My DC is going to be the only child in reception :(

[BoujiSnail]

Anyone else? I feel so sad for her. She is currently back in her preschool as she's 4 and I thought it made more sense rather than to send her in to school be with no other kids in her year and only 11 kids in the whole school aged between 4-16.
Now they've been sending out email correspondence and her teacher has confirmed that so far no other children in the year have been confirmed.
What happens if she is the only one? I feel so sorry for her, and unreasonably, angry at the other parents for just being able to keep their kids at home (forever?) whilst us key workers have to keep working and now risk ruining school for our children.

[sauvignonblancplz]

@Mrsemcgregor
SAHP can’t win really, they are either lucky bastards being able to keep kids at home or selfish bastards for taking up a school place they don’t technically “need”

Exactly this!

[Mulhollandmagoo]

@papiermaches do you need to go back to bed and get up again on the right side? Your posts have a really nasty undertone, there's no need for that. Especially not at this time in the morning

[FreakStar]

Why would she be terrified to be with older children? She must see them every day at school normally, especially if it is such a small school.

The school I work in has had a a group of children of mixed ages in for the last eight weeks- they range from reception up to Y6 - some days there has only been one YR child- they have played a lot and they all just get along- the older ones enjoy babying the little ones and looking after them and playing games with them.

YABU!

[WokeUpSmeltTheCoffee]

I agree with what others are saying about big kids being great with little ones. That's why they have buddy systems in most primary schools pairing up reception and Y6. My kids loved their buddies and loved being buddies when their turns came. Mine were also often the youngest at after school club and it was great for them. The older kids would take them under their wind and it made them kind of cool amongst their peers that they knew the older kids! I bet your DD will actually benefit and will love it.

[papiermaches]

'SAHP can’t win really, they are either lucky bastards being able to keep kids at home or selfish bastards for taking up a school place they don’t technically “need”'

Yup! And I'm not even a SAHP! Everyone has a choice, it's just those choices aren't necessary the ones we would make under normal circumstances.

[Weallhavevalidopinions]

I think when people are stressed they can look at others and only see the good that they have, eg workers see furloughed people sitting in the sun/gardening/time with children, see SAHP as having lots of time to home school/fun with children/choice not to send back....

However, the furloughed may be worried about their jobs and have problems paying the bills (they may not but some will), the SAHP get criticised whatever they do, the workers working through the crisis might be worn out covering for other workers off sick/shielding/furloughed etc

Lots of people in dfferent situations are stressed. Some lucky ones are better off/loving it etc but many are not. It's probably better not to try to compare your life with someone better off - there is always someone better off BUT there will also be many, many people worse off...

Little money/cramped housing/trying to homeschool with no computers/laptops and maybe poor understanding of subject matter/no gardens/noisy neighbours/little money/abusive homes.... etc etc

As others have said before, your lovely daughter will likely be looked after my older children who tend to love and care for little ones. Good luck

[OhCaptain]

I do wonder what a lot of you would do if you lived here, where schools are closed until September and that’s that.

The people who have to work just HAVE to work and homeschool. There’s no alternative.

[Aretheystillasleepbob]

Most of the people I know who have 'no choice' in sending their kids in absolutely do have a choice as they have one parent at home, WFH, furloughed but of course it's easier to WFH if your child isn't around.
But they have their reasons and I have mine - and mine is keeping them at home and doing the juggle as I see no benefit to sending them to what will be glorified child care and every teacher we know seems to think it's an awful idea.

[Drivingdownthe101]

Surely they’re not working from home if they’re furloughed?

[OhCaptain]

Neither DH nor I are on the Covid payment here.

Both of us are working full-time hours around three children in three different years working off three different curriculums.

And we’re no different to lots of other parents here.

[DontGoJasonWaterfalls]

but I get wound up that we don't really have that choice (unless we want to work 12 hour days AND homeschool

There are many of us doing this. My daughter is 6 and ?autistic, she's generally very resilient but I know her health would be impacted by her going back to a socially distanced school where everything has completely changed. My husband and I have had to beg and plead for flexibility from our workplaces (mine NHS, his transport) so that we can have shifts that alternate. We're far from alone, lots of families are experiencing the same.

Feeling angry or irritated is a waste of your time and energy. In Wales, our schools aren't even opening yet, so there are lots of families in similar boats and everyone's just trying to do their best for their children.

[MsTSwift]

Knowing 9 year old girls if she is in with them then she will have a whale of a time being fussed over 😁

[Blackdog19]

Honestly OP the little ones love being fussed over by the older ones. It will be fine