Parents on WhatsApp group offering childcare

[LosersClub]

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?!

I have offered to care for the children of one close friend. Both her and her husband are key workers. We figured that as we are practicing social distancing to the letter and they are only going to work and back it is the safest option for their children.....safer than attending school.
Yes it increases our risk slightly but none of us are vulnerable and we're not leaving the house to see anyone else.
The other options are grandparents or not getting paid.

Do you think it's better if more people end up with no income?

My employer doesn't offer an essential service, but is financially stable. They still can't afford to pay everyone with childcare issues to remain at home indefinitely. Quite rightly they will only be doing so in exceptional circumstances, and after exhausting all other avenues. But there will still be some families with two working parents that can't afford to sacrifice one income. And I know plenty of employers either can't or won't pay even those that would face real hardship if they don't work.

Dp is now working entirely from home, as are my older teens. I'm still doing a mix. As a result we've already offered to have some dc here that are old enough not to need supervision, but too young to be left all day. It's just what you do.

If essential workers and their dc are ok to mix, I don't see why the rest of us are too special to help out those that can't afford to give up work. Unless of course you are personally offering to cover their salary and/ or essential job so they can stay at home with their own dc.

Nicknacky, you are not a fraud! You are trying to find the right balance between home and duty. I have been "advised" to voluntarily self-isolate but I'm still cooking meals for 3 over 70's in my street and my collection of over 2000 books have become an instant pop up library for the same street.

Before anyone shouts at me - I'm getting everything picked up and I have help and support.

I refuse to sit by and not help!

They are still mixing less than in school. I have to go in to look after other key workers' children and DD has to go to school because DH and I are key workers.

But keyworker children will be mixing, so not a lot of difference. Especially when a parent needs to work, but doesn't come into the keyworker classification.
Not that, that makes it right, I definitely wouldn't want that when practicing social distancing.

So what would you do with the key worker's kids then? We need the key workers working - personally I think the list is far too broad and ambiguous, basically they have left it to schools to decide.

It's basically the least worst option in a terrible situation.

Everyone else can still do social distancing. Personally I won't be mixing with many people, luckily my ex and I can manage childcare between us so contact will pretty much only be between my family and his.

The schools aren't providing education, they're providing childcare. They won't have space for all the people that think they're essential workers and that's not what they're being asked to provide. My school has 360 on roll, and they will be providing 72 places because that's what they have the staff for. If more staff go off the capacity will reduce. Vulnerable kids come first, luckily we have a very low free school meals cohort so there will be spaces for others.

It's better to keep them in small groups than try to send them to school.

I'm going to be looking after a friend's children when they have to work. One parent is a doctor, the other a nurse. They are going to be exposed to far fewer people by coming to my house than by going to a random school with hundreds of children from all over the area.

Another one here. Our family is sharing childcare where needed. Until the country goes on lockdown. Which many of you may notice it hasn't. My dh and I still need to go to work as does my ds and bil.