Do you want to keep you kids off at the moment?

[Jerseygaly]

Posted here for voting not in other areas.

Yes, it's not just about the children in school who will hopefully be alright when they catch it, it's also about the adults they then come into contact with and infect.

No

Who is a parent in their 50s? You know you are at risk right?

Yes of course, I love spending time with her.

She’s going to school as normal because there’s no reason not to at the moment.

I’m in an ‘at risk’ category, and I really do wish Easter was a week or two earlier this year

DD will continue to go to school (GCSE year) but I am be going to wonder if an earlier or slightly longer break would help suppress the peak

Purple

I am 53 and know I'm at risk with diabetes, blood pressure, weakened lungs from asthma and past pneumonia.
Mine will be on study leave until GCSE's from end of next week, unless they close before.
Not sure if international students are going home or staying with guardians.
Many haven't been home since December, I can't imagine how hard it is for the little ones.

I keep seeing comments disparaging working parents as it's "childcare, innit". It's not just that though, is it? I'm a front line police officer, DH works for a NHS child mental health crisis team (literally stopping kids at the point of suicide). Neither of us can WFH. Our current childcare is school / nursery and a grandparent with COPD. I'd love to know what our options are there, or which essential public service we should stop working for first.

Teh people who turn up their noses at working parents

it's "childcare, innit"

Will be the first ones to complain when public services grind to a halt because these evil working parents are home looking after their kids.

It’s easy to sneer at the riff raff who have to work when you have a private income.

So not just childcare, they are an inconvenience. Wow!

I can only presume that you aren't financially responsible for paying your bills. School is school, not childcare and it's not the school hols so no clubs are open. What do you suggest parents do? Esp those in roles are the frontline who are much needed now? Some people are really dim!

*Teh people who turn up their noses at working parents...Will be the first ones to complain when public services grind to a halt because these evil working parents are home looking after their kids."

Totally agree. I always hate the smug little mn phrases about school not being childcare.

Yes. I love having them at home and they all hate school.

@10storeylovesong exactly this. Good for you if you can WFH or don't have to worry too much about the financial impact of staying home for a bit. I'm a single parent, I know that "school isn't childcare" but I do work when DS is at school, I have no grandparents who can help with childcare if school shuts and I can't work from home. I don't have savings to tide me over either. School closures are a real worry for me.

Nope.

Who is a parent in their 50s? You know you are at risk right?

I'm a parent over 50 but as everyone is at risk to some extent I'm not concerned about my age. Do you have some kind of proof that healthy 50 year olds are at particular risk. I assume that's what you mean.

Yanbu - yes.

No but I can see a rationale behind having a longer Easter break but in order for that to slow transmission you need to cancel events, shut museums ect. My children are preschoolers and they'd drive me crazy being off for a month but if the NHS gets overwhelmed more people will die and not just of CV but operations will be cancelled too

I am a parent in my fifties. I have two dc still under 16, youngest 12.
I am very worried.

Absolutely not.

YES! I want them home with me while they (and I) are still well and the numbers are low. However, I appreciate I am in the privileged position of both working from home (not self employed) AND have children that are old enough to not require constant supervision in the house (8 and 10) AND live in fairly remote countryside so can be relatively sure of being able to go out with them on a walk with the dog and not encounter anyone else.

But, yes personally, I would love the schools to shut not

or now even

No, I would rather have the virus than have the kids home 😂

Seriously, dd2 is severely autistic, she loves school and the fixed routine, school holidays are crazy enough, she will hate being off school any longer than the 2 weeks for Easter. I have no support to look after her, I work part time. Dd1 is sitting exams in a couple months and also needs to be at school at least until Easter. I won’t be keeping them home unless school officially closes.

Yes. I think they should've shut them down by now. In Italy cases have exploded and the ICU cannot cope. I've read from Italians that they regret being so laidback at the start. Kids might not be as affected but they can spread it. Schools are a breeding ground for bacteria and the teachers are not reminding them to wash hands in between lessons or providing hand sanitizer. I've given mine some each, but haven't been able to get hold of any more. People are infectious for days before they show symptoms. The cases are increasing exponentially. Keeping schools open just allows it to spread in the community. I kept mine off today because they've got a slight cold. The washing hands advice is good, but I've seen that not everyone is following it or being that careful. By next week, we will regret it.

My ds had 8 days off in Feb due to a really nasty virus.
Today he has come down with bacterial tonsillitis.
I spoke to the school regarding his rate of absenteeism and what could happen in the next few months. they told me to keep him off if he is unwell and there wont be consequences as the dept the absenteeism is reported to will be understanding of the situation

No thanks. 13 weeks is enough

No