If school's don't return on March 8th what will you do?

[cottonwoolbrain]

I am goign to be completely honest. I can't handle this anymore. I'm not sure what I'll do. I'm in tears every day now and the rest of the time just feel completely and utterly numb as if I'm doing everything on autopilot. Keep shoutinbg at the children - rate its going they'll get Stockholm Syndrome being coooped up with me as I am

DS (8) needs almost constant supervision to get him to do any work at all or even to sit in his chair. HIs school have great distance learning but I'm exhausted trying to get him to do it even with online classes. DD is 15. She's great at doing the work but is understandly stressed and lonely and worried about next years GCSEs and I feel like I'm getting the brunt of it.

I work part time and its the sort of job that requires high concentration levels. I can't just stop to answer questions about everything under the sun (including the flipping sun).

I'm breaking. Half term starts tomorrow. Hopefully a week of not home schooling will help and then I''ll be counting the days until March 8th but I'm so desperately worried they won't go back and I'm not sure what I'll do or how I'll cope.

DP helps as much as he can but most of its falling on me.

Sorry don't knwo what I'm saying except that i dont thknk I can hold out much longer and its messing up my children so badly.

So what about all the parents who were screaming that the government were being stupid NOT a closing schools . Schools were blamed as being the obvious spreader and the reason the virus was spreading .

So now it’s all changed ?

The figures are reducing but if they open and the cases shoot up again , then they will be blamed for that ?

I have a feeling that if the schools don't go back on 8 March there will be a lot more people applying for school places. DD has SN and an EHCP so I could send her to school. I haven't so far and she really doesn't want to go but I think that this is too long now. She can't work independently and even needs me beside her when she has the one to one live session with her TA.

I was supposed to be starting training for two volunteer roles. One I have had to defer and the other is being really patient but they can't wait forever. I am also doing an online course to improve my CV after a long time out of the work force and am constantly having to ask for extensions to submit assessments.

DD is only at a small rural school but when I spoke to the SENCO she told me that she had about half of her class in this time whereas there were only a handful of kids in the whole school during the first lockdown. Surely it will eventually get to the stage where they might as well send all the kids back.

I am also concerned that DD has not seen or played with another child, apart from online, since Christmas. She really needs to be around other children and her social development is going to be seriously harmed if she doesn't go back to school soon.

Two of my best friends are teachers and they have been told there’s absolutely NO way it will be happening. I’m sorry told by who? Sorry but this is rubbish. Whoever told them doesn’t have any access to that information that the rest of us don’t.

A friend of mine is a journalist working for the BBC and he has been told that they likely will be reopening. So who is right? Fact is that no-one knows and most people make this stuff up as they go along so as to keep the rumour mil going.

I am a key worker but my kids can’t attend as the school is full. We are really struggling, I might have to end up quitting my job if this goes on much longer

@HazeyJaneII

Sorry *@MarshaBradyo*, I don't understand... A shame we can’t choose. I wonder how full the classes would be if we could. I just mean I'm not desperate to get them back, if schools were staying closed to the majority of children or we were given the option (without the risk of fines) then I'd keep them home. Ds will be home until after Easter anyway (and then it will be dependent on what's happening with cases etc)

Hazey I think we’re saying similar. That it would be good to be able to choose. Or at least drop fines for parents who are worried.

Then I pondered on how many would choose to send dc in if we could.

@poppycat10

So, when schools were open people were clammering for them to be closed. Then they were closed. And now people are critical of that and want them to be open

Different people though. I am definitely in the keep open camp.

I have been in the 'keep schools open' camp all along.

I know it is utterly unreasonable, but I curse whoever decided that closing them was a good idea.

It is a catastrophic idea for all ages.

I include universities in this.

All those blaming the government and not the pandemic , there are other countries with schools closed as well . Or young children who are in schools wearing masks ?

Is that going to work in the uk ?

I’m WFH FT and have a 5 year old here too. The homeschool isn’t too bad but they are literally spending all day watching TV. The pressure I am under is immense and my DC is really suffering.
I’m not a key worker and my DH works outside of the home, also not a key worker.

If schools don’t go back on the 8th my DH may have to take extended time off work (unpaid) to help me cope.

I think I’m a resilient person who has never suffered with mental health problems. I honestly think I’m on the verge of a breakdown.

But ‘I’ll count my blessings’ 🙄

@Bilson

But there was huge pressure on the government to close them . Especially Boris who wanted to keep them open .

What do you do? Give parents a choice ?

How is that going to work ?

@Loveletters123

I am a key worker but my kids can’t attend as the school is full. We are really struggling, I might have to end up quitting my job if this goes on much longer

This is the case for tens of thousands of mothers (let's face it: it's mostly mothers who are doing this. I am the one who - willingly - gave up a good job when the DC were born, so I know how it works).

Why should any woman be forced into this position?

I really do think that different decisions would have been made, had any of the decision-makers been mothers (either working or otherwise: any SAHM knows you can't do anything if you're at home with children).

@StopMakingATitOfUrselfNPissOff

I agree there are a lot of parents who are definitely on the edge . A lot .

Ah sorry, @MarshaBradyo...I think my understanding decreases as the amount of zoom calls in a day increases!!

I know I'm in the minority, but I'm enjoying home learning with my 12 year old (who needs extra support) and my 10 year old who has Down's Syndrome (and needs full support).
People think I'm mad, but it's the only thing that is stopping me from falling apart (keeping busy) while I'm missing my adult son.
He's 21 but has the mind of a baby and is stuck in a residential home.
I've not seen him since October and I don't know how much longer I can do this. It's literally breaking me.
He has no speech or understanding and can't understand why his Mum has disappeared or if he will ever see me again.
He was entitled to the vaccine but there was no way he would let them do it. He can't even cope with being shaved or having his hair cut.
I'm also a single mum and have health problems myself. The thought of getting covid terrifies me as I am all my children have.
I keep myself busy all day and then cry my heart out every night.

There’s time’s in life where you just have to get on now is one of those times. I’m
Not sure what answer you want from this thread. If they don’t open the it will be the same as before and you have to get on. The only thing you can do is stop home schooling to take the pressure off.

I honestly don't know. I'm not a teacher. I'm working full-time and studying, both of which I'm failing at currently.

[quote Unsure33]@Bilson

But there was huge pressure on the government to close them . Especially Boris who wanted to keep them open .

What do you do? Give parents a choice ?

How is that going to work ?[/quote]
I suppose the choice would be not to fine people who choose to keep their children at home. If their own situation is such that they can work and home educate, that's fine. But most people with young children know that you can't do both things at the same time. I can't believe that I have to say this.

I'm not sure that Johnson did want to keep schools open, either. I don't think he has a principled bone in his body.

As I say, I have no dog in this fight. I have only one child still at school - she's being educated, if that's what you call an education (which I don't: I think an education consists of far more than a curriculum). She's deadly miserable. I am angry on her behalf, and that of my university DC too.

One of them (a first year) is so sick of this shitshow that he has used his student loan to rent an Air BnB with fellow students. They can't go back to their university accommodation because of the stupid rules which they have to follow although they don't benefit them in any way, and for which they will be paying for years to come via taxation - so they are finding ways round it, just in order to have a tiny taste of independence (even if they can do sod all with it).

Most countries in Europe have their schools open I believe...

Carry on. DD has additional needs, full time EHCP, year 11. We are at the lucky position as I’m not working because of her needs. When she’s in bed I cry, drink, cry again, eat lots of chocolates and then carry on next morning. I want figures to be really down, I don’t want schools be back at any cost. Yes, it’s very difficult but tbh pre-Covid my life was difficult as well, it’s just different problems now.

@Sobeyondthehills

I completely agree, there should be something in between 'totally open' and 'totally shut'.

We were in Germany for the last lockdown, they split the class in half and had them go in alternate days. It was better than nothing! It worked rather well.

But there's no evidence this Tory government are willing to do anything creative or helpful. That's why I feel like writing to MPs is pointless. There is no plan that can be put in place in the next couple weeks if all they can think of doing is reopening schools like normal.

What the fallout from all this ultimately amounts to is women pushed to breaking point, considering giving up their jobs, because they are lumped with the responsibility of homeschooling & working. So women & children are fallout victims, to whom the Govt. are giving no support whatsoever. It’s just a case of “crack on.”

This is a real tragedy I think, & this pandemic has really cast a bright light on the entrenched misogynistic attitudes that underpin our society.

My dh and I are key workers but there are no places left in school for our DC so we have been working alternate shifts to cover our childcare since Christmas. I do day shifts and he does out of hours.

I honestly think they will be back after easter so around 11th April. I cant see them going back for 3 weeks so we will have to carry on - no other choice. We do what we can. Spend time as a family. We've both had the vaccine now so the fear of contracting covid has reduced somewhat, that has helped with my mental health alot.

@SonjaMorgan

With the death rate not coming down much I have convinced myself that it will be an after Easter return. If they go back sooner then brilliant but if not then I am mentally prepared.

Are you joking? We’ve had a 27% drop compared to the same day last week.

817 down to 594. That’s pretty significant. It’s approximately halved in a fortnight. The roll out of the vaccine has been spectacular.

@Emmylou292

I know I'm in the minority, but I'm enjoying home learning with my 12 year old (who needs extra support) and my 10 year old who has Down's Syndrome (and needs full support). People think I'm mad, but it's the only thing that is stopping me from falling apart (keeping busy) while I'm missing my adult son. He's 21 but has the mind of a baby and is stuck in a residential home. I've not seen him since October and I don't know how much longer I can do this. It's literally breaking me. He has no speech or understanding and can't understand why his Mum has disappeared or if he will ever see me again. He was entitled to the vaccine but there was no way he would let them do it. He can't even cope with being shaved or having his hair cut. I'm also a single mum and have health problems myself. The thought of getting covid terrifies me as I am all my children have. I keep myself busy all day and then cry my heart out every night.

I'm so sorry emmy - it must be utterly awful for you not seeing your adult son

Sadly I think some posters need to prepare for not all children going back. The government have never said that schools will reopen in March 8th. They've said that that will be the earliest they will consider reopening to wider groups. And that it will depend on the numbers at the times. This quite likely will not be all year groups full time from the 8th.

Currently numbers are dropping, as are the number of deaths. Hopefully this will continue, as well as those occupying hospital beds. If they don't drop sufficiently - and right now the numbers are NOT at low enough levels in England as a country - then the reopening will need to be delayed. If they continue to fall and drop to low enough numbers the reopening can begin - but I would plan for staggered phases just in case that's what they go for.

Plan for the worst. Hope for the best.

@OpenShop

What the fallout from all this ultimately amounts to is women pushed to breaking point, considering giving up their jobs, because they are lumped with the responsibility of homeschooling & working. So women & children are fallout victims, to whom the Govt. are giving no support whatsoever. It’s just a case of “crack on.”

This is a real tragedy I think, & this pandemic has really cast a bright light on the entrenched misogynistic attitudes that underpin our society.

I agree.