To put children in school when I'm not working?

[hibbledobble]

I know that at the moment, school is childcare for key workers only, and that children should only go in when necessary.

I'm a junior doctor, and I have just been sent to covid-19 wards, from previously doing a speciality.

I am happy to help in these extraordinary circumstances, but I am struggling with the current situation. There has been a lot of anxiety regarding the change into an unfamiliar environment, and lack of communication from the hospital. I haven't done general medicine for a very long time.

Emotionally it is harrowing right now, and I find myself crying daily at work. It is really difficult to cope. As doctors, we have been warned that we will all have PTSD by the end of this.

Would IBU to put my children in school some days when I'm not working, to give myself some space to focus on my mental health?

FFS let the woman rest! She’s saving lives.

I’m going to go against the grain here and say YABU. Schools here are only accepting key workers children on the days they are at work - I’ve had to provide all my shifts to them and they’ve even been reluctant to take them in the morning when I’ve had a 3am finish and am back on duty in the afternoon.

This is to keep to an absolute minimum the number of children and staff they have on site at once, allowing them to practice proper social distancing and meaning that teachers can spend time at home too (they are working a total system) either with their families or setting work for those children not in school.

I’m a police officer, and I’m exhausted. I’ve been spat at this week by idiots claiming to have CV. I’ve attended an unimaginable number of domestic assaults and made some very upsetting social services referrals. I’ve told parents their (adult) son took his own life as he couldn’t cope with the anxiety over lockdown/CV. I would love a day off without the kids to recover, as I am absolutely exhausted. But I accept that I’m helping the teachers and potentially other key workers keep doing what we do by keeping my kids at home unless I absolutely have to send them in.

Teacher here. Please please please drop your child off at school. You absolutely have to do whatever it takes to make sure you are mentally healthy enough to cope. We cannot imagine how incredibly hard this must be for you.

But there isn't anyone to look after them.

The ops talking about sending them in when she’s not working.

*rota system.

Take them to school. Thank you!!!

@Destroyer I am not sure what you mean or expect to happen. The whole flattening the curve thing isn't to prevent people catching it ever just space it out over time. People will catch it. That's why the most vulnerable need shielding.

If everyone who feels that they should send them in because they are more special than others, then there’s absolutely no way to keep the children far enough apart to 'socially distance' them properly. Which increases the risk of infection. Which increases the risk of the OP getting physically ill and not being able to work anyway.

Thank you. It must be awful for the medical staff, stay safe, rest when possible.

Your children are presumably being cared for by exactly the same teachers while you are working day shifts, so those teachers are already at risk of infection. Spending an extra day or so a week with them is not going to make an awful lot of difference.

That wouldn't be true at our school. We have a rota system with different people each day. If a child attends for 3 days, there are 3 separate teams of adults at risk of infection (and their families). If a child attends for 5 days, that's 5 separate teams.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the matter, it's true that the OP's children going to school for those extra days is likely to put more people at risk.

Ignore the people on here who can't see past "rules" and being black and white.

The people who understand are all those in my street - like me and ds - that have just been out clapping, cheering and banging pot pans as thanks for what you're doing. And all those nationally also doing the same thing.

Yes but destroyer is isn't able to look after them because she's working and needs time to recover in between. Being physically available isn't the same as being able to be there. Please remember these people are watching 100's of people struggle for their last breath day in day out.

And it's mostly teachers etc on here who are saying send them in! We are actually happy to help where we can.

Another HT here ...and yes, you are why we are open. We are looking after NHS front line staff from 6.30am often till 8.30pm and we’d do later if needed. The risk to non-vulnerable staff and children is minimal where as every frontline NHS is vital.
And hopefullyanonomous .... while I have 0 time for police officers who feel their job is to start roadblocks, check people’s shopping or shout at people who stop for 5 mins to sit on a bench whilst out walking, I have all the time in the world police who are shoring us up with the CP nightmare that had occurred from schools closing so send your kids in too please. We need you

No, the op said:

Would IBU to put my children in school some days when I'm not working, to give myself some space to focus on my mental health?

When she’s not working, her children should be at home to protect them and other people’s children (and their families and the staff and their families).

I think I'd listen to the teachers on here most of all. They're the front line supporting the NHS's front line. And they're saying ' bring 'em on down'. . .

We are looking after key worker children at my school at the movement whenever they need it-it might be when they’re on a Shift but often it’s so they can sleep after doing a night shift.

Fine with us!

I get it, but I do think YABU.

We're all struggling. And I only want to watch children of parents who are actually working for my 10 hour shifts at school, especially over the Easter holidays. I'm leaving my own kids at home to do it. Because it is a risk to them and me. It's hard watching the kids at school, too ... we're keeping the distancing rules in place, can't touch them, can't help them, can't use the play equipment, have to limit what they can do/touch/use, can't do much with them, have to wipe everything down repeatedly, it's exhausting that kind of childcare which is not what I originally signed up for either. I teach older children; I don't do after school childcare. But here we are....

We all seem to expect medical staff to be superhuman atm. You need rest, for yourself and for your patients. . I would have thought you were exactly the sort of worker schools are open for.

Thank you so much.

Focusing on her MH is protecting her children and other people. If our nhs staff don't do this and can't work as a result, what do you think will happen?

@hibbledobble

The messages re not sending kids unless you have to are for people who don't NEED to be there, like my DP who works for a government department. He is a keyworker because the work he is producing and responding to is really vital, but he could be doing his 7 hours a day wfh with DC at home.

Do what you've got to do to keep you functioning, please don't feel guilty

Focusing on her MH is protecting her children and other people. If our nhs staff don't do this and can't work as a result, what do you think will happen?

If our nhs staff so do this and can’t work as a result (spreading the Coronavirus), what do you think will happen?

do do this

Ffs, of course you send them in. The only reason I haven’t is luckily my DH had an op so been able to stay at home. We are both key workers and they will be sent in when I am on nights. Frontline NHS as well.

Well, as we lose doctors and nurses to corona, and to suicide, are we able to step in to fill the void, with our incredible expertise and knowledge? No? Right, maybe we ought to look after them then. Both mentally and physically.

@zombieapocalypseisnigh

Are you really comparing "not being able to use the play equipment" to watching people dying?

FFS