretty okay with that. This virus is a respiratory virus, it is not going to stand up to the chlorine. For the rest, as far as sports and summer camps, you’re going to have to call and really talk to them about the safety measures that they’re putting in place.”
So when it comes to allowing your children to partake in typical summer activities that are now open, proceed but with caution.
“I think people need to be smart and use common sense,” says McArthur.
“This opening up is not a sign that this is over,” says Dr. Edwards. “This is so far from over. Keep up the vigilance, we’re not out of the woods yet.”
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