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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I have Covid. Should I send my child to nursery?

205 replies

Wnikat · 13/09/2021 15:50

Interested in what others would do. I am on day 7 of covid. My 3 year old is legally allowed to go to nursery under the new rules. She has had 2 negative PCR tests, the last one yesterday. Would you send her to nursery?
YABU: yes
YANBU: no

OP posts:
stripedbananas · 13/09/2021 17:00

Your nursery will have its own rules so you have to contact them and let them know.

Tiredforfive45 · 13/09/2021 17:02

You technically can. Just don’t be pissed off if all the staff catch it and have to close once you are feeling better and are wanting to return to work!

TheHouseIsOnFire · 13/09/2021 17:04

Is your DD also your husband’s child? If so, can he take time off work or you both do a condensed day, one starting & finishing early and the other working later in the day - why would it all automatically fall to you?

LittleOwl153 · 13/09/2021 17:04

All those saying OP would be 'morally irresponsible' to send the kid to nursery - are you going to be paying her wages?
I agree that it is less than ideal for household contacts to be in nursery/school/work. But the latter 2 REQUIRE their students/staff in. Household contact is no longer a reason not to be in. So just because the OPs child is nursery age doesn't mean that she should not work nwhen she is fully able to in order to keep a child at home who the system is happy to send to nursery.

I absolutely sympathise with the CEV and the whole last 18 months must have been terrifying. However as a CV household we've had to get on with it and take the risk.

Sadly the "don't send the kids in and forfeit the wages" is not affordable for everyone - therefore there will be carriers out there whether to think that is morally correct or not.

Anon778833 · 13/09/2021 17:05

I don't think I'd send my child.

Did you get vaccinated? If so hopefully you'll get over this more quickly than otherwise. Get better.

BobsBurgersisthebest · 13/09/2021 17:05

Only if you don't take her.

Starlive23 · 13/09/2021 17:06

Not a chance I'd take at all, I thought this was a joke post, but no. If you get the chance to keep it contained and not spread to countless others then of course out of courtesy don't send her.

BobsBurgersisthebest · 13/09/2021 17:07

@SpudleyLass

I wouldn't OP.

In fact, my own 3 year old daughter has been poorly these past few days - continuous cough, tired more easily, bit of a temperature.

We've tested her for Covid, just waiting on the results. Regardless, she will not be attending preschool tomorrow. Its not fair on her or the other children, despite it almost certainly being the place she has picked this illness up from.

Sods law too - my daughter only started there this past Tuesday!

This is different. Your daughter is actually ill. Hers isn't.

I hope your daughter feels better soon..

Peppermint81 · 13/09/2021 17:07

No, few more days won't hurt.

You will be putting others at risk regardless of what the ever changing rules say now

MadeOfStarStuff · 13/09/2021 17:09

Don’t send her. The rules only changed for children to be in line with vaccinated adults, not because it’s safe. Your husband has been vaccinated so is lower risk of spreading covid, your daughter hadn’t been so could spread it to numerous others. Don’t do it.

Remoteso · 13/09/2021 17:09

In Scotland where schools have back a month there's been no issue with sending kids with negative tests and positive family members back into school. It's become the norm!

Mini outbreaks are no worse than when while family had to isolate.

LittleOwl153 · 13/09/2021 17:13

Assuming OP earns minimum wage for 40 hours a week. She will loose £62 a day she doesn't work. Statutory sick pay is £19.21. So she is over £40 down a day. Or £120 for the 3 days. Not everyone can shave that off their budget in a month...

PatchworkElmer · 13/09/2021 17:14

We’ve had an email from DS’s school reminding us that children should only be off if they have Covid, and we shouldn’t keep them off if it’s someone else in the household 🤷🏻‍♀️

Obviously I realise that nursery settings are privately owned/ attendance isn’t a legal requirement, but I was still really surprised to receive the email.

glitterelf · 13/09/2021 17:15

Just because you can doesn't mean you should. I'm a childminder and I would be really unhappy if a parent decided to do this. There's an incubation period and just because a PCR is negative one day it may be positive the next. There may be children who are CEV or have family members that are also think about the staff too.

motherrunner · 13/09/2021 17:15

All those saying it’s immoral are you holding staff with the same contempt? The nursery staff will be working with positive families members at home. I teach and will still be working if I have positive members at home. I’m not immoral. I’ll be following what my employers are expecting of me.

motherrunner · 13/09/2021 17:16

*family

TreeTed · 13/09/2021 17:17

Stupid government change in rules meaning family members spread it through schools quicker they hope before winter.
Your nursery might still have a non attendance rule. Although it’s stupid you can’t drive her their but she can attend……

suredsun · 13/09/2021 17:18

Not if I was able to look after her myself.
The new rules are frankly nuts.
One of my colleagues came back to work for ONE day while waiting for her PCR result following close contact and put her son in nursery. (All following government guidelines) Then guess what, the PCR came back positive which means tens more people in the office and at the nursery are all now close contacts, and all have the worry of getting sick and the stress of PCR tests to do.

CyclingIsNotOuting · 13/09/2021 17:24

@MaggieFS

You need to check the nursery's rules.

As another parent, I'd strongly prefer it if you didn't, but given it's allowed, I'd understand if you did.

Exactly this.
Indoctro · 13/09/2021 17:26

Yeah I would the rules have changed for a reason we have to live with covid and this will be the new normal.

montysma1 · 13/09/2021 17:27

I really don't care what the "rules" are.
The rules have been changed to get children I school so people go back to work

The science hasnt changed and the virus.... well yes it has changed so that it spreads even more efficientlythanks to the Delta Variant.

With a partially vaccinated population and infection levels running out of control, we will rapidly see vaccine escape variants and we will be right back to square one.

Sod the rules. The rules aren't following the science they are following government convenience.

LaikO · 13/09/2021 17:28

Definitely not.

Demelza82 · 13/09/2021 17:30

The rules are stupid and will lead to more outbreaks in schools. I wouldn't send my son in and will not if my husband or I contract Covid.

DoubleShotEspresso · 13/09/2021 17:30

@BobsBurgersisthebest

*This is different. Your daughter is actually ill. Hers isn't.

I hope your daughter feels better soon..*

OP cannot possibly know it's different yet. Her poor DD could be carrying the virus but yet to show symptoms. Neither is she of compulsory education age, OP has stated that she's able to WFH. Sending her into a nursery setting would be frankly wrong and disrespectful to all attending and working their, along with their families.

MyDcAreMarvel · 13/09/2021 17:30

No, and the government should be ashamed of themselves for this. I agree fully vaccinated adults should not isolate but child contacts should.