We have decided....

[whodunit3]

We have just had a family meeting and made the decision, the children will be kept off from tomorrow

Youngest has a chesty cough so wouldn’t be going in anyway but the other two will also be off for the foreseeable future (two primary and one secondary)

We live in an area where parents and grandparents are older, I have 0 confidence that BOJO, government informants or any scientist in the world really knows how this new virus works and I’m scared!

I read today that the reason behind lots of parents stopping doing what they though was right for their children was fear of judgment, doing the wrong thing, or more importantly doing (for you) the right thing.

I just wanted to share, that we are standing up and doing what feel right for us, do what’s right for you.

Eventually those refusing to contribute to herd immunity will be seen to be as insane as the anti-vaxxers.

Do you realise how insane you sound? Contribute to herd immunity? Even the government is backtracking on the herd immunity bullshit.
THE REST OF THE ENTIRE WORLD THINKS YOU ARE INSANE.
Apologies for the caps, but some people are living in an Etonian British Bubble, and I strongly suggest you snap out of it.
99.9% of medical and scientific experts have no dealings with the British government. And the vast, vast majority them think UK government strategy is some kind of weird British humour and are eagerly and anxiously awaiting the punch line.

We are doing the same. Ignore the sarcasm, this is a crappy time for everyone. There is no perfect solution, so go with the one that suits your family best.

@whodunit3 you do understand that that means NOT leaving the house/garden at all? Otherwise it’s completely pointless.

Just on the ‘family meeting’ point - great and sensible. I had family conference call yesterday (siblings and some over 70s and compromised health). We made decisions about contact/help and have also sorted out spare keys for everyone and whether there are wills and if so where etc etc. It all felt sensible and frankly the kind of convo we should have had anyway let alone now !
Good move op. Agree fully. Good luck !

Dragongirl10 One obvious point about that poster's scaremongering is talking that If .2%, or 2 in 1000, children 10-19 die from this, that's 200 out of every 100,000.

NO children have died of Covid-19. NONE.

Although of course, we could, like to OP, believe NO scientists on this fact that every single one of them, and the WHO agree with.

The post you shared is scaremongering and should be deleted. There's a big difference between discussing things and spreading stuff that is scaremongering or, alternatively, downright fucking stupid or potentially dangerous.

I am shocked at how selfish people seem
Bully for staying home, if it meant you did not need people to work to keep you safe
Or do you grow your own food, make your own power and not intend to pop out and break lockdown everytime you find you forgot something.

My local school has definitely not gone back today, it's eerily quiet, this is in South West. No idea if that's because a staff/student member has the virus or they are just ignoring the government or perhaps don't have enough staff, but definitely no school. Our city has several cases, and I believe that's the tip of the iceberg.

I can’t believe some of the comments. Mumsnet at it’s best

You are doing the right thing op.

Please stop scaremongering OP. Disease is a part of life. You may have the option to do this as a SAHM, but many are not in the same financial and leisurely luxury as you. We are getting on as normal with a bit of spirit.

People should absolutely feel able to do what they think is best (regardless of who disagrees with them) so long as they do not break government advice to isolate!

I think you have done the right thing in keeping the ill child off school. But how long do you think this is going to go on for? Two weeks off is absolutely useless. It has to be months to make any difference. That's why the government are suggesting over 70s isolate for 4 months. I just don't understand why people think this will all be over in a couple of weeks, just ridiculous.

Our College age son has asthma and my husband is immunosuppressed, so they are both at home for the foreseeable. College is very supportive and e-mailing course work. I’m well but will isolate with them: pretty pointless if I don’t. We’re fortunate to be in a position to do so and hope that by keeping away we can further reduce the risk to the majority of people who can’t.

OP is right, you can’t just tell teenagers what to do, they have to be part of the decision making process. Really don’t understand the vitriol, unnecessary.

I think it’s only a matter of time before we follow other countries and close schools and Colleges and looking back in the grand scheme a couple of extra weeks at home will have made no negative difference.

16 weeks of not leaving the house though?

Or do you grow your own food, make your own power and not intend to pop out and break lockdown everytime you find you forgot something.

Exactly, apparently a vast percentage of the population will be in lockdown but simultaneously when people need to stock up on food or go to hospital the infrastructure will magically be running as usual.

If needs be. As a nation, we still don’t seem to be quite getting the seriousness of this.

school in London business as usual

My son has asthma so he basically has a chesty cough most of the winter. He's going to school as I for really know what the process for keeping him at home would be. Am I somehow evil for wanting to keep my job?

@Doubletrouble99

I don’t think I mentioned a time frame?!

Like I have already said, I don’t have all the answers, I don’t think anyone does, things are changing rapidly and I can only make a situation based on this present time.

For all those asking, we are very rural, we have space for children to be outside, we are contacting the school today for learning packs and advice on work for home.

We are also self sufficient to a point, we will of course need some shopping but I have told the children that there life will be temporarily affected (and yes the thrown around 16 weeks is temporary compared to someone’s life!) we won’t do swimming, gym lessons, there will be no more meals out or shopping trips.

I’m not saying we will single handily stop this but we can do our bit!

I would do the same OP.

Parents who can keep their kids at home should be asked to do so IMO. Reducing the number of kids in school might enable any vulnerable staff to stay at home as well. Not to mention slowing the spread of the virus, which benefits all of us.

My children are also at home for the foreseeable future. Their head teacher is supporting me, I am a higher risk individual and do not want to risk contracting the virus.
The school are going to provide my children’s work via an online platform so they won’t miss out on their education.
Too many people still believe this is just a flu, many people are going to die and I’m not going to be part of an experiment that has little evidence of working.

OP's way of describing their approach may not be how everyone describes how they are doing it but I assume families and households are talking to each other and working out the best approach they can think of with each other .
It's is only now that the PM has decided we need daily briefings either from him or another minister. Which is a vast improvement on wasting time and emotion scrabbling around different corners of the internet trying to work out what to do.
Give over taking the piss and start doing something constructive. Like talking practicalities with your family and household.

@Cam77 What's an Etonian Bubble got to do with the price of fish? Is @cdtaylornats an OE?

I think that people have been wound up by the OP's tone of self-importance. S/he could make the same point in a less virtue-signalling manner. Or perhaps not make it at all.

"Doing your bit" makes it sound like you think you're on the same level as the land girls in World War 2, which makes me want to say ODFOD. Stop being so wanky. You're doing what you think it right for you and yours, that's fine, but don't act all self-righteous about it.

I was going to say OP think about how you will home educate ? As none of know how long this is going to go for. BUT I see youre already going to work with the school so thats good. If the school cant do that come to the home ed board and we`ll be able to give you ideas of where to go from here? Amazon is good for books etc. Reccomend the CGP text and workbooks. Twinkle are doing a special freebie offer for resources.

DH is a teacher and we both agree that at the moment parents should be able to have the choice to remove kids from school without reprimand. Many schools are being more lenient especially if the child has a lower immunity/ health issue where CV would be tougher then on a healthy person.

There are also online schools/ tutors etc (you will need to pay) , so lots of options out there. Also go onto fb and look up home educators in your area? The groups are often closed so there will a question to answer to be allowed in lol. nothing scary....