To not want schools to give up summer holidays

[littleblackdress04]

Just read in papers that it’s been proposed that kids go back to school in July/ August

I think this is a rubbish idea - if it’s going to be that long then just let them have a ‘normal’ summer and go back in September.

Kids have been cooped up because of this- I’d want to take mine to the hills, go camping & let them have some freedom. Then start school in September. This isn’t a holiday for them - it’s a horrible stressful period of being cooped up & not being able to live their normal lives.

While school gives a structure and is important, so are proper periods of holiday.

I’m really against the idea but aibu? Be interested to hear other thoughts. I’ve not been particularly worried about the kids education- they will catch up in time and it will be fine

Also, I'm not teaching my children for the next 6 weeks at home only to say to them - back to school again for your Summer hols. I'd rather be told now that may be the plan.

Personally I don't want my children's teachers to be working through their Summer hols either. They've been outstanding through this difficult time and we've been in touch on line with one teacher and had phone calls from the other all whilst they're still teaching in school for the children of Keyworkers.

@Namechangedforthisreply7

I work in the NHS and will need more than that big a holiday after lockdown. So will my kids

I’m glad some realise the importance of children. I understand that you may be struggling with child for one reason or another but be grateful that your child is alive. That your child hasn’t died of Covid or any other illness. They are alive and getting to see the next day. For those parents that have lost that chance, truly don’t care about allowing parents back to work, holidays, making sure the economy is okay or anything else. All they want is their precious ‘baby’ back, to treasure the moments they missed.
I see this on a daily basis the heart wrenching moment that a parent says good bye to their child is haunting and something you never ever forget. To those parents who can’t wait to send their children back to school after missing only 1 week of actually schooling. I will ask the worst question in the world. Why did you bother having a child? If all you can think about is yourself, your job or anything else above the health of your child. Be grateful that you are blessed with waking up with your child as not everyone has that chance.
Everybody needs a break; I know I certainly do but my break includes spending time with my family not passing them off to others. Schools are there to educate not to babysit our children when we can’t.
Mumsnet is great except when it allows parents/others to belittle teachers/school staff because their ‘life’ has been disrupted. I don’t want to disrespect some parents but before posting about children should be in during holidays for their benefit or educational reasons. Please ask yourself is it really for their benefit or yours?
I will be clapping at 8pm whilst on shift looking after poorly children, it will be for nhs/carers but also for all key workers including school staff who are the unsung heroes of this pandemic and often vilified.
The media needs to get a grip and spend a day in a paediatric ward and then talk about schools reopening.
Last word from me you don’t know if your child has got some undiagnosed condition and puts them at high risk until it is too late, the government say it doesn’t affect children as badly, yet it still does affect them often catching some parents off guard. Keep your babies safe at home wherever possible:

Thank you again teachers and all school staff for risking your lives looking after my children and many other high risk children. I appreciate and so do many other NHS and keyworker children. Thank you and keep up the good work.

UHavinalaugh Powerful words but I fear it will be lost on most on MN.

Perhaps there is a case for schools creating summer homework packs (just practice of stuff already learned, not stuff parents will have to actively "teach") so that children can continue to do a little work over the summer break. I don't mean a full day of work or anything remotely like it, but the equivalent of a worksheet each day (but to be done at the parent and child's pace) might mean that at least kids don't slip back still further over the summer break. Send home answer keys and tell the parents to mark them. Or have an online system which marks the work automatically.

Summer homework packs are standard every year in Japan and some countries. I moan about them every year. But just for once, this might be useful in the UK. These are exceptional times.

I'm not in the UK UHavinalaugh so not subject to what is going on with education staff and expectations around schooling, but appreciate your thoughts.

Tip-top.

Spot on @UHavinalaugh.

@UHavinalaugh

As a teacher who has been feeling more despondent by the day, your words have given me a much needed boost.

Well said UHAVINGALAUGH! Totally agree with you! You've managed to say exactly what I've been thinking but from you heart and first hand experience. I'd rather have my children healthy than at school!

Thank you for all of your work protecting our children in the NHS. I've had experience of being in hospital for over a week when one of my children was 6 with Pnuemonia and I was extremely frightened - he does have low immunity. My other child was very sick this January with an on going cough, very high temperature 38.8° and his inhaler wasn't working. He was diagnosed with Pnuemonia in the end but had been coughing for 6 weeks! I kept being told it was viral until he was so poorly, he lay in my arms unable to move as I carried him into the GP's room. It wasn't obvious he had Pnuemonia at the time but he did still have the cough and GP was concerned about his high temp and how tired he was. She asked to see him again in 4 hours, prescribed me antibiotics and told me to give two painkillers at once to reduce his temperature. His temp had reduced later - thank goodness! I've never seen either of my boys that unwell and I hope I never do again. My first child had Pnuemonia last May and my little one this Jan. It wasn't clear at all for the three months I kept taking him back to see GP. I was told to give him his inhaler as much as necessary. His Headteacher phoned me and asked me to pick him up that awful day. He'd gone into school absolutely fine apart from his cough but went downhill in the hour and a half he'd been there. His Headteacher was amazing, she'd been trying to use his inhaler on him for 30mins and then called me. Luckily I was close by and drove him straight to GP.

I keep my children off if they have a high temperature. He'd had the cough for 6 weeks and he'd been off with it already over those 6 weeks and I was worried about his attendance.

As I said he was diagnosed with Pnuemonia and there was nothing in the news about Coronavirus over here in the UK at the time. However, my children and I do wear face masks now if we HAVE to leave the house for any reason. A man had a go at me when he saw our face masks. He shouted at me it was all a conspiracy. Another elderly man called my friend and her carer "stupid idiots" for wearing masks whilst doing their shopping. I wouldn't be without ours because of the state I saw my children in. I think people need to think before they judge others.

As I said, personally for me, my children's health and all being alive and safe is far more important than school right now for us. X

If face masks don't work? I still feel a level of security from us all wearing them.

UHavinalaugh The wisest words I've read on this subject on MN. Thank you. It's so disheartening to read the continual attacks on teachers on here (my OH is one). MN perpetuates this idea that teachers are beholden to parents and that they're answerable to them and that they are merely childcare providers. They're not. Their job is to educate our children and they are answerable only to their head, the board of governors, the LEA/academy management and Ofsted. Parents need to stop treating teachers as though they are their own personal hired help.

@UHavinalaugh brilliant post. Needs to be read over and over and over.

Thank you for what you’re doing.

@UHavinalaugh thank you for your amazing words.