I’m worried about sending my daughter back to school tomorrow

[MyNameWas]

She is in year 1 and her school started on the 1st of June. We opted to not send her and she has been accessing her lessons through zoom and having interaction with her class on Fridays firm time.
The school has given us an option to send her in from tomorrow and my husband and daughter are both very keen. I know this is the right decision to make as we cannot keep her from school forever but I feel worried sick as time goes.
The school has been brilliant in organising bubbles, social distancing etc. But I feel really worried. Not sure why I’m posting maybe to get it off my chest.

[ohthegoats]

She'll love it. As soon as you pick her up and see her face, you'll be fine too. When we were going in to look after key worker kids, the first shift was scary - was all OK within 10 minutes!

Be happy you've got a space for her and she's getting proper time to socialise. Also means you've got park mate opportunities with other kids in her bubble at weekends or on the way home.

[Drivingdownthe101]

My year 1 started back 2 weeks ago, she’s absolutely loving it. Prefers it to ‘normal’ school, she says! DD2 in reception starts back tomorrow.

[Bol87]

She’ll love it. My daughter went back to nursery a couple weeks ago & she’s the happiest I’ve seen her since March! She comes bounding out of nursery loving life & talking none stop about her day it’s a really lovely slice of normality! She doesn’t seem to have batted an eyelid at the changes, I have asked her if things are different & she just says ‘the library is closed’ .. I assume they aren’t taking kids to the library room at the mo!

I’m now a much less stressed & knackered parent 😅

The risk to children is minuscule. I did feel anxious the first day and cried in the car but after the first day, it all fell into normal routine & very nice it is too!

[greenlynx]

Her school started 2 weeks ago and everything is fine. It’s the best proof that they planned carefully.

[Oblomov20]

God. What I wouldn't give to get both my ds's back.
Ds2 is year 6 and should be back by now, but they have no places.

[Flipflopsaga]

I totally understand your anxiety however please let her give it a try. If it doesn’t work it’s fine. The school will understand if she doesn’t want to go back. She will be in a class with at least half the pupils it usually has and two members of staff who have thought very carefully about the children returning. They will be anticipating the strangeness that the children will feel and will bring some fun activities to add an extra dimension to their lessons. I honestly think that you’ll be pleasantly surprised! I really hope that it goes well xx

[Crazycatlady83]

What are you specifically worried about? Her getting the virus, passing it onto your or her DF? Or is it school related - she won’t enjoy the new bubbles, won’t be with her friends? It might help with your worries if you think about them carefully, and then think logically of whether they will occur and if they do happen, the likely outcome.

If it’s specifically the virus, we know that the overwhelming majority of children who get it, do not have symptoms or have a mild illness.

If you are worried about her getting it and passing it onto you or your husband, do you have any health conditions which put you are greater risk? If so, Can you get advice from your GP about the likely impact of the virus on you? If not, again the vast majority of under 60s without health conditions do not show symptoms or have a mild illness.

If it is specifically to do with school, can you speak to her teachers and get some reassurance?

[SpeedofaSloth]

My two went into a keyworker bubble last week, both really happy. It's different to usual but it's still their school and very familiar.

[sausagepastapot]

Mine are having the best time and it has done wonders for my mental health.

[RAINSh0wers]

My year 1 has had two weeks back (2 days a week) and she’s absolutely loved it! Yes, things are a bit different but they’ve all taken it in their stride and her whole bubble have come out smiling every day.

At the back of my mind I knew I could pull her out again if she really hated it but for us there was no need to worry about it at all.

[MyNameWas]

Thank you for all the responses. I’m worried that she might catch it as she does have a tendency to touch her face all the time,
Also we don’t have any support system in the UK, therefore if we both get it would struggle with caring for her.
I don’t have any known health conditions which put me in an increase risks, husband has asthma although I understand as per the new guidelines that is not in the shielded group.
We are a BAME family so in that risk category.

[blardiblabla]

After the shitstorm of this year, its perfectly normal to feel anxious! But the likelihood is she'll have an amazing time and it will be positive for all of you. My DS went back to year R midway through last week, a couple of weeks after his shielding was stopped by his hospital. It's done us all the absolute world of good. Good luck!

[MyNameWas]

Thank you. I should just focus on the positives and not listen this niggling voice in my head...

[Crazycatlady83]

It’s ok to be anxious. We have had months of being told there is a virus that kills at our doorstep. It’s only understandable to be worried after all that. But the research and figures show that, children do not suffer with this virus. So long as your husbands health condition is well controlled, he is unlikely to suffer from the virus either.

But there is a reason the experts are encouraging younger children to return to school (and I do not believe that it’s purely to do with the economy) Its because it’s important for their future education. They learn and retain early concepts that take them through their education.

[Deblou43]

Mine is back and loves it don't worry

[Layladylay234]

I'm in a similar position,have a year 6 child who has had apparently 70% of his year go back last Monday. But I decided against it when asked as I had a baby on 27th May. Atm,he is okish with things but I can see if he could go back just for the final two weeks,it would do me and him a LOT of good. I just don't know what the best thing is to do. The baby has no immunity to anything. Would I be being reckless by sending him back? My head's so messed up I swing every day from "no,he needs to go back" to "it's just not worth it".

[MyNameWas]

Congratulations on your baby. That’s exactly what I’m going through...
The principle uploaded videos of how they had changed the school to adhere to the guidelines. She only has 20 girls in her class it looks like they have bubbles of 5 with different teachers and different classrooms- none of the ones who have been in school the past two weeks have reputed sick so that’s a positive.

[pintsizeprincess]

I understand your worry. I was adamant I wasn't sending my reception dd back but as the weeks have gone on it's taking it toll on her mental well being, been more withdrawn and tearful. On hearing positive feedback from other parents whose children are back I have requested if dd can return. Wishing I had done this earlier as no guarantee of a place but they will let me know this week. The feedback from other parents is that the school have been very welcoming to the kids, classes have been relaxed and fun and the kids have all adapted really quickly to their new environment. They are enjoying the interaction with the other kids in their bubble. I'm sure your dd will love being back.

[Layladylay234]

Hi,I just wanted to say thanks for all the replies on this thread. After reading it,I decided I needed to bite the bullet and make a decision either way. Deep down I wanted my son to go back -I needed it for mine and his mental health. So I rang the school today and they're organising a space. OP,I hope everything goes well today x

[cinammonbuns]

BAME too here and many friends also. One of my friends has been sending her daughter in the whole pandemic and she is loving it and is completely fine.

I’m not dismissing the severity of the virus but they reality isn’t she is unlikely to catch it, if she did it would most likely be very mild symptoms and if there is an absolutely tiny probability of a child dying from it.

In the UK only 0.01% of deaths were under 15’s, I think it is 5 under 15’s who have unfortunately died.

I think it’s good to get the stats to put your worry in proportion.