Anyone still got toddlers/preschool at home? When are you sending them back?

[whentosend]

My son is now just 3. I took him out of nursery a year ago when he was just 2.

He used to do one day a week and settled fine despite what many people think about doing just one day a week.

I would really like him to go back now, for lots of reasons, main one being socialisation now it's actually important for his age etc.

Anyone else in the same position? When are you thinking it's ok to send them back?

Mine has been in all the time that the nursery has been open. Yes there is a risk but it's a managed risk and kids need to socialise. Unfortunately we both need to work full time, obviously on mumsnet I'm a terrible parent and evil!

@OrangeGinLemonFanta

There's between 50 or 60% attendance in most schools No there's not. It was reported today as 23% of children had been on site in the last week. That doesn't even mean every day; most of my keywords friends' children are only going in on days both parents shifts overlap which is a maximum of 3 times a week. I am a keyworker as is DH, our older child hasn't been in at all.

your school might have 23%

my local schools have more than 50%

in other areas, it's closer to 60%

It's easy to see who is abusing the system and who isn't: when the year group has to be sent into isolation, it makes no difference to parents who are working from home.

The ones who are penalised are the critical and frontline workers.

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

SteveBrexit

My children are in childcare because I need to do my job, as does DH. Children are neither super spreaders nor at risk themselves.

Who said critical workers shouldn't use the space? There's a reason why childcare and schools remain open!

Why do you feel attacked when I mention "me time" when it doesn't apply to you?

We all know SAH parents or working from home who just selfishly abuse the system. They will be the first one to complain when they can't see a doctor because said doctor has to stay home when the nursery is obliged to send all the kids in isolation.

What do think happens when critical workers have to keep their children home exactly?

Being a sahp sending your child to nursery or preschool is not selfish. They are open. However trying to fiddle the system to get them a place at school is not right

Some of these responses are astonishing. The gov kept them open if only key worker parents send them in the nurseries will go out of business as the gov are not funding them as they are officially open. Then the workers will be unemployed. The discussion should be around how to make settings safer for staff.. lateral flow tests for staff, temperature checks for children on arrival, etc not shaming parents for accessing a legal service!

Btw it's not lazy parenting to send a preschooler into nursery/preschool. It's thinking about getting them reception ready, their social skills and mental health. I cannot see friends but I'm not going to deny my four year old when the risks are much lower

OP do whats best for you. You are perfectly legally entitled.

@SteveBrexit I’m not a ‘critical’ worker. I am however working full time from home and homeschooling 2 primary aged kids, hence sending my toddler to nursery. Not for ‘me time’, so I can keep a roof over my children’s heads.

We had him out for December and the first weeks of January while cases were very high, then sent him when they dropped significantly locally. The nursery are fantastic and really keen to have the kids; also never mind not getting covid, nobody's even had a cold at the nursery this year! As we're at home and don't see anyone we aren't an additional risk to anyone else the nursery. Despite risk the other way, it's very important for DS's development to mix with peers and get used to relying on teachers, so we need to prioritise that. It also means we can work more; wildly exciting!

Mn is so UK-centric, I'm in Ireland and my dc preschool was closed March to September 2020 and is still closed now since Christmas, absolutely zero information about when they will open . My dc like all the other dcs in the preschool are there with ecce funding, what happens to this money now they have missed almost 8 months of it?

My dc doing great anyway and is thriving a lot more than in preschool which is interesting. .... so has one of my other dc who is in school and we seem to be making faster progress with the core subjects...
All the schools in Ireland have been closed for everyone, no keyworjer provision and no sn provision at all. We have no online or recorded lessons.

We are doing well despite all this as are very outdoorsy so my dcs are fitter and healthier than they were in school. I have to start with a 5am though and work in the evenings as I can't look after 3 dcs and work and we've never had any family support anyway so are used to that. We are both very 50/50 parents but my dh makes more money than me at the moment so he needs to work more but we give each other a break at the weekend.
Its massively changed how we feel about schooling here and we want to make some changes after this, maybe take a year off or go travelling. Off the topic but for many people here there is no preschool and anyway I really don't get how if it isn't safe for teachers to work, how is it safe for childcare workers?

Off the topic but for many people here there is no preschool and anyway I really don't get how if it isn't safe for teachers to work, how is it safe for childcare workers?

Mainly because the data shows that there are very very few outbreaks in childcare settings.
Also, schools weren’t closed in the U.K. as it wasn’t safe for teachers to work. The reason given was that as community cases were so high, schools needed to close to help drive it down.
Glad home schooling has worked out well for you. It hasn’t for us. All children are different .

It's definitely not perfect for us particularly as we are losing a lot of money as i am freelance but we have absolutely no choice where i am in Ireland, no schools or any childcare open in my area at all.
But how is it so safe, generally preschools / creches are far worse or at least equal places for illnesses and spread, I just don't believe it , I think it's more to do with the lack of union for childcare workers. How are groups of children in one setting safer than groups in another? But agreed if its about movement of people that's easy enough to understand re closures .

if it was that "safe", primary schools would be fully opened by now.
It's not just about the children, it's about the community.

Sadly it's just delaying everything, and penalising everybody else.

There's a reason why so many reception kids are missing out on this very important year.