A Letter To High School Boys — From Their Moms

It’s hard for parents to know what to let their children do during the COVID-19 outbreak — how to keep them safe and also keep them occupied. The following email was sent to a group of high school boys by their mothers. Reprinted with permission.

Dear boys,

As people who care about your health and the health of our communities, the copied moms (henceforth referred to as the Awesome Moms of Wallingford-Swarthmore, or AMWS), have jointly come together to agree on the following rules for the duration of this situation. While we know you probably aren’t going to like them, we know that, as smart humans, you will understand the why behind them:

1. We love you and want to keep you all safe.

2. Many of you have people you love in your lives — even in your very houses — who are at very high risk, meaning if they get sick, they are in grave danger compared to the rest of us. People who are over age 60, chronically ill, or immunocompromised. Not going to sugarcoat it: If these people get sick, they are at greater risk of dying. So your getting the virus from a friend, and then giving it to a loved one, is something we have to stop. You may be fine, they will not be.

3. One of the reasons we all love living in this community is just that, we value this community. By following these rules, you are doing your part as a good citizen and generally decent person to protect the public health. This is a great time to live what we teach you at home and school, that you are part of a greater good than yourself.

So if you are getting this, your mom has already agreed to the following, and agreed we will all enforce these until further notice (so don’t try to play us off of each other). Also, know this can extend out to the group copied on this text chain.

Here’s what we will not allow:

1. No sleepovers.

2. No basement hangouts/joint movie watching inside/playing Xbox/video games together.

3. No wrestling or close contact sports (basketball).

4. No hanging out at local spots (Wawa, Renatos, Dunkin — any food place).

5. No ordering Door Dash or takeout without full parental approval (we understand there may be times we want to get outside food, but the parents will jointly decide where and how).

6. No sharing or handling each others’ phones.

7. We reserve the right to grow this list.

Here’s what we will allow, recommend, and enforce:

• Gatherings outside where you can be at least 6 feet away from each other (back patios, back yards).

• Sports where you can keep 6-feet distance between: Ultimate, football, running, biking, hiking in woods, kickball, etc.

• If you play sports where you touch a common object, do not touch your face. Wash your hands ASAP after (also wash your own phone often).

• Xbox or video games where you play alone but can join each other online.

• Whenever you come into a house, wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.

• Be mindful when coming into a friend’s house: If you grab doorknobs, light switches, etc., use your shirt or something to prevent directly touching the object.

• If you feel sick, stay away from your friends, and tell your parents right away.

You may not know this now, but you are living in a historic time that could have a dramatic impact on the future of our country and world. We love you and thank you for doing your part!

Sincerely,
AMWS