Childminder V Grandparents

[Buffy81]

AIBU to think that my own children should be able to go to their grandparents rather than a chilminder?

For some background information, both my DH and I are keyworkers. I have 2 lbs, one who is 5 1/2 and the other who is 14months.

The youngest ones nursery has had to shut as they were not able to get enough keyworker/sen children to make it worth while so I have had to rush around looking for a childminder. The childminder has also agreed to have my eldest as the school has not had enough demand to warrent being open over the Easter Holidays

Why is ok for me to do this and not have help from grandparents. For context, they are not over 70 and not in any of the high risk categories either.

I understand about the social distancing and mixing of households, but am I not doing that already by them going to a complete stranger as we are not able to do any of the settling in visits as it has all been arranged this week

Dose anybody else think its crazy or is it just me?

I think in his mind grandparents are over 75.

I agree. I think this is the issue. Lots of people picture grandparents as little old ladies and gents whereas the reality is that many are still fairly young and working age.

Many grandparents are key workers themselves.

I’m in this exact position. Both key workers, nursery on limited hours and I’d need somebody to pick them up anyway as it shuts two hours before I finish work. School obviously the same.

They are going to my parents (under 60) and they’re fine with this. It’s hard and there’s no other options.

It is not against the law for grandparents to do childcare. The restrictions are limited to those in these regulations www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/350/contents/made

@Xenia. Thank you for that link. I will look at it later once the boys are in bed.

If it is the case that grandparents can have them, I wish it was made clearer at the time.

There is to much confusion at the moment as we are all in uncharted water

@Xenia where exactly does it say that please?

I think it very much depends on the grandparents and their state of health. Mine are mid-60s, both runners, fit, healthy, not overweight, no underlying health conditions. They're minding DS whilst DH and I work, as I'm in the vulnerable group due to asthma, and they didn't want him to go to a strange nursery (his is closed) which he'd hate (he's quite shy).

My parents are doing our shopping with theirs, so we're not exposed to additional germs, and the only people either household sees is each other.

I can't see how that's worse than DS going to random nurseries according to what days they have available, and my DParents doing their shopping anyway. Less risk all round.

@HavelockVetinari why are you working if you have asthma?

@several many companies/managers are not allowing all asthmatics off, they say it depends on severity.

Sorry, below for @stopfundinghate

I'm providing childcare for a few days over the Easter break for my friend's children. Both parents are frontline workers and there is no school provision here over the Easter break. I teach at the school that they would have gone to anyway so would have still been in contact with them if schools had stayed open.

I know it's technically 'wrong' but if it means that frontline workers can do their jobs then common sense prevails. Same for your 'young' parents. It's unprecedented and they have to make the rules fairly draconian to cover everybody. There hasn't been a lot of time for nuance.