AIBU to think that some parents won't want to send kids back yet?

[Toomuchtrouble4me]

I totally get that loads of parents want to get back to work and want to get their kids back to school - even though this pandemic is still raging.
We have a health compromised family with over-reactive immune systems and I don't fancy two of our chances if we get this virus.
I don't really see why were re-opening schools when nothing has changed, we may as well have kept them open all along.
It's not so much of an AIBU as a WWYD - I'm not sending mine back, unless something really drastic changes, before September when I'll re-assess.
Just wondering if i'm a lone voice? I know that lots of you will HAVE to send kids back because of your own jobs, but if you didn't have to, if you could keep them home until summer holidays start - would you do it? Should parents who are too scared to send kids back be fined for non-attendance?

I'll be sending my 5yo back, I don't need the childcare but she is absolutely miserable stuck at home day after day, not seeing anyone but us. The chances of her getting seriously ill from cv are so small, it's not worth the impact its having on her general wellbeing.

What will make you send them back? All those waiting for September? Or worse still a vaccine? September will be just as bad surely? No vaccine this year, surely.

But we can't keep everyone at home forever?

My youngest is 6, year 1. I won't be sending her. I'm a teacher so a bit awkward but my husband runs his own (currently non existent) business so he'll have to work at home.

My middle is year 6. I would consider sending her. She'll probably want to go. I want her to go if they're doing things to aid transition. But she is supremely sensible and will observe social distance and hand hygiene. I still don't fell comfortable though.

@bluntness100 why would it be wishful thinking? I would like mine to go back and think it will do them some good but have mixed ages.

DH & other friends have all been told they will be wfh likely until the end of yr & some into 2021 due to major issues with public transport as opposed to the actual offices. Companies can't tell their staff they must travel in by public transport.
I think it's going to take much longer than people think to go back to "normal".

All these posters waiting for a vaccine?

How quickly do you think that is going to happen?

Tiger and loads of others:

"and would happily keep her home until a vaccine is available".

That won't be available for a long long time, you do know that, right?

He can't afford the furlough portal for too much longer.

I agree with this but the vast percentage of furloughed staff are in hospitality which won't be back straight away.
How many parents of young dc are actually furloughed? They are the households most likely to have 1 parent at home or pt.

My sons in reception, I don’t see the point in sending him for 4-5 weeks, especially as he’s happy at home. He finds school very hard due to attachment issues, he is much happier at home. I’m hoping by September he will cope with school much better. Really he should have started a year later, but I thought he would be okay.

I also at risk as I don’t have a functional spleen, so that’s a big concern. I’m also Asian and male.

I'll be sending my year 6 daughter back (my other two kids are yr 2 & 4) as she has been sobbing most days at how much she misses school & very worried about the transition process for high school. Shes missing out on Prom & a residential trip and I can see it weighs heavily on her. I'll be sending her armed with hand sanitiser and strict handwashing orders. Much like I was doing when this first all kicked off.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/23/hotels-restaurants-and-pubs-have-furloughed-80-of-staff-ons-finds

There is a graph on this article that shows workforce & furloughing. 79.6% of those in accommodation & food services & 67% of those in arts, entertainment & leisure. I'm not sure reopening the schools will have a huge impact on furloughing. If millions continue to wfh this has a big impact on other industries.

Children & Coronaviurs have the tiniest risk you could ever think of: There are 10 million children under the age of 15 in England and Wales, and, up to April 24, there had been two deaths in this age group. “This is the tiniest risk you could ever think of, so I do think that when people start talking about protecting our children, this is a bit of a delusion,” Among the 17 million under-25s, there have been 26 deaths recorded: “That’s about the risk we face over a couple of days of general accidents and sudden death.” Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication at the University of Cambridge

I will send my Y1 son back as soon as able to as this lockdown is affecting his mental health. He come first for me as far as I am concerned. Sick of the nations children and their mental health being collateral damage.

For those waiting for a vaccine. Lets say we have a vaccine by January (september is highly unlikely) but kids arent on the schedule, instead it's only for the over 70s and those with a preexisting condition. What will you do then? As that is a highly likely outcome given the risks.

Fine if people don't want to. My Yr6 will be going back, as will all the children of everyone I know if they are allowed. I have no idea where all these people are (apart from MN) that won't be sending their kids back the second they can. Literally nobody I come across is saying this.

I wouldn't be surprised if it is just the children of working parents and with no health issues in the family who go back first.

I'd be surprised if children are offered the vaccine too. I reckon it'll be the vulnerable and people in certain professions.

I agree that it's unlikely they will offer vaccines to children anyway, certainly not at first, and maybe not ever given the tiny number of children affected.
I also don't know anyone in real life who is struggling with the question of sending their kids back.

Thank you @Rudi75 was trying to find that report will go and have a look. Those saying our children are human guinea pigs need to read it too.

I'm undecided. I have a y6 and a y4. Both have said they are happier at home, and we are in a position to continue homeschooling for now. There's not much point from our perspective of sending one in and not the other.

There is some argument for sending y6 to help with having a proper end to primary and a better transition to secondary. O am concerned about my DD being off for 6 months or more then going straight into secondary! At the same time, I wonder how helpful it would be to return for a few weeks of primary school where they are not allowed to socialise normally, probably don't have all their friends there at the same time, and likely have unfamiliar teachers. I imagine my y6 would find that pretty stressful!

They are missing friends but would be happy with just being allowed for the odd playdate. They don't miss the school environment.

I am not waiting for a vaccine, but definitely will feel more confident once the infection numbers have come down some more. We are barely past the peak.

I doubt I will send mine back.

I don’t think September is some magical date; I do hope that by September a robust Test and Trace programme will be in place which will fuels minimise community spread.

And indeed children are low risk but as yet the extent to which they spread it it isn’t confirmed.

They will potentially be bringing it home to families and school staff will be exposed.

I think this is a test to see how infection spreads, using the lowest risk (youngest) child groups as a test group. I don’t really want to be part of it.

Those who are keeping kids off: will you also be maintaining all other social distancing measures until sept? Ie no playgrounds, play dates, family visits or group activities?

Everyone who is planning on keeping their children home - who are you expecting to help with home schooling? The teachers won't have the time to prepare any work as they will be teaching. Will you be harassing them to set work? I hope you are all going to planning to set your own work

I've just shared this on another thread but think it's worth a read. The evidence is showing children don't spread it and also the amount of them becoming critically ill is 0.6%.

If you've read all the facts and data and not just press and social media and feel that the risk is too high then keep them home. However you can't expect teachers to send work home or for a place to be kept open indefinitely.

As PP said many key workers have had to send their children to school throughout and the 'Guinea pig' comments are very disrespectful

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/news.sky.com/story/amp/coronavirus-no-child-known-to-have-passed-covid-19-to-adults-global-study-finds-11981111

I'm doing the same and agree op 👍