To think closing nurseries would be disastrous?

[Purgatory2021]

I'm seeing it discussed left right and centre, my post was prompted by television this morning.

For many reasons (none selfish) I think it would be disastrous, but the one that stands out to me the most is people's ability to work.

I'm sure there will be plenty of nurses/HCP's/important key workers who rely on nursery to be able to do their jobs.

Not everybody has family that can step in.

Older primary aged children and secondary age children can fend for themselves to a degree if push came to shove, but you can't do the same with toddlers and babies.

I'm looking at unpaid leave if nurseries close. I don't know how we will pay the bills. I'll take all my holiday first but it won't last until easter.

I am WFH with a 3yo and 14mo in my care. DP is a key worker (though what he does is so beyond essential imo but what can he do?!) 3yo isn't in nursery. It's hard but I get what needs to be done done. Life actually became easier when I got rid of screens, believe it or not. Though the month where the 14mo was learning to walk was pretty nail biting. It's fucking hard, but I feel like it's the best thing in the wider picture.

Schools and nurseries should remain open for key workers BUT if those key workers work in care homes or NHS they must receive a daily negative Covid test before commencing work. Families are not entering care homes to see relatives, therefore the current outbreaks in care homes (yes, it's happening again) must be brought in by staff who probably have children who are/were catching it at school.

Sorry but if you have a 3 year old and 14month old in your care, you are not WFH unless your job is to look after them.

@Marzipan12

It's disasterous for everyone. For high school kids, primary kids, why should nursery kids needs be treated differently? Parents of just nursery kids have a very unrealistic view of older children. Children don't just become self sufficient when they turn 5 just because the idea suits the argument for nursery to stay open while the rest of essential education /schools is closed to the majority.

No they don’t become self sufficient but a hell of a lot fucking easier.

My DS is nearly 2 and I can’t take my eyes off him for a second.

@Nightmanagerfan

Chris whitty this morning: “parents should avoid sending children to nurseries if they can”.

I hate this style of communication- either shut them or don’t rather than blaming parents for sending kids in!

@Nightmanagerfan where did you get that info please? DH and I are torn over whether to send DS to preschool, and if Whitty is advising to keep them off if you can it makes our decision easier, but I can't find this anywhere other than your post. Thanks

In the first lockdown our nursery closed completely because they didn't have enough Keyworker children to make it viable. It would be the same this time and the Keyworkers would be pretty screwed.

You are deluding yourself if you think they become easier. My kids where actually far harder at age 5 than they ever where at 2 and 3.

@Marzipan12

You are deluding yourself if you think they become easier. My kids where actually far harder at age 5 than they ever where at 2 and 3.

Not delusional thanks though. I’ve got an older child, fully aware how they are.

@Marzipan12

You are deluding yourself if you think they become easier. My kids where actually far harder at age 5 than they ever where at 2 and 3.

I find this odd. But we’re not all the same.

It feels like my 3yo is my boss sometimes @Tellmetruth4 but nope, I am WFH. No childcare bubble for us either. I think it helps that we live in a tiny flat so I can see them at all times. They're currently both napping on me so it's time to get my work done!

And honestly I never thought it would be possible to do all of it this time last year, but I've had to adapt and change my expectations and perspective and it turns out that I could just about get it all done.

Mine are 3 and 5. 5 year old is a million times easier to look after.

Wfh with a toddler is in a different realm to a primary aged child.

People commenting don’t just have toddlers.

You are deluding yourself if you think they become easier. My kids where actually far harder at age 5 than they ever where at 2 and 3.

Not easier, but easier to work whilst looking after them.

Nurseries won't be viable to stay open if they just open for keyworkers working outside of the home, unless the government provide a nice financial package (unlikely). It was ruled last time that nurseries shouldn't be charging if they aren't providing the service, therefore I wouldn't expect any parent to feel obliged to pay whilst they close, I won't be.

I am WFH with a 3yo and 14mo in my care.

I'm not trying to doubt you are trying yoir best to do both but this is not realistic. You're either neglecting your children whist you work or neglecting your work whilst supervising and keeping your children occupied. You simply cannot effectively do both at the same time.

Are all nurseries open? Or just private ones?

I have my 3 y/o at home as his is only open to key worker children.

I'm really worried about this. I'm due back at work next week and it plays on my mind a lot that nursery could shut.
Me and my husband are key workers (not WFH either) and have no family that can help. Expecting someone to get to our house for 7am is also a big ask.
People keep saying you'll be alright, you're a key worker but if it's not financially viable then the nursery will close anyway.
As an aside I do feel really sorry for nursery workers and I know it's a hard job in normal times but the economy will be even more screwed if they shut and parents can't work.

Our nursery (inner London) hasn't opened to everyone, only children or keyworkers and vulnerable children.

Fee's are adjusted accordingly for those who pay.

(it's a stand alone nursery so not attached to a school and runs a mixture of term time / school time / full time 48 year a week places, plus a quota of SEN places)

children of key workers

@PunishmentSnart

Are all nurseries open? Or just private ones?

I have my 3 y/o at home as his is only open to key worker children.

Our school nursery is closed to non KW but I think it’s a mix. Not all are.

Yanbu except the idea that primary children can fend for themselves. Many can’t.

@indiop

I'm a junior A&E doctor part time. DP is a senior social worker and brings in the vast majority of our cash. We aren't using grandparents for childcare because I see too many 50/60 year olds very sick from covid and I want to keep them safe.

If nursery closes, a&e will be a doctor down. It's a crap decision to make but I will not put my parents at risk, or reduce DPs job when he is our breadwinner. And as others point out, saying nurseries can stay open to key workers doesn't mean it will- many cannot afford too.

This will be one of the biggest problems with closing nurseries, most keyworkers (care assistants/nurses/teachers/supermarket workers) aren't the main wage earners in their homes, so we will be putting more pressure on vital services as nobody will be able to take a huge financial hit, it will be the lower earning keyworkers that will be leaving their jobs/taking unpaid leave

I don’t know what the answer but we have an August baby in reception so were she a week younger she’d still be in nursery. I don’t think she’s really any easier or harder to look after than a child a week younger. She’s a lot easier to wfh with now than she would have been between 2 & 3 but harder to manage than it would have been when she was an older baby. At 1 she could have been in a play pen with toys some of the time, still breastfeeding a bit and napping some of the time. Between those and working evenings we could have managed. I think one of us would have had to stop work if she’d been 2 1/2 rather than 3 1/2 lash lockdown though.

We didn’t have a space for our child in the first lockdown despite both being keyworkers. Nursery said as one working from home child couldn’t attend. They struggled financially to put in place the provision they did.

Is there any evidence of nurseries contributing to the ongoing spread in any notable fashion?