Be honest. Have you sent your kids to school when they could have stayed at home?

[Witchcraftandhokum]

I left my job in education before Christmas mostly because of the governments appalling response to Covid in schools and anti-teacher sentiment generally so I haven't really got a vested interest. But I'm curious, after speaking to my ex-colleagues and friends who work in other schools there seems to be a dramatic take-up on the offer of places for vulnerable students and children of Key-workers compared to the last lockdown.

The numbers in my old school during the last lockdown made it hardly worth opening the school, this time they're at capacity and are having to bring extra staff in at a risk to themselves. In my friend's child's class there are 21 out of 32 currently attending.

What's going on?

Nope because schools here are completely closed!! Not open for anyone.

I haven't put my DD in, because I cannot see the logic in putting her at risk while I go to work to look after everyone else's kids. Its a struggle but I manage. But......I'm so angry and thinking about handing in my notice as the risk we are being asked to take is huge. We had a scare with a case linked to school last week and we still have parents handing us their children while they are spotted, feet up watching telly. I'm sure most of our kids that are in are genuine but we are fighting daily with parents who just want the free childcare. So I have to attend work despite working from home last lockdown to care for those children. I have no idea if they're mixing, shopping, having friends over and yet I must babysit them so the parents can relax.

Its not worth it for the crap wages a TA receives.

I’m a CW as is my exH under the widened list. I’m sure many would argue whether I am or not, makes no difference to me, under the criteria I am.

My youngest goes in - school happily accepted said child.
Eldest is at home, but I mentioned to their form teacher that I am technically a CW. Teachers response? See how said child gets on and if anything changes, let us know and we can get said child into school.

Only on here is there this mass uprising against children who are in school. Both my schools completely accepting of the govn criteria.

I don’t get why these threads keep being done to death. It’s as if some people want rewards!

Of course there are more people using critical worker places.
More shops deemed essential means more people working so more places needed.
Employers of essential workers who are wfh expect much more so kids would be ignored.
It's not just NHS workers who are essential it's logistics, retail, cleaners etc so the snobbery of comments like "I work for the NHS so could use a space but dont" is just judging people, I'm sure it's the same people who curtain twitched throughout the 1st lockdown.

Schools ask for evidence so it is being managed and if the government allow it to be 1 essential worker parent then that's the rules. If a school says they are overwhelmed and it needs to be 2 essential worker parents then they are managing their individual situation.

I work in education and employment with my dh an emergency services worker so we have taken up places this time.
Last time dhs work was very slow so he could home educate but now he is really busy so it wouldn't work.

I’ve 2 at primary one is on the SEN register awaiting assessment for Autism and ADHD. He got in an awful way last time we couldn’t get any work done due to meltdowns and his anxiety went through the roof. It would take me from 9-5 just to get him to complete 1-2 pieces of work. I work 8 hr days 3 days a week. In Nov the teachers saw for themselves when he had a complete meltdown on a live lesson. I work from home 2 days (1 day in office) so does my husband my husband is classed as a key worker and he is in high level calls most of the day. I could class myself as a KW if I wished.
My eldest is in school the 3 days I work, my youngest is homeschooled. I know some parents in my eldest’s class will be slagging me off and I don’t give a rats sh*t . The head has spoken to me personally and I have been told I can send him for all 5 days if I wish (I’m not). I don’t have to disclose my sons issues to anybody else.
Even the parents that are teachers but have partners home working have sent their kids into our school this time.

Kept at home but could send in. Prefer to keep them safe for the moment.

@studychick81 you’re doing great.

Think you totally missed the point here the post was about people who have to go out work not those who can work from home. But carry on parting yourself on the back! Plus if you are e.g. a customer service rep you can’t get up at work at 7am, you have to be available to take calls during set hours.

@mellongoose

Why on earth wouldn't people judge them?

Because you have never walked a mile in their shoes?! Yes, I think you are wrong and the MN pile on of people in all sorts of different situations smacks of hatemobbing.

We are allowed to disagree (thank goodness).

That's not at all relevant to what we're talking about though?

No one's piling on. You made a statement and I responded to it. Why would I need to walk a mile in their shoes? There are literally people posting in here about acquaintances making up nonsense to get their children into school. How on earth is that okay?

and we still have parents handing us their children while they are spotted, feet up watching telly.

Yep, god forbid that parents ever sit down - I put my kids into school for the first time yesterday and did indeed have a cup of tea in peace, the first time in 6 weeks I’ve not had my children to attend to. I then got on with my morning and picked the kids up at lunchtime. Someone looking in my window might have seen me sitting with a cup of tea but I’m pretty sure they weren’t there through the night as I got up with both kids who are really struggling with sleep, they wouldn’t have seen me holding my 9 year old through a flashback or helping her not feel so scared in her own body.

And who’s being doing the looking anyway? Are we actually spying on people in their own homes to make sure they’re suitably occupied?

And who’s being doing the looking anyway? Are we actually spying on people in their own homes to make sure they’re suitably occupied?

It's crazy isn't it. A year ago you would have had your arse handed to you for commenting that you'd 'spotted' a neighbor sitting down with a brew in their own house. Probably been accused of being a stalker, told to mind your own etc etc...

And yet now it's almost like some sort of public service to spy on other people and determine whether or not their behaviour is good enough, in their own homes no less.

this time around there are more people who qualify as key workers or critical workers & i know of keyworkers last time around who juggled childcare , but this time they cannot.my children are in school all week & are better off mentally, my eldest it at home as he's secondary.

Who are these people making up nonsense? Don't believe everything you read. Do you not think we are checking?!

Yes. I sent both mine in for a few days a week.
I'm a single parent, work full time and technically a key worker. I work in a demanding job that can be done from home but requires lots of concentration and focus.

I had them home for all of the last lockdown but I almost had a nervous breakdown trying to keep all the plates spinning. The eldest is on the SEN register and she has been referred for ADHD. I have to monitor everything she does or she will not do any work.

I am eternally grateful for the teachers and TAs who are supporting them in school. I refuse to feel guilty. I'm really tired of people judging others when you have no idea why they have or haven't sent their kids to school.

^^
This is basically me, except DS isn’t on any SEN register (if there is one?) he’s just been awaiting an ADHD assessment for a year. You can’t homeschool him without sitting on him every minute of the day giving total undivided attention.

Exh has thrown me under the bus after the first week and is doing nothing.

I’m failing at my work (literally fucking it up) and failing at parenting. Like yours, it’s on the key/ critical worker list but can be done at home, but requires focus and concentration. The exact words I use for things matter, and I can’t skim read information, I have to read it deeply. My own concentration is bad at the best of times - I either have to go into deep concentration mode or can’t concentrate at all.

Ds is going in two days a week from next week. I’m incredibly worried about it safety wise, but if he keep him at home he’s going to be beyond catching up by Easter.

I also have a 12 yo Dd who is staying at home.

No I don't blame anyone, it's an impossible situation. Some kids are absolutely suffering more which is heartbreaking. It's just gutting. What makes it harder is that in London restaurants and theatres were open in December, despite the fact that hospitals are on their knees every winter. Our children have been sacrificed due to poor government. And we're supposed to just bear it and point the finger at desperate mothers who are faced with the agonising choice of whether to send their children to school. It's traumatic.

@Y67b This makes a great deal of sense tbh.

I'm being told by the school that I need to make sure my primary aged children do their set tasks each day. They need to be completing maths, English, Spag, science lessons. I have been told that if they do not do this and appear at live registrations and assemblies then I will be at risk of being fined because it will be treated as unauthorised absence.

However, I'm also trying to work full time in a defence industry keyworker position from home. I'm trying to keep my wages coming in during a time of crisis so I can pay my mortgage and keep a roof over my children's heads and food in their bellies.

I absolutely cannot do both. My boss is not affording me the flexibility I had last time. I am to be working between my set hours of 9-5 and the leeway I had last time is gone. Therefore I have chosen to send my children to school under the keyworker provision. Yes, I'm at home, but I'm either going to get sacked by work, or heavily fined and sanctioned by the school if I keep them at home. I'm out of leave and I can't have any more time off. I'm already facing a disciplinary for taking too much time off poorly last year.

I suspect there are thousands of other parents in exactly the same situation.

@studychick81 what about people who physically can't work from home though? I can't.

and we still have parents handing us their children while they are spotted, feet up watching telly.

Is this what we've become? Spying on parents and complaining when they dare to take a break.Really?

Some people need to have a serious word with themselves.

I'd really like to know what the self-proclaimed judges get out of all this. People need to do what they need to do within reason to get through this bloody awful time but I'd truly like to know if coming on here and frothing at each other actually helps. It certainly doesn't change anything.

@EmilySpinach

I'd really like to know what the self-proclaimed judges get out of all this. People need to do what they need to do within reason to get through this bloody awful time but I'd truly like to know if coming on here and frothing at each other actually helps. It certainly doesn't change anything.

Well said!

I suppose people vent all the time on mn same old

It will change if schools get stricter but I doubt they suddenly will without a reason to change. Ours clamped down massively but that was when school returned.

Plus it does have impact, the more dc in the more non KW will wait to get back. It’s easy to see why it gets tense.

Although I’ve always said I get people why people take the place if they can, as who wants a whole term out again? Not many. Trouble is it’s same dc out.

@studychick81

I have seen several posts now of people sending in unnecessarily. Makes me really cross. It's going to prolong the situation for everyone else.

Me too. I think we are looking at a very long lockdown based on some of this info, but of course it will be everyone else's fault.😬

As a young carer my 8.yea told DS is one of those who are considered vulnerable but there is no way I'd send him unecessarily because I don't really understand why he would be expected to go. The very fact he cares for an adult who is on the high risk list says to.me he shouldn't be in school with 25-30 other snotty nose kids if this disease is so infectious. It worries me sick having to rely on him in shops etc and expose him as it is just because we can't get a delivery slot because they'd re all taken up despite us been on priority services register. I hate having to take him into a shop so avoid the busiest times. It's so upsetting when he gets a stuffy nose and is so scared he'll give me it and I may end up in hospital. He's been in tears at times over it. Paranoid about the slightest thing. On the first lockdown I was advised to take him out of school early by my gp. Now I wont send him back unless I really had to. I wouldn't take up a keyworker space for that reason. I may need those keyworkers one day.

@Brockaslass

Your DS sounds really lovely and caring.

because I don't really understand why he would be expected to go.

I guess it may be seen as an opportunity to have some normality and a chance to play/socialise with friends. An opportunity to be a kid.