We must give children the space they need to grow

IT IS beyond belief that the concept of keeping schools closed in September is being mooted due to the impossibility of enforcing the two-metre distance between students.

Of course it’s impossible. Even one metre seems artificial and is pretty much the respectable norm in communicating with another person anyway.

Nobody wants the personal space invader, or the lunge in for an embrace youdidn’texpect.

The younger the child, the closer the contact with those around them (parents, siblings, carers, teachers).

Get a whiff of possible independence as a teenager and you want to spread your wings.

Yes, you will probably keep in physical contact with your family – ritual embraces in greeting and departing, the comfort of a parental stroke on the head or touch on the arm.

But every bone in your body, every hormone surging through you, is screaming to experiment with physical closeness with your peers.

What about the first kiss? What about learning about desire, expression of physical love with another person who is not related to you?

We are driving this natural phenomenon underground.

We can expect young people to practice social distancing with strangers, to wash their hands regularly, to be more vigilant with personal hygiene (noting that there are obvious lessons to be learnt regarding sexually transmitted diseases, some of which are viruses).

We can expect them to get a test for coronavirus, to self-isolate and protect their families if they have any of the symptoms – temperature, shortness of breath, cough, loss of taste or smell.

But we must leave them alone now, let them be normal, let them grow.

Alison Hackett

Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin