After months of being sheltered in the house, parents and children stricken with cabin fever are reaching out to pediatricians asking if it’s safe to resume play dates and other social activities with the kids.

One expert said that if there is one thing the coronavirus has taught us it’s there are no hard and fast rules about how this disease spreads and what we can do to protect ourselves. In other words, there are no easy answers about easing social distancing rules for kids.

Dr. Perri Klass, M.D., a well-known pediatrician and author, wrote in The New York Times that the number one rule to reduce the risk of transmission is to plan an activity outdoors.

“Keep the time periods limited — maybe a short session outside in the afternoon, rather than a sleepover. Encourage hand-washing, send children with hand sanitizer, and yes, make it clear beforehand that masks are to be worn,” she advised. “If there’s going to be a meal together, meaning that masks will come off, kids need to be sitting far enough part.”

But she added that parents should not expert 100% adherence to these rules because “children are children.”

Which leads one coronavirus expert to caution parents not to engage in play dates just yet as recent data shows even very young children can develop symptoms of COVID-19. Dr. Rajiv Bahl, MD, told  Click Orlando that if kids and parents are really restless outdoor play could be allowed including “bike rides, hikes or even kicking balls.”

Bahl suggested while he still discouraged play dates with other children and families, decreasing contact with germs is key. All surfaces need to be wiped down and the kids need to stay safely apart.

“After play, it is recommended that children take showers, hands are thoroughly cleaned, and clothing is laundered using the warmest appropriate setting for garments.”

Klass agreed that there are many considerations parents must take before making the move to lower social distancing barriers. They must weigh the risks, discuss the matter with other parents, listen to experts, but eventually decide what their own comfort level is. Perhaps there is a vulnerable person living at home, whose safety and health needs to be protected.

Another key factor is, if your children are going to mingle with others, all sets of parents should be on the same page.

“There’s a certain amount of selecting out families with the same level of risk aversion,” said Dr. David Rubin, director of PolicyLab at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, according to the Times. If other parents are more reluctant to participate in play dates, don’t make them out to be the bad guy, said Klass. Be consistent with your message that first and foremost, this is about keeping everyone safe, and sometimes that means waiting a little longer.

Teens present a special challenge, and Klass advised clarifying where your family stands on alcohol and other substance abuse as well as sex in the context of social distancing. Dr. Sally Goza, the president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, added:

“Give them science so they can understand why it’s so important, to protect them, protect their friend, protect their parents and their friend’s parents and grandparents.”