To not send DS to pre school Xmas party?

[Fedupmum88]

DS attends the afternoon session at pre school. On the last day before they break for Christmas all the morning & afternoon children will be in together to attend a Christmas party. I’m worried about the risk of him mixing with another 25 kids so I’m thinking of keeping him home. AIBU?

Why would the pre-school even consider this, Have you fed your concerns back to them, you won’t be the only one who thinks this is bonkers? If they insist on this idea, YANBU to just keep him off - do some party games and food with him at home.

Are they kidding? On the last day before everyone mixes households? How irresponsible

They are crazy

Definitely don't send him, unnecessary risk to him and then the rest of your family over Christmas.

Thanks for your replies, glad you agree that it’s ridiculous. I can’t believe they are banning Christmas cards but think this is ok? Crazy!

Are the morning children and afternoon children always separate? Are there no full day children ot some children that do mornings some days and afternoons others? If they're always kept as 2 separate bubbles then YANBU.

Tell them why you are doing this, perhaps on Monday not the day before. Give them a chance to see sense and cancel it.

The sounds crazy! Our Pre-School have split the party day into 2.5 hour slots and keeping the children in their usual bubbles to avoid mass mixing.

Some of the baby classes round here are doing this - absolutely mental imo but I darent say it to friends who are going. YANBU at all.

Completely crazy (and I'm an early years teacher). If those groups don't usually mix they shouldn't be for a party! I'd raise this with the pre-school now, and definitely keep your son off.

@CliveIsAlive

Are the morning children and afternoon children always separate? Are there no full day children ot some children that do mornings some days and afternoons others? If they're always kept as 2 separate bubbles then YANBU.

Yes the children are always separate. Obviously the staff come in to contact with all the children.

It does sound like an unnecessary risk. Surely they can do fun christmas stuff within their normal bubbles?

Are they closing early on the last day so no time for 2 parties? If 2 separate bubbles then no, I don't think they should be mixing them!

Absolutely crazy. If the 2 groups have always been seperate then they should have seperate parties. Also assuming there are 25 in each group, the thought of 50 children at a party fills me with dread, and makes me wonder how the ratios are actually being implimented.

That sounds ridiculous. If the morning and afternoon children are always separate then it needs to be 2 separate parties with the children remaining in their bubbles.

I would point this out to the preschool and possibly contact your Local Authority if they still plan to go ahead.

Events like this and households mixing over Christmas are going to cause such an awful rise in cases in January.

Can’t believe 30% think yabu!

They cannot change bubbles just for a Christmas party. Speak to other mums and then you all let them know how irresponsible this is. If they don’t change it, I wouldn’t be sending my child in, party or not.

@NotBrigitteBardot

Can’t believe 30% think yabu!

Yet no one who has posted thinks the OP is being unreasonable... Perhaps some of the 30% who think she is could explain why.

DC's nursery used to do this- run 1 session instead of 2, invite all the children in the register, and get an entertainer in. The year DD went, one kid was incubating chickenpox. That last week of term the kids were dropping like flies and by the time they went back in January they were down to less than half attendance.

It seems beyond irresponsible to consider it in Covid times.

I haven’t voted. I’m torn on this.

I see the point. What’s the point in bubbles if you do stuff like this?

However, my understanding was that transmission from/between very young children was very low. Have there been outbreaks in nurseries and/or primary schools?

I might be totally wrong about this. I’m not up to speed with the stats etc. Anecdotally I have one in school and one in primary school. We have plenty of cases here (the secondary schools are awful) but nothing in the primary schools or nurseries.

Primary school classes are in bubbles and yet they have the after school club open (which we use because it’s necessary). Again, no outbreak, seemingly no harm 🤷🏻‍♀️

I would just write to the nursery and comment that it doesn't sound a good idea to mix different bubbles instead of giving them their own party each. Why don't they do just that?

If they share staff and a room and toys etc then I don't think they're really separate bubbles tbh

Just ask them what the risk assessment was on mixing the bubbles. Then go from there.

I personally wouldn’t consider the risk to myself/my DC to be massively increased but I’d wonder about a) ratios b) disregarding the rules on bubbles and c) just WHY? As it’s perfectly possible to have a ‘party’ for preschoolers in their usual session (something to eat, few games) why do it this way.

YANBU OP. This is daft.
However, so it the mixing of families at Christmas. Maybe they've followed Boris et all's lead and just decided what's the point?
Aside from covid, small children are germ magnets and will likely pick up colds etc and share them with their families.

I would make your thoughts clear to the nursery, you won't be the only one feeling this way.