SAHP - BU to send DC back to school?

[Soopertooter]

Would I be unreasonable to send my Year R child back to school even though i am a SAHP?

DC is quite robust and adaptable so I do think they would enjoy being back despite the changes, and with two younger siblings to take care of at home we are barely doing any schooling.

However, I don't think we've had the virus and I worry about DS catching it and bringing it home. We are not high risk though.

I don't know what to do for the best.

@toothfairynemesis

Speak for your own school. I spoke to my daughters school yesterday. They will be doing a lot of learning and have a designed a special curriculum for returning reception children focussing on the early years goals for end of reception - really useful for my end-of-august born child who would otherwise be going straight into Y1 at just turned 5 having missed 6 months of reception. Great peace of mind for me.

But you can keep your own child off. It's an individual decision. Why must you also come on and spread false and inflammatory information in order to put others off their decision? Are you worried that actually other people's children will benefit from it and your child might lose out? If your child isn't going back you don't want anyone else's to either?

Or are you one of those posters really concerned about the spread of the virus and how this will effect society?

I've said this many a time on these threads. Yes, reopening schools may cause an increase in case - we don't know. It may increase the amount of suffering in society - we don't know. Some children might catch the virus. We don't known - but the risk is small

What we do know, what is guaranteed, is that there is CURRENT suffering for many children and CURRENT detriment to many society due to children being out of school. It may 'only' by 7 weeks they are getting but that re-touch with the system will make a huge difference to a lot of children.

@toothfairynemesis just seen your last post?! If you would love to send your own DC to school but can't because they're shielding why even come on here and tell other parents their kids won't be learning anything? Why are you trying to put other people off?

YANBU op, mine are going back. I think the benefit to their mental health outweighs the tiny risk with coronavirus.

I would if they were right age group. I'm getting very concerned for my Yr4s mental well-being. My Yr2 needs other kids as well.

I've resigned myself to probably having them at home until September (esp the eldest- I think there's a small possibility for the youngest to return).

I actually don’t think this is a purely personal decision - there is definitely an argument for keeping your child at home for others’ benefit (if home is a safe and happy place for your child and you are able to do this). Schools shouldn’t be going back so soon and parents can vote with their feet on this, supporting teachers who have been basically forced into returning to work when most feel it is unsafe.

@plaidortartan I do see where you are coming from, but what about the children who have received no education at all since March? What will be he consequence of them continuing to be out of the system until September? Children who are already at a disadvantage? This could significantly impact their lives.

I used to teach in a school in an area of high deprivation where most of the children would fall into this category. I had several kids in my class who would only eat in school. We used to give them breakfast plus after school snack at free after school clubs that were well attended as most of our kids preferred to be in school than at home. About half of my year fives were only just reading CVC words and many of their parents couldn't read. What about these kids?

It's just frustrating when you see people saying 'a few more weeks' won't harm their kid who is just having a bit more screen time playing in their nice safe garden.

Totally agree @upthewolves- which is why I added the caveat of - if home is a safe and happy place for the child. Also the caveat of - if the parent is able to do this. Many parents will not be able to, and many kids will be better off in school. Tbh I was a child who was probably better off in school most of the time.

I’m just saying that if you can keep you kid off, and they are learning a bit, well and happy, then it might be worth considering others’ welfare in the mix - it’s so often framed as simply a personal decision.

@plaodortartan I understand and that's a fair point. Disappointingly though going by MN and social media it seems the majority of people who don't want to send their kids don't want the schools to open at all. I've seen a couple of petitions going round on FB and many threads on here get inundated with posts about squares in French playgrounds and traumatic classrooms. The thought that this backlash (based on mainly false info) might prevent the schools from opening concerns me.

no right or wrong up to you what ever works best.

Some of the stuff seen outraged about schools opening have been from people with no kids and pensioners with no work of finical worries totally out of order .

@Plaidortartan
I disagree that schools shouldn't be going back so soon. It has been proven time and again that the risk to children from this disease is tiny, especially in comparison to other risks that we are all usually happily face in our day-to-day lives e.g. from getting into a car.

ONS data suggests that teachers have not been disproportionately impacted by the disease despite social distancing really not being implemented at all by schools prior to lockdown. If the risk to teachers was so grave then this should at least be partially reflected in teacher death rates from infections contracted prior to lockdown when schools were still in full swing.

Unless we eradicate the virus completely and the associated risk then many people are going to have to face returning to work with Coronavirus still in our midst. Many people have worked throughout this period despite being in occupations that have been statistically proven to have some of the worst death rates associated with the virus e.g. security personnel, carers, taxi drivers and retail workers. Our society (and economy) simply can't wait until things get back to normal for people to return back to work. Why are teachers so special and different?

Sorry for the rant but I really dislike the way that people try and guilt trip parents about sending their children back to school, bleating on about the risk to teachers, when no such fuss is made about other occupations returning even if the "need" for them is arguably less and they face a much greater level of risk.

My dd will go back when they can, shes not in one of the years that can go back.
My dds school has made it clear the classes going back on the 1st will be learning but also doing more outside pe everyday which is good.

I think people should do what’s best for them and not guilt others about their decision.

Schools will be trying their best to make it less strange for the children but inevitably it will not be a familiar environment for them to re-enter. Your child may have a different teacher supervising their pod and they may not be an Early Years Specialist. Only with some of their classmates.

Of course there will be lots of playing but the usual toys won’t be there. At my school it will be mainly outside play, being read to, some drawing etc (at their own desk with own pencil) and some screen time. So schools are trying their best to keep children safe and make it pleasant for them, but it is not possible to replicate Early Years learning in a safe way.

Because the main learning at that age is small group activities which requires too close contact and learning through play and exploration, all of the apparatus for which will have to be removed.

It is completely up to you as everyone else has said. Your school will be doing their best and there will be positives for him to be there but it won’t be learning or teaching in a meaningful sense.

Thank you for all the honest replies. Really in a spin about making this decision so it's helpful to read how others have made their choices

@Bumpitybumper well I do thinks schools are a particularly crowded and germ friendly environment (kids struggle to social distance, forget to wash hands etc). Personally I do also know of local teachers quite badly affected by the virus so maybe that changes my view somewhat (I’m not a teacher myself).

Also I’m not arguing that schools shouldn’t go back at all - I think more should be done to encourage vulnerable/at risk children to attend (as is current policy) and Sept seems sensible for a wider opening - when track and trace is in place, more testing, more knowledge about the virus etc.

I’m a stay at home parent and two of my children can go back (I also used to be a primary school teacher). They will be going in June and I’m happy to send them. There was quite a few parents who aren’t keen due to various reasons, but I would like to see how it works.

I don’t think we can compare how school will be from June 1st, compared to what we have provided so far for key workers/vulnerable. The new guidance means that most schools are completely rethinking their provision. Unfortunately we have to be even more conscious of social distancing, which means more sitting at individual spots/tables. More lone work where possible or whole class stories/screen time. There will be learning but not in the way early years should learn. I don’t think parents realise how different it will be. That bring said, if children need to go back, of course they should and families need to make their own choices. Personally, if u could keep mine at home, I would. I think they’ll be happier there.

Oh, and I think what you hear is a vocal minority going on about how they aren’t sending their child back, those of us that are don’t tend to mention it. I’m not interested in being guilt tripped.

My daughter has been in throughout. It is as grim or as positive as the school and teachers want to make it. Frankly some schools are being absurd just to make a point.

No it won't be full on normal learning like before but there will be a focus on wellbeing and healing after what has frankly been a life changing experiencing for kids. They will be doing learning albeit not as intense. If a school follows actual guidance then the children can play within their bubbles.

I think it will become really apparent which schools are making the best out of a grim situation and as positive as possible for the kids and which are just wanting to make it as grim as possible to put parents off and make a point.

At our school they will only be going back part time (2 days) anyway. They will be kept in their ‘bubble’ of 15 other children but won’t be expected to socially distance from them. I can’t believe that people are now complaining that their children will suffer from a small class size!

They will do the same work that they would have been doing at home to maintain continuity for the time each half of the class is at home. But I think we have been lucky with that anyway.

My year 1 child will definitely be going back, what’s hard to manage is my year 4 child’s disappointment that they won’t be.

@skippityskoo. This is what I was talking about - they don't have to be sitting at individual spots and tables.

Out school is grouping them into bubbles of 15. There will be distancing between bubbles but not within. She will be eating lunch and playing separately (as in, different part of playground, different table on Hall) from the other bubbles. In her bubble are 3 of her best friends, as the teachers have done their best to group friends together. They can sit next to the friends within their bubble. I spoke to the teacher yesterday and she said that obviously some things will be different but they will adapt. She assured me that they wouldn't be doing anything "traumatic" like separating children. The classrooms are decorated just as before but without soft furnishings which I don't think my child will even notice as they used to change the layout and furnishings every couple of weeks anyway to keep things fresh and interesting. Some schools are apparently telling parents they are going to enforce 2m between each child. It is NOT required by the guidelines and is the schools choice to do so. These schools seem to be in a minority (as you would hope!)

frankly some schools are being absurd just to make a point

Couldn't agree more, user!

My school tells me they will be trying to enforce a 2m rule between preschool children, who will have to sit at a desk to play on their own with toys which will be sterilised each day. There will be a role play corner still but only one child allowed in it at a time. I really want to send my 4 year old, I think we all need to get going again, but it does sound grim.

At our school, the returning years will be following the curriculum and learning, although with lots of opportunities for PE, outdoor play, mindfulness and revisiting previous learning.

The teachers will be doing their very best to make it a cheerful, welcoming experience.

But it won't look how it did before because government guidance is for children to sit separately, not share resources or equipment etc.

They will also be washing their hands regularly, confined to their own classroom in school (no shared areas such as the hall), eating packed lunches in their classrooms.

We have been told to remove all toys and not to display work.

So it won't be grim, but it won't be their usual experience either. I think parents just need to decide where their child's mental health will be least damaged, and where they'll be happiest.

Absolutely not unreasonable.

I wish mine could go back. Sitting at home in front of a screen because his parents have to work is pretty shit for him.