"I work in a school surrounded by kids but cannot see my family" - anyone sick of hearing this?

[coffeeforone]

It's totally unfair - everyone gets it! It's shit for most people. But this line/situation obviously affects all who work in education settings (a lots of people I know) and is really starting to irritate as it's being spouted much more often than most other complaints.

True I know, and it doesn't make sense to lots of people...but what's the solution? Close schools so everyone can see family instead?

[PablosHoney]

I work in a school and don’t feel this at all, I like my job and glad to see the kids back and settling in, I think it’s imperative schools are kept open. I’ll visit family and not go in their houses if needs be.

[BritneyS]

I’m generally a bit sick of everyone not “getting the rules”.

You can sit in a pub with 50 other people but not your house because the pub should be following Covid guidelines in terms of cleaning etc. The government can regulate the way in which people interact in a pub but not living rooms. I really don’t understand why it’s hard for people to understand.

Similarly this argument about how they’re putting money first hence why some play parks (for example) took so long to open. Of course they bloody are!! Anyone who can’t see why spending is important is either being deliberately obtuse or test failing to grasp basic economics.

And “first we were being told to eat out to help out and now we’re being told we socialised too much!” ...or perhaps they were encouraging people to get out there and spend money and socialise when they also didn’t have to worry about schools being open? Knowing full well restaurants could struggle again as soon as the schools reopened.

[Whattodo121]

I agree with @PablosHoney

I teach and am really pleased to be back. Don’t remotely resent the kids I teach. Am not a martyr at all about it, and neither is anyone I work with

[Gancanny]

I can see why people are fed up and fatigued with the whole thing and why that's making them believe the rules make no sense. Case in point, two days away lives my daughter's best friend. They're in the same class at school. They're allowed to be in the same classroom all day long but they can't play out together in the street after school/on a weekend?

I really don't think there will be the required level of compliance with the new rules which leads me to worry that there will be harsher measures coming down the line.

[Gancanny]

Two days should say two doors

[Barrowmanfan22]

You clearly have no idea the pressure we are under and the fear we are feeling working in conditions that are not socially distanced.

Be glad that you don't. And try and be kind. And mind your own business. HTH.

[coffeeforone]

Totally agree with all that @BritneyS

And of course lots of teachers don't think like this...maybe I'm just surrounded by those that do and starting to wear me a little.

And another compliant that I hear several times daily "I can't xxx...but I can go to a pub!"

[clopper]

Barrowmanfan22

You clearly have no idea the pressure we are under and the fear we are feeling working in conditions that are not socially distanced.

Be glad that you don't. And try and be kind. And mind your own business. HTH.

This ^
I don’t resent the children and am glad to be back teaching. I just can’t see any sense in the rules whatsoever.

[SilverDragonfly1]

@BritneyS

I’m generally a bit sick of everyone not “getting the rules”.

You can sit in a pub with 50 other people but not your house because the pub should be following Covid guidelines in terms of cleaning etc. The government can regulate the way in which people interact in a pub but not living rooms. I really don’t understand why it’s hard for people to understand.

Similarly this argument about how they’re putting money first hence why some play parks (for example) took so long to open. Of course they bloody are!! Anyone who can’t see why spending is important is either being deliberately obtuse or test failing to grasp basic economics.

And “first we were being told to eat out to help out and now we’re being told we socialised too much!” ...or perhaps they were encouraging people to get out there and spend money and socialise when they also didn’t have to worry about schools being open? Knowing full well restaurants could struggle again as soon as the schools reopened.

This. Not liking the rules doesn't make them wrong, complicated (could the rule of six actually be simpler in England at least?) or inexplicable.

[Happytobeme123]

Sorry its spoiling your day O.P.
Have you tried filling it with something productive?

[PablosHoney]

Why can’t your daughter play with her friend?

[Gancanny]

We're in local lockdown which overrides rule of six, no socialising with anyone from another household or support bubble.

[PablosHoney]

Ahh, poor DD that must be confusing

[Barrowmanfan22]

@Whattodo121

I agree with *@PablosHoney*

I teach and am really pleased to be back. Don’t remotely resent the kids I teach. Am not a martyr at all about it, and neither is anyone I work with

That's a bit of a jump. So anyone who says the above things is a martyr who resents the kids?!
I certainly don't resent the kids. And I'm not a martyr. But I have said the above things.

[cricketballs3]

My dad is extremely vulnerable - we went away in this country for a week in August; result of the general public not following directions I refused to past the front gate when I went to see him.

I've been in packed classrooms with no social distancing possible (my school is trying as much as possible to keep staff and students safe) and I'm not going to risk 2m so we speak on the phone only

[coffeeforone]

My father lives with us, over 70 several high risk health conditions including diabetes.

Should my kids not go to school and nursery as there is a risk they will bring virus home?
Should I not go to work on a busy train and tube? And mix with other in the workplace. We have to do things that may not feel "safe" to us. Everyone has issues to but accept that there is some risk in our daily lives if we want to earn a living.

[MitziK]

Oh, I don't know. DP would rather like to see his vulnerable relatives without risking killing them - or in one case, before she forgets who he is (if she hasn't already, nobody knows, because nobody's been able to visit her for her own safety). But he can't.

He feels bad enough about the chances of giving it to me (if the virus I had in March that made breathing so difficult wasn't Covid or immunity isn't guaranteed or is reduced by being on biologics), never mind the prospect of killing off his entire family. And I feel bad that although his work does require the wearing of PPE, mine is pushing the 'rules' by giving me the choice when dealing with people who are complaining of Covid type symptoms, so I'm posing even more of a risk to his family than he is.

But the government were quite happy for us to sit in a pub and actually offered to pick up half the tab if we travelled down and took them out for a meal. As though it would have been any consolation when watching an online funeral service to be able to say 'Ah well, at least Dad's meal didn't cost as much as usual'.

[PablosHoney]

We’d all ‘rather like that’

[Dee1975]

Your not likely to go around hugging all the kids but you would with family. That’s the reason.

[Goatinthegarden]

Hmmm, well, I’m a teacher. I’m happy to be a teacher, I love my job and I’m happy to be back teaching in the classroom.i care about the education of my pupils.

But I can’t visit my dad. He’s terminally ill, so you know borrowed time and all that. Might not outlive this pandemic. Sometimes I jolly along fine, stiff upper lip and ‘I’m playing my part for the greater good’. Other times, it’s a much harder cross to bear.

Sometimes, it’s just a little cathartic to have a little moan and then I get on with it.

[BritneyS]

mine is pushing the 'rules' by giving me the choice when dealing with people who are complaining of Covid type symptoms, so I'm posing even more of a risk to his family than he is

But you are allowed to wear PPE?

As though it would have been any consolation when watching an online funeral service to be able to say 'Ah well, at least Dad's meal didn't cost as much as usual'.

30 people can attend funerals; do you really believe in the great balancing act that pubs should close in favour of allowing bigger funerals?

[BritneyS]

I’m so sorry to hear that @Goatinthegarden
Is your dad not at home? If I were you, I’d sure as hell be visiting him if he was!

[Dontcarewhatmyusernameis]

I do think it’s a martyr-ish thing to say. Lots of key workers are surrounded by people all day - non-family members - and don’t get to see or spend time with the people they’d love to see. It’s not fun but neither is anything about this virus. People should be free to vent but there’s something about the phrasing of that comment that really jars.

[SaltyAndFresh]

Ooh another teacher bashing thread. Goody, thanks OP.

You realise, by the way, if we lock down to fit in with school holidays, school staff won't have any freedom to enjoy their annual leave at all?

[ilovesooty]

Well that's a novel take on a regular theme.