To ask why you are not taking your kids back to school

[daisydukes7576]

Not trying to start an argument here just genuinely curious to know your reasons?

I'm not talking about those that have children with underlying health conditions.

And I will repeat, this isn't to start an argument I am just genuinely wandering if I've missed something/other reasons people aren't sending their kids to school if and when they have the opportunity to?

And if you aren't, when are you planning to as it's could be a while before there's a vaccine?

Honestly? I’m a TA.

We spent the day removing all the things we are not supposed to have in the early years classroom and putting the desks 2m apart. It does not look like a friendly welcoming room. For nursery and reception, we’ve removed all board games and jigsaws. All dressing up. The home corner. All the garages and dolls houses. The musical instruments. The beads and strings to thread them on. The sand tray. The books (teachers can access them to read a story but the children may not pick one up and look through it). The soft toys. The blankets and cushions.
Instead of 2 big tables we’ve split them up to several smaller desks. The climbing frame has been cordoned off.

I am worried for our reception and nursery children. The little ones who often find it hard coming in at the best of times. Say goodbye to mum on the road. In you come. Not your teacher. None of the toys you know and like are here. Don’t sit on the carpet. Sit at your desk. Don’t sit with your friend and don’t touch what she has touched. You may not play on the climbing frame. You may not interact with the children from the other bubble.
I am worried that this is so abnormal that we risk putting them off school for a long time to come. I’ve read “children are adaptable” so many times. No. Some children are. Some children do not cope well with changes in routine. I am so relieved that at this point most of our more sensitive children are not coming back because it would be hell for them, no matter how cheery and positive I am. The children who don’t like a supply teacher because it’s different, or who have been at school for nearly two years but still cry in the morning when mum says goodbye, even if it only lasts for two minutes.

My own children go to the school. If I didn’t have to go back, I wouldn’t send them back. Most people aren’t, largely due to the area we live in (very rural, lots and lots of farming families, kids are outside all day riding tractors). Neither of my children have any friends returning. They are in a mixed age group bubble and there will be no meaningful teaching. They are working through the home learning packs but in school. In a sterile classroom. We’ll make it as fun as we can and mine are lucky because I’m in there with them, but honestly, I’d rather do the home learning at home and then let them play with their own toys.

Still, it is what it is. It’s just sad.

My son has brittle asthma.

Also he has a care plan however they’ve advised they may not be able to meet his basic so their fire cannot ensure his medical requirement.

His school is also not adhering to social distancing, so he would have been in a pod of 15 that he would be physically interactive with.

Ds due to his asthma and life threatening allergies lung function is damaged.

Ds really struggles with viruses at the best of times (multiple acute hospital admission and on oxygen/treatment) so for him this is the safest option.

DS, won't be going back to nursery when they 'open' in June because they have had to cut numbers to operate safely, so are rightly prioritising people who can't work without the childcare.

If they did have a place to offer him I'd be 50/50 about sending him. I'm not that worried about him catching the virus, but think the rules that they will need to follow will make it very stressful for him. I imagine it would be difficult for any young children to settle in that kind of environment, so not really productive for learning anyway.

I want to watch and wait. I’m on unpaid leave until sept and am enjoying our time together. I would rather wait and see if covid19 rips through the the school and town when things reopen a bit, or whether it’s under control. Additionally I don’t think we will have a vaccine anytime soon, but if I’m gonna catch it, the later we do, the more the medics understand about it. I may change my mind and send to school in July. But for now, they are staying at home.

It kind of sounds like you are spoiling for a fight

I'm not, I said that in my intro just want to know why that's all

Yes we read that op, but your responses just sound like you're spoiling for a fight

*This is a temporary thing, I don't think it's fun for kids being stuck indoors in lockdown to be honest.

And also, yes it can be fun sometimes but not all day everyday. The real world isn't like that so kids should learn from an early age life isn't a barrel of laughs perhaps then they wouldn't have such unrealistic expectations growing up.*

My 4 year old has been outdoors far more over lockdown than he would during norm term time. Surely during a pandemic we don't need to also worry about teaching kids how crap life can be

He's having a lovely time at home. I'd be in no rush to trade that in for an unsettling quasi school experience.

Many parents in their 20s and 30s will have parents who are not in their 70s. The title grandparent doesn't automatically make someone vulnerable.

I don't need to send them back. So I won't be at the moment.

Oh & I forgot to mention. The school also said they could only offer the children 1 day a week. Only 1 day a week would be too unsettling for him - nevermind all the added restrictions / rules etc that have had to be brought in.

Because I want my grandchildren to see their grandparents and if they go bk to school we won't be doing that as it puts them at risk. No harm in missing the rest of reception year, and I have the choice.

This is a temporary thing, I don't think it's fun for kids being stuck indoors in lockdown to be honest.

Kids can exercise all day and parents are allowed to drive whatever distance they want to enable the exercise. Under the old rules I suspect that many kids were stuck indoors (especially in cities) but as the weather has been very warm I suspect that a lot of time has been spent outdoors.

So many reasons the main one obviously is safety of my children, there are no guarantees it’s the right thing Or time yet.

Secondly I feel for the teachers and staff and I’m not prepared to put them in anymore risk than they need to be.

And the third reason is my auntie works in a primary school and she said if her kids were that age ( they are adults) they wouldn’t be going back. So that tells me all I need to know. She said it won’t be school just childcare.

I am on maternity leave so I can dedicate a lot of time in truly home schooling rather than just do the few bits the teachers upload. Also, selfishly we want to travel back to my home country in July. And I don't want to risk them getting anything that may cause us to have to cancel.

The science that suggests that kids are low risk are based on under 10s. Y6 are at least 10 and can be adult sized.

Interesting that you say twice in your OP that you don't want an arguament then you have disagreed with everything anyone has said that goes against your opinion.

Anyway.

DD turned 6 last week. She likes school. Likes learning but loves playing with her friends especially outside, in PE and in home corner playing families.

The plan for yr 1 at her school is classroom based sit down activity only, no assemblies, PE or group activities. Any soft, porous type toys, including water and sand tables have been removed. They will have 15 minutes in the playground at morning break and 15 minutes for afternoon break, just their group of up to 15 kids. They will not go out at lunch and will have lunch in the classroom, at the desk they've sat at all day.

That doesn't sound enjoyable and I want her to like school. She is really bright, way ahead of where she needs to be and doing work at home which she will keep doing. I have no concern about her falling behind and even if she did she has years to catch up.

She's happy, healthy and content at home so that's where she'll stay.

Oh and we're not waiting for a vaccine but do anticipate being in a more informed position on the Kawasaki's symptoms some children are experiencing as well as having a more established testing and track n trace procedure in place by September which will allow for a more normal learning experience.

I genuinely don't believe we know enough yet, I think we should take the time to observe what happens in other countries and learn from it. Also if they are going to be given the same work as students at home, with no marking or feedback (which our school is) then I just don't see the point of upsetting the Apple cart, they have already adapted to a massively overwhelming situation and to do the same again for the sake of a few weeks, in my mind would be silly

My 5 year old has a liver transplant and is shielded. Do to the anti rejection drugs his immune system is hugely suppressed.
I deregistered him at the end of February when the UK first started discussing the spread of the virus.
I home educate him and his 4 year old brother who was due to start reception in September but now won't be.
I doubt I will be sending them to school for at least a year to be honest. If at all.

Because I'm trying to make the most of having a lot longer in bed

I'm not, I said that in my intro just want to know why that's all

Often when people make a point of saying ‘not trying to start an argument’ that’s exactly what they’re trying to do. I’m sure you are very aware of what you’re doing.

DS1 is year 10 and I'm not making a decision until school can tell me what will be happening.

If its teaching as 'normal' for a full day then I will most likely send him in.

If its doing the work set online just in a classroom rather than at home then I dont see the point. Unless he suddenly becomes desperate to see the friends he doesn't really have. 2 buses each way, with the associated costs and risks to do what he can do at home ? No point imo.

We are not sending ours back if the school opens in June (nursery and year 1). Myself and OH are both still furloughed due to working in businesses that are not allowed to be open at the moment. It's unlikely we will be back at work until July. We can't justify sending our kids into school if we are sat at home because it is not deemed safe enough for us to be at work.
When we have to go back to work we will have no choice to send them back.

@babybythesea.. thank you for such an informative post...straight from the horse's mouth so to speak you being a TA and all!

We have heard that our school is opening on 1st June but for key workers only. I was all for sending DS but having read your post i'm now feeling very doubtful. I think you're right in that it might affect them badly if they go back and it's so sterile they can't be free to play, etc. As you say i would rather he stays at home where he can play with his toys and not be all anxious about touching things. He's getting more into home schooling now too so if all they're doing at school is what we're doing at home, then there's no point him going. We don't need to send him as DH is at home.
I know they've got to go back at some point but when will it ever be the right time?

My DS is in Y6 in the school I teach in.
I won't be sending him back.
Classroom has been stripped of all additional furniture so it's just teachers desk and chairs.
When inside they will only be at their table.
During inside time they can only leave their table to go to the toilet.
Lunchtime will be 30 mins at their table, 30 mins outside.
When outside they will have 1 section of the playground to use.
No using the hall, the dance studio, the library, laptops. Outside they won't be allowed to use the climbing frame or play equipment.
The school is brilliant, lots of collaborative group work with kids. Lots of specialist teaching from PE/art/language teachers. None of that can happen. I want his last memories of his school to be positive, so I'm not sending him back. I'm lucky - I work PT and DH works from home so we are able to keep him at home.

Because I can currently teach them at home and they are making good progress. The school won’t be teaching anyway, just childminding. Because I am not convinced it’s safe and I am happy to be able to give my children freedom to run around at fine when they are not doing lessons. Because I believe schools are being opened for expediency, and why would I risk my children’s health when I don’t have to?