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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To pull my DC out of school for the rest of term?

138 replies

RiverOrla · 08/12/2021 13:03

Rates are skyrocketing at the DC’s primary. We have lots of Christmas plans with extended family (Christmas is a huge deal to us, celebrations relating to several different cultures) and I don’t want to risk it being ruined by covid. If I take them out for the rest of this week and next week (last week of term) this would seriously reduce the risk of them having it for Christmas.

Anyone else doing this?

YABU - keep them in school
YANBU - take them out to safeguard family Christmas.

OP posts:
Cissyandflora · 08/12/2021 22:22

@bofski14

Oh for crying out loud! Why do people think that school is the ONLY place that children can be educated? If OP wants to remove her children from an unsafe situation and she has the means to do it, who are any of you to guilt her into "oh but they'll miss precious school!". There is a world for children outside of 9-3. Have fun with your kids OP.
I agree. Education can be as good at home. You know what is best op. I’m in a similar quandary.
Sh05 · 08/12/2021 22:27

I don't think school CAN demand a PCR test or its result. Ours doesn't anyway. They advise parents that a test should be done and ask that parents keep the school updated but other than that I don't know anyone who has had to show proof of a PCR.
That being said I completely understand where the op is coming from and if I had the choices they do, I would pull my youngest for the last week as well.
We're not Christian, we don't celebrate Christmas but if staying in school meant risking the holidays and a long awaited family get together then the kids would stay home.
Just don't lie OP, tell the office staff why you're taking them out, I doubt you'll be the only one.

Sodullincomparison · 08/12/2021 22:35

I discussed removing DC from school for the next four days as cases are escalating rapidly In her class. Whilst she is negative we have childcare options, if she becomes positive we would have to take unpaid leave.

Imperfect solutions all around.

FlorenceWintle · 08/12/2021 22:44

Absolutely not. They’ve missed so much already, the social side as well as educational. They need some stability, not this constant in/out of school.

chillied · 08/12/2021 22:45

I would do it OP.

We are being very cautious in what we do in the run up to Christmas so that we minimise the chances of having to tell GPs they can't visit because we're positive or waiting to find out if we're positive.

In our case DC are secondary school age, they are vaccinated, and at least one has had covid. So they can stay in school.

Your kids are presumably unvaccinated due to their ages. You don't say that you've had covid already. There are so many families I know who avoided covid for so many months until just recently. You will kick yourself if they pick it up next week and there goes Christmas.

FlorenceWintle · 08/12/2021 22:48

I am just so fed up if covid ruling our lives!!

Keeping them out of school is letting Covid rule their lives though. They’ll be missing out! Carrying on as normal would be the way to not let covid rule your lives.

flumposie · 08/12/2021 23:02

Don't lie about them having symptoms. Imagine if I did that as a teacher to try to protect my Christmas.

Covidworries · 08/12/2021 23:16

Totally understand @riverorla

Debating this ourselves. As an adult, the having to cancel christmas plans with wider family would be disapointing, but it would be ok. The 4 children would be distraught. For different reasons the elder 2 would be unable ti come home if one of us test positive before xmas. They are all desperate to be together. One child is CEV and vunerable so in a worst case situation this could be xmas in hospital too.

So yes removing from school is very tempting right now. Im watching data closely and hoping we can get some of the activities they are looking forward to done before cases rise too much whilst praying that we dont leave it too long.

Jumanji89 · 08/12/2021 23:21

OP this comment isnt just aimed at you as it is common on MN but I genuinely don't understand why you've posed the question here as you've made your mind up regardless of any of the responses here.

Do what you think is best for you and your family is my opinion fwiw

Pensieve · 08/12/2021 23:29

I understand your concern as there in an outbreak in my DC class currently.

However as both a parent and school governor who’s seen the stats on dropping of average performance and pressure teachers are under to catch up - I don’t agree with your attitude. You expect school to be there when you want it but feel you don’t have to show the same commitment back. So you and all the family will isolate for 2 weeks will you - no shopping or mixing and you’ll do homework on your own initiative? You’ll not let the children do any clubs, see friends for 2 weeks and overall have them off school and entertained for what 4 weeks.

Warmduscher · 08/12/2021 23:35

I agree. Education can be as good at home. You know what is best op. I’m in a similar quandary.

If the OP agreed with you on this, her DC would be homeschooled full-time. But they’re not - she’s talking about taking them out for ten days to please the adults (her DH, the grandparents).

Pensieve · 08/12/2021 23:45

“It's not 'im alright jack' attitude, its working within the choices available to me to minimise the risk”

As I’m sure you know OP unless you lie, taking them out is only a ‘choice’ so much as you’re doing an unauthorised absence. School is mandatory unless the government dictates a lockdown again which they have not and 1 positive DC does not necessarily dictate isolation of other DC.

BoredZelda · 09/12/2021 00:13

Primary school? Meh, I’d do it. The last week is rarely important. They will be gutted if they get covid over Christmas.

My daughter missed 3 weeks of school in the run up to Christmas one primary school year. There was no work sent home and yet she is still managing to get great marks in high school.

TorringtonDean · 09/12/2021 00:23

Seems like a Covid firebreak. Good idea. People must decide for themselves what is right.

Etinoxaurus · 09/12/2021 04:10

Let the dc choose. You could keep them off, they’d miss christmas fun at school and then lockdown rules mean you don’t see GPs anyway. 🤷🏻‍♀️

KatyRebecca84 · 09/12/2021 04:55

I feel like doing this with my DD and nursery but I don’t WFH so I can’t! If you can and will cope then I say do it! Say they have symptoms and keep them safe at home and enjoy Xmas!

GADDay · 09/12/2021 05:03

@RiverOrla

DC won’t have to lie. No one will mention it come January. Or I just take it unauthorised. Their attendance has been 100%.

We wouldn’t go anywhere. All their clubs finish this week any way. Would go for walks but that is easy to avoid people. We have no events booked in the next 2 eeeks but have lots in between Xmas abc new year.

I just part of me wants to be selfish, we’ve stuck to all the rules and I just want to ensure a good Xmas for them this time.

Just go for it. It sounds like a great plan.

Do an hour of home-schooling each day and crack on!!🎄🎄🎄👌

flapjackfairy · 09/12/2021 05:22

I have already done it with my sen child. In a class of 8 at special school 3 are positive so that is it for me until after Christmas. It is hard having them home again but in fact the youngest who has extremely complex needs and is too young for rhd jab has never returned since this all began.

Orchidflower1 · 09/12/2021 05:42

@RiverOrla do it. It’s one week- you have to think about family memories and the MH benefits of that.

SonicBroom · 09/12/2021 05:52

I would assume they probably already have it tbh. I wouldn’t take them out because actually the end of term activities mean a lot to them at Christmas even though they won’t be learning much. I’d also be speaking to the school to find out what measures they are putting in to slow the spread. Are they still doing whole school activities etc? They should be sticking in class bubbles where they can now IMO, any of them who don’t are being incredibly stubborn and thoughtless. They’re also not doing everything they can to keep kids in schools if they’re happy to let them out.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 09/12/2021 05:55

You sound like you've made your mind up already. Personally I wouldn't but then I wouldn't for holidays either. The only thing they will take away from your "home learning" is that school doesn't matter, attendance doesn't matter and you have little regard for the truth or the law.

Oblomov21 · 09/12/2021 06:25

Why would you even consider this? At all?

It's only after 15th that it affects Christmas and that's Wednesday, and most/many break up Friday 17th.

Imdreamingofapeacefulxmas · 09/12/2021 07:18

Sh05

Christmas, strangely is not actually a Christian festival.
It goes back way before that because its the darkest time of year, humans had to create something to keep going in dark days!
Pagan etc... Then morphed into father Christmas.. It's a melting pot of everything but not essentially Christian at all.

Covidworries · 09/12/2021 07:28

@sonicbroom
Well if she assumes they already have it she better keep them home and do anpcr test so they dont spread it any further.
Why would you send you kids to school if you assume they have covid?

Original poster
RiverOrla · 09/12/2021 07:42

I posted to see opinions, why else? I’ve already decided they will definitely finish the week so I have change my mind based on what’s been said. I’m still considering next week.

I won’t lie, I will front it out and say I’m keeping them off as a precaution due to rising cases.

I’m surprised so many people feel the DC will assume school is optional/commitment doesn’t matter in the basis of this one situation.

I have and will again take DC out for days to facilitate other experiences that are only possible in term time.

Still unsure about next week.

We had covid back early 2020. DH and DC1 had it a month back. Other DC and I didn’t get it.

OP posts: