Aibu to think that a lot of kids are extremely anxious after lockdown?

[MrsHookey]

I've got one child who seems extremely anxious since lockdown. Anecdotally it seems like a few kids I know are like this. Is this a wider thing? Are mumsnetters finding their children have become anxious since March 2020?

There's a general problem with chronic underfunding of mental health services that predates the pandemic. Like everything else, covid has exacerbated it.

But people keep voting Tory ... people keep refusing to have sensible conversations about the NHS and the impact an aging population has on it, people don't want to pay more taxes to fund decent healthcare / childcare / education/ community funding.

There are no easy fixes here. I think a majority of people are absolutely clueless about the millions of people who live miserable lives in this country. They just don't even see it.

Absolutely. MH funding is just appalling. Was pre-pandemic and has only got worse and with increasing need. All our public services need significantly better funding.

There's a general problem with chronic underfunding of mental health services that predates the pandemic. Like everything else, covid has exacerbated it.

But people keep voting Tory ... people keep refusing to have sensible conversations about the NHS and the impact an aging population has on it, people don't want to pay more taxes to fund decent healthcare / childcare / education/ community funding.

There are no easy fixes here. I think a majority of people are absolutely clueless about the millions of people who live miserable lives in this country. They just don't even see it.

Absolutely. MH funding is just appalling. Was pre-pandemic and has only got worse and with increasing need. All our public services need significantly better funding.

There's a general problem with chronic underfunding of mental health services that predates the pandemic. Like everything else, covid has exacerbated it.

But people keep voting Tory ... people keep refusing to have sensible conversations about the NHS and the impact an aging population has on it, people don't want to pay more taxes to fund decent healthcare / childcare / education/ community funding.

There are no easy fixes here. I think a majority of people are absolutely clueless about the millions of people who live miserable lives in this country. They just don't even see it.

Absolutely. MH funding is just appalling. Was pre-pandemic and has only got worse and with increasing need. All our public services need significantly better funding.

Don't know what happened there!

Are they young Juno?

Were they behind when they went back?

I guess you’re happy with that approach I need more re education for dc here, they enjoy it and the worst part for them was low levels of stretch and challenge with material (yes I used other)

@JunoMcDuff

There's a general problem with chronic underfunding of mental health services that predates the pandemic. Like everything else, covid has exacerbated it.

But people keep voting Tory ... people keep refusing to have sensible conversations about the NHS and the impact an aging population has on it, people don't want to pay more taxes to fund decent healthcare / childcare / education/ community funding.

There are no easy fixes here. I think a majority of people are absolutely clueless about the millions of people who live miserable lives in this country. They just don't even see it.

Absolutely. MH funding is just appalling. Was pre-pandemic and has only got worse and with increasing need. All our public services need significantly better funding.

Closing schools will exacerbate it hugely

Again see Chicago

@MarshaBradyo

Are they young Juno?

Were they behind when they went back?

I guess you’re happy with that approach I need more re education for dc here, they enjoy it and the worst part for them was low levels of stretch and challenge with material (yes I used other)

Yes they are primary age (which I have already said in previous posts, so I'm not trying to hide it).

No, they weren't behind or bottom of the class.

We did lots of stuff at home but nothing you'd really call schooling. The kids were engaged and stretched but they mainly enjoyed spending lots of time outside with us (predominantly garden).

I'm not saying I think school closure is a good thing - it wasn't. But similarly I do believe that lockdown 1 was necessary and good & necessary are not synonymous. I don't think school closure should be necessary again though and I think we should take steps to prevent it from being considered.

Yes so if closing schools is so bad, why are people not demanding that the government does everything it can to fund schools adequately to prevent covid spread?

Two families I know well are currently self-isolating because their child caught covid in school. It has worked its way through the family, including to a CEV adult. So why are we just allowing it to rip through schools instead of insisting on basic mitigations? Why aren't we demanding everything possible is done to keep schools safer and open?

To clarify - I'm not saying school closure is good, despite it having been a positive experience for us.

@HereticFanjo

Yes so if closing schools is so bad, why are people not demanding that the government does everything it can to fund schools adequately to prevent covid spread?

Two families I know well are currently self-isolating because their child caught covid in school. It has worked its way through the family, including to a CEV adult. So why are we just allowing it to rip through schools instead of insisting on basic mitigations? Why aren't we demanding everything possible is done to keep schools safer and open?

I don't know. My kids school is currently closed due to high numbers of COVID, thankfully we've not got it so it's life as normal beyond not attending school for a week.

I'd really like adequate funding for public services. And that includes being in favour of increased taxation to pay for it.

@HereticFanjo

Yes so if closing schools is so bad, why are people not demanding that the government does everything it can to fund schools adequately to prevent covid spread?

Two families I know well are currently self-isolating because their child caught covid in school. It has worked its way through the family, including to a CEV adult. So why are we just allowing it to rip through schools instead of insisting on basic mitigations? Why aren't we demanding everything possible is done to keep schools safer and open?

What is happening now has had far less impact than two terms off and isolations.

We’ve just had Covid. Ten days each child and normal school around that.

The suppression before was more for older age groups than children.

*What is happening now has had far less impact than two terms off and isolations.

We’ve just had Covid. Ten days each child and normal school around that.

The suppression before was more for older age groups than children.*

I would say… yes and no. Lockdown is clear. The constant testing, isolating while waiting for PCR results, going back in, isolating again… is draining for kids in a different way. I also know two kids who have brought covid home from school and passed it to a parent who then died. That’s a tremendous, tremendous weight for a child to carry.

I’m not saying that schools shouldn’t be open, by the way. Just echoing others who say that there really should be some preventative measures in schools (actually there are in Scotland, where I live, for senior school pupils at least). But my general feeling from the government until very recently has been ‘well, the pandemic is over, we’re all fed up of it.’

(Westminster government that is.)

I work with vulnerable teens in a mainstream school and oh my you wouldn’t believe what we see on a daily basis (well unless you work in a similar role).
Kids breaking down when the fire alarm goes off, kids too anxious to go into a busy lunch hall, kids hearing voices, kids self harming in school, we have 6 kids on suicide watch, 4 kids who are now mute, and that’s just my case load

Yep. Ds, 15, seems fine but it has really affected dd, 11. She seems to have lost all of her social skills and confidence. When I think about it it's been nearly 2 years of her life, which is such a large percentage of the life that she can remember. Myself and DH both being frontline NHS workers didn't help either in hindsight. Working long hours, stress and to much open conversation about covid couldn't have helped. Not to mention her basically being out of education and home alone (well with DS) for long periods most days whilst we worked. At the time we were just trying to get through each day. I can see we made mistakes now.

Yep. Ds, 15, seems fine but it has really affected dd, 11. She seems to have lost all of her social skills and confidence. When I think about it it's been nearly 2 years of her life, which is such a large percentage of the life that she can remember. Myself and DH both being frontline NHS workers didn't help either in hindsight. Working long hours, stress and to much open conversation about covid couldn't have helped. Not to mention her basically being out of education and home alone (well with DS) for long periods most days whilst we worked. At the time we were just trying to get through each day. I can see we made mistakes now.

The constant testing, isolating while waiting for PCR results, going back in, isolating again… is draining for kids in a different way

Yes it is which is why I said lockdown and isolations v now

We’re not testing with PCR and waiting anymore as close contacts don’t have to. Which I’m thankful for

We only test with LFT in secondary and got a positive from that first

We’re not testing with PCR and waiting anymore as close contacts don’t have to. Which I’m thankful for

Ah, it’s different in Scotland. Although quite a few of our PCR tests this term have been due to coughs and fevers (with 3 small children there aren’t that many weeks that go by that someone doesn’t have a cough or fever! I guess that’s represented in my circle of friends too, who have expressed similar feelings).

Far less impact ON YOU AND YOURS.

The family I know are very anxious about the CEV parent. Young and fit, doubly vaccinated, just happened to develop a life changing illness in their thirties which makes them extremely vulnerable. Still sent the kids to school because of course school is important.

Except so is having two living parents if at all possible. So I ask again - where are the mitigations? The air filters? The masks and rapid vaccine roll out for families who want and need their children vaccinated? The rapid booster roll out?

It doesn't have to be all or nothing now - closure vs pretending covid has gone away. There's a middle way that sadly is being ignored and ironically may end up taking us back to lockdown- which none of us want!

I don't understand why people are letting this government get away with being so shit. We need schools open - so they need to throw money at keeping them open.

It doesn't have to be all or nothing now - closure vs pretending covid has gone away. There's a middle way that sadly is being ignored and ironically may end up taking us back to lockdown- which none of us want!

I don't understand why people are letting this government get away with being so shit. We need schools open - so they need to throw money at keeping them open.

Yep

@HereticFanjo

Far less impact ON YOU AND YOURS.

The family I know are very anxious about the CEV parent. Young and fit, doubly vaccinated, just happened to develop a life changing illness in their thirties which makes them extremely vulnerable. Still sent the kids to school because of course school is important.

Except so is having two living parents if at all possible. So I ask again - where are the mitigations? The air filters? The masks and rapid vaccine roll out for families who want and need their children vaccinated? The rapid booster roll out?

It doesn't have to be all or nothing now - closure vs pretending covid has gone away. There's a middle way that sadly is being ignored and ironically may end up taking us back to lockdown- which none of us want!

I don't understand why people are letting this government get away with being so shit. We need schools open - so they need to throw money at keeping them open.

For the vast majority of children not just mine.

What do you want in schools though?

I’m not sure it will stop delta to any great degree given how transmissible it is, ok it may slow it down but at some point each child will come into contact with it. Not just here but in other countries.

Why is slowing it down important?

Just read again

I see you want boosters and vaccination yes I agree with this

Masks, not in class for me, it doesn’t do much and hampers interaction

Air filters - I don’t mind but how much budget?

I've literally just listed some things that might help.

Slowing it down avoids the NHS getting even more overwhelmed / allows more booster roll out and teen vaccines for those who want them / allows new treatments to be identified. Slowing it down is a good thing.

Let me be crystal clear here - we both want schools open, there's no argument about that. Things can just be done better.

Definitely! I'm a primary school teacher and I have a lot more children suffering from anxiety and worry.

@HereticFanjo

I've literally just listed some things that might help.

Slowing it down avoids the NHS getting even more overwhelmed / allows more booster roll out and teen vaccines for those who want them / allows new treatments to be identified. Slowing it down is a good thing.

Let me be crystal clear here - we both want schools open, there's no argument about that. Things can just be done better.

Totally agree