To be annoyed they've cancelled my son's nativity

[JudesBiggestFan]

I'm just so tired of the arbitrary and pointless decisions that rob children and parents of yet more joy.
Last year my son had his nativity play cancelled at preschool. This year, the school (after designating him a shepherd and giving him a line...the excitement!) have cancelled again. Because Covid. Never mind all the pubs, restaurants, Christmas shopping, family parties that all the kids, teachers and parents will be going to.
The nativity is some kind of super spreader event that must be forfeited!
It's not going to make the news, but I'm just so bloody tired of it all. He'll never be this little and innocent again...I tolerated it last year but my patience is gone.
Anyone who wants to be is jabbed, we have lateral flows, it's as safe as it ever will be.
Yet the commercial stuff can go on, but the pure joyful ness of a kids Christmas nativity can't. Just wanted to vent really. No point complaining in real life anymore!

[quote Woohooforwine]@Innocenta

Sorry but you’re the one posting misinformation and scaremongering.

The hospitals are full. People are already waiting ten or more hours in ambulances even to get into ED. Medical staff are horrified by the prospect of the winter

Incorrect.

I work front line, this winter we will have more staff than ever as many have been redeployed from areas that would usually close for assist front line. This winter is the same as every winter in the NHS…shit! Will we get through it? Yes, we always do.

I saw more people this weekend presenting with acute mental health illness stemming from lockdown/covid etc, than I did with covid. Due to our fantastic vaccination program people aren’t becoming ill enough to require hospital admission, but overdoses due to helpless, hopelessness and isolation will. Covid will continue to spread just like the flu or nora virus will, should we lockdown for that? No.

The last thing people need is more of their little joys taken away, at this point it’s punish the majority to help reassure the minority.[/quote]
I am referring to specific, direct sources. It absolutely is not scaremongering, and I strongly suspect you're trying to downplay Covid for reasons of your own. Or perhaps your colleagues just don't confide in you!

I completely agree MH is a vast issue too. Literally none of these things can be helped by allowing the NHS to become even more overwhelmed again.

@MiniatureHotdog

*People are just being ridiculous at this point. "You want CEV to die you monster!!!" When will rational thinking and a sense of perspective return to the general public? We cannot and should not continue to allow children to be collateral damage. People need to get vaccinated, wear a mask, socially distance if they want to and then fucking crack on.*

Well put

Always nice to know who thinks disabled people don't deserve to live. Thanks for being so open in your hate!

@LettertoHermoine

It's so sad to see so many people willing to give up their lives as they know them. 2 years in now and Covid is going nowhere. Lock yourselves away forever then but let the rest of us get on with it with caution.

Give up your life as you known it?

Its a nativity!

There is more in my life than that. Thank fuck.

And thats one of the very reasons, the nativity isn't top of my concerns right now!

Muriel me too, I love seeing dc do plays.

Innocenta what would you want in terms of measures?

You might find it's because we're in a global pandemic, and the NHS existing after it is more important than a nativity. Why not do one at home, or even watch a recording of a nativity

Do you not suspect that these people may want to watch their own child in a nativity? I doubt that any random nativity would quite have the same effect

That is really sad. Not a disaster in the grand scheme of things, but these things are important and missing them is really disappointing

Our school cancelled the parents coming in to see the nativity last year and has again this year, but they recorded them and put them on a secure link on YouTube. Missing it entirely would be really sad.

@Rainbowsew I think re: NHS, we must be talking at cross purposes a bit. I don't disagree with you at all regarding other causes of absence, or the other pressures on the service, which I'm actually very, very aware of. The sources I'm reading are packed full of staff dreading the prospect of another wave of Covid on top of all that stuff, when they're already flat out before even reaching the normal winter peak period.

@MarshaBradyo I don't think I'm qualified to judge without more scientific guidance, but I'd definitely want more balance! I do agree it seems mad and unfair to have such freedom for adults (including unvaccinated) and rigorous restrictions on children's activities.

I'd make the vaccine compulsory for everyone without a genuine (rare) medical reason.

I think it's a valid point about how impactful a restricted childhood is on a young life - there has to be consideration of that too.

Imagine if as a society we prioritised childrens needs above our own

Tbh I think YABU. Lots of workplaces are taking measures to decrease the risk of infection amongst staff. Schools are pretty limited in what they can do but they are not obliged to stuff hundreds of people and children into a small space just before Christmas.

Ideally I suppose they would do the nativity behind closed doors and broadcast or video it. Maybe that's not possible in this instance.

@Innocenta I’m management in a major city hospital, don’t try and patronise me because my truth doesn’t fit your narrative. What you are saying is incorrect and scaremongering.

Posted too soon:

DDs year has had it rough too. She started F2 last year - so she was dropped off to school, with a strange teacher and new people. Hadn't stepped foot inside the building, it was just awful.

No nursery leaving ceremony, no nativity, no sports days, no family dinners/reading sessions/activity days.. nothing.
I'm grateful that we've got the lantern walk this year but I am concerned on how much she's missed out on.

I'm part of the PTA so went in to decorate the school and it hit me that that was the first time I'd actually seen the inside of the school/her classroom.

Their only small for such a short time

The kids are in school ANYWAY every day and going home to parents every day ! HOW is a nativity any different? OH ffs. If people can't understand why having a large hall full of parents and children with singing is different to kids in normal lessons, they really haven't been paying attention.

Oops - *They're

"Almost everybody"? Hardly, at only 69.1% fully vaccinated.

We are currently waiting for the school to confirm if the key stage 1 nativity will happen or not. I know that in the grand scheme of things a primary school nativity is neither here nor there but I will be disappointed if it has to be cancelled.
My child is in year 2 so hasn't had a school year without covid. He has been practicing for weeks and is so proud he knows his line and is really excited that we might get to see him perform. It seems like such a small thing in general but to him it's a very big thing.

[quote Woohooforwine]@Innocenta

Sorry but you’re the one posting misinformation and scaremongering.

The hospitals are full. People are already waiting ten or more hours in ambulances even to get into ED. Medical staff are horrified by the prospect of the winter

Incorrect.

I work front line, this winter we will have more staff than ever as many have been redeployed from areas that would usually close for assist front line. This winter is the same as every winter in the NHS…shit! Will we get through it? Yes, we always do.

I saw more people this weekend presenting with acute mental health illness stemming from lockdown/covid etc, than I did with covid. Due to our fantastic vaccination program people aren’t becoming ill enough to require hospital admission, but overdoses due to helpless, hopelessness and isolation will. Covid will continue to spread just like the flu or nora virus will, should we lockdown for that? No.

The last thing people need is more of their little joys taken away, at this point it’s punish the majority to help reassure the minority.[/quote]
Thank you.

I too am well aware of the pressure I and my colleagues experience every day.

Some people are still perpetuating the narrative of early on in the Pandemic that we need to stop the NHS/ITU being overwhelmed by covid cases.

I was a supporter of that then. Now we have completely different pressures affecting us and with rise in number of vaccinated people hopefully we will be able to address those issues now but the sad reality is staff are burnt out, morale is low and the latest news is thoroughly depressing.

I know I'm not disablist and I understand my own industry! Not all patients will see the wider picture though.

Having a DH in teaching means I also see the other side of this situation and I'm genuinely worried for the future of the whole of society but particularly the children coming through, if anyone is being treated as collateral damage at this time it is our children and young people. The op has also alluded to this in her call out to the mentally unwell

It’s frustrating that you could go to a nightclub no issue, but - primary children are unvaccinated. Despite our absolute best efforts, we have several cases in our school right now. A friend (double vaxxed) and her four children are all very poorly right now and two of the children may need to be admitted. Transmission is very high amongst small children. I would rather deal with angry parents unable to watch a play than have to teach my class while making sure my own children are doing their work at home at the same time again, honestly!

@Rainbowsew Literally anything I say re: NHS is directly drawn from a primary source. It's not based on my own impression.

@Italiandreams

I think it’s possibly about logistics too, many schools are short staffed. Nativities take a lot of work to put on , don’t get me wrong it’s absolutely worth it but if schools are struggling for staff it may be really difficult, without adding in pupil absences etc Some schools may manage fine, other may do a lower key performance etc To be honest teachers are on their knees at the moment, covering absences, the new ofsted framework is causing nightmare workloads for small schools, all the extra precautions etc. I really don’t think anyone doesn’t want to do it, it’s just it may be impossible depending on the schools circumstances

Exactly. I'll be interested to see the reaction if the isolation requirements for contact with cases of Omicron are still in place next term and schools can't function due to lack of staff. That seems much more serious potentially than there not being a nativity play.

@RedToothBrush I am talking in general, the amount of scared people afraid to meet up or go out and mix is so very sad. Afraid to go shopping, afraid to go to a party, afraid to meet up with friends, afraid to go to a fucking nativity in a school.

It's not even about the nativity, it's about how life is being taken away from us at every turn because people are fucking terrified. 2 years of not living, not mixing, not doing things they have always done. Hiding away, isolating with promises of flattening the curve and it's only for a short while. Yet here we are 2 years later, still locked away and living half lives. THAT's what I meant.

Always nice to know who thinks disabled people don't deserve to live. Thanks for being so open in your hate!

Oh don't be ridiculous. It's this kind of silly hyperbole that stifles any rational debate on the issue.

[quote Woohooforwine]@Innocenta I’m management in a major city hospital, don’t try and patronise me because my truth doesn’t fit your narrative. What you are saying is incorrect and scaremongering.[/quote]
What you are posting is Covid misinformation.

So many PFB moments on this thread. It's a play, not a big deal

@MiniatureHotdog

Always nice to know who thinks disabled people don't deserve to live. Thanks for being so open in your hate!

Oh don't be ridiculous. It's this kind of silly hyperbole that stifles any rational debate on the issue.

Why do you think calling out ableism is hyperbole? Do you react this way to seeing racism called out?