Dear Coleen

FURIOUS THAT MY SISTER HAS BROKEN RULES

I’ve found myself feeling very angry with my sister and brother-in-law.

When my eight-year-old daughter was having a video call with their daughter last week, she told her they’d had people over for a socially distanced party in the garden with cakes and ice-cream.

She also said they’d had a socially distanced birthday party at a schoolfriend’s house.

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing – it’s like they don’t think the rules apply to them!

Also, now we are able to get together outside in small groups, how do I know they haven’t been socialising with people who’ve got the virus?

Our parents are in their 70s – the most vulnerable age group – so I think it’s incredibly selfish that my sister might potentially have put them at risk. Can you advise?

Coleen says

Sadly, I think this situation has probably happened quite a lot.

There will always be people who act selfishly and who don’t stick to the rules. That’s human nature.

However, I understand that you feel angry when you’ve been following lockdown to the letter.

I’m sure your sister and her friends trust each other, but that’s not the point. If we all did that, the whole thing would break down.

It doesn’t help that the advice seems confusing sometimes – cleaners have been allowed into our homes for the past couple of weeks, yet we haven’t been able to see a trusted friend or family member indoors, even at a distance.

But in terms of getting together with your sister and her family now that you can, as long as you’re all sticking to the hygiene and social distancing measures, and getting together outside, then you’re doing as much as you can to protect yourselves.

I guess it comes down to whether you feel comfortable seeing your sister.