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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Parents on WhatsApp group offering childcare

59 replies

LosersClub · 20/03/2020 13:47

What's everyone's thoughts on this? Several parents have today offered to look after each others children on their days off. Aibu to think these parents are being selfish and kids shouldn't be mixing with each other at a time like this?!

OP posts:
LittleBearPad · 20/03/2020 19:42

Police officer and manufacturing for the food industry.

So both key workers. So school is open to you.

Nicknacky · 20/03/2020 19:44

H isn’t a key worker. And the school is far more riskier than using a friend so I’m not sending the kids to school.

Freddiemercurysjeans · 20/03/2020 19:48

School advice is that alternative childcare - friends/family under 70 is encouraged, providing households are symptom free, as places in the schools are limited. This is not non essential social contact this is allowing essential workers to continue to work whilst supporting the schools in these tough times.

LittleBearPad · 20/03/2020 19:49

Until the friend is ill. At least the school will have back-up.

It’s all very well if it’s only two families or three sharing a childcare and they will definitely see no one else at all. But is this really what’s going to happen. How long before one of the families decides to help put another friend and everyone gets ill!

Nicknacky · 20/03/2020 19:51

I don’t have just one fiend helping, I have recruited several people to help!

There is no risk free option but the schools are asking for you to used alternatives which is what I’m doing.

Nicknacky · 20/03/2020 19:53

Not to mention I don’t qualify for the space anyway as only one of us is a key worker.

LittleBearPad · 20/03/2020 19:55

Only one of you has to be a key worker.

Your approach is extremely risky to everyone involved - you should rethink.

Nicknacky · 20/03/2020 19:56

In my area both of you have to be.

How is using a friend riskier than sending a child into a school with teachers and staff?!

Selfsettling3 · 20/03/2020 19:57

I know a number of doctors. I’ve offered to help with childcare.

LittleBearPad · 20/03/2020 19:59

How many other children are your several friends seeing, plus their parents, plus whoever those parents seeing, etc etc.

The whole point of social distancing is to limit social interaction.

MichonnesBBF · 20/03/2020 20:02

Yeah my school is open too, for education purposes all available staff to attend including office staff, cleaners, catering team and dinner ladies as well as teachers/Ta's.

Absolutely madness thats before the kids arrive, estimated at 45 plus.

At least 70 different people are going to be in contact on a daily basis. This is not right.

Nicknacky · 20/03/2020 20:03

LittleBearLad And that’s exactly the same situation for the teachers if they were to go to school. They don’t have special powers that my helpers don’t have.

I can only social distance to a certain extent as we have to work and that’s unavoidable.

Chocolateandamaretto · 20/03/2020 20:26

I agree with you nicknacky! I have to be in work next week (at school) and my kids could technically go in but they will be staying in with my husband. There is one other family whose parents will also be working from home and we will be helping each other out so everyone gets a chance to do some work as we figure it’s better for the few of us to be mixing that the potentially 100+ at school!

LittleBearPad · 20/03/2020 20:47

Chocolate it’s better you keep the children apart.

Nicknacky · 20/03/2020 20:48

But yet you think I should send my kids to school?

LittleBearPad · 20/03/2020 20:49

I think it’s better than you send them round your various friends.

Nicknacky · 20/03/2020 20:51

Genuinely, how is that better? Especially when the government and schools are telling us to only do it as a last resort? And again, I’m not entitled to it anyway.

If you can think of a solution that I haven’t and would help me, them I’m all ears.

CheekyMango · 20/03/2020 20:53

FFS WAGES ARE BEING PAID, TAKE CHILDCARE LEAVE YOU SHOULD STILL BE PAID

Nicknacky · 20/03/2020 20:53

Who are you talking to?

slipperywhensparticus · 20/03/2020 21:00

Some schools are refusing to provide care if your a two parent family and only one is a key worker which is unfair if one of you is a low paid nurse and the other 🤷‍♀️ a CEO? Highly paid you want to keep the high paid job!

Jessi1972 · 20/03/2020 21:04

Nicknacky, this must be an extremely stressful time for you - can I just say thank you for everything you are doing 💖

Nicknacky · 20/03/2020 21:07

Jessi Thank you and I feel a fraud for you saying that. I’m off until Monday and so far it hasn’t really affected us at work as I’m in a specialised department.

However for the first time ever I was told to request uniform so I expect imminently I will be back in uniform doing the job I signed up for. When I left in the early hours of Thursday morning 1/4 of my uniformed colleagues were off so it’s going to get tough with long long hours.

So no, I can’t do what CheekyMango suggested and TAKE CHILDCARE LEAVE.

managedmis · 20/03/2020 21:08

We live in a close community
I think this will be the new norm

Blackbear19 · 20/03/2020 21:11

I've offered to a couple who are both NHS to take their DS.
In this situation it's better for their DS to be with me / my DC rather than mixing with loads of other children at school.

HainaultViaNewburyPark · 20/03/2020 21:17

We have decided to team up with one other family. The eight of us will be in contact with each other, but social distancing from everyone else. They are our neighbours (next door but one), so it also means that only one person from the 2 families needs to go out any buy food (we’re going to split the cooking as well as the childcare). It perhaps isn’t perfect, but it is pragmatic and I think it’s in the spirit of the current advice - especially as none of us are in the high risk categories.