Key worker, school or not?

[allhailthegingerninja]

I'm a key worker, so my DC's could go into school if I wanted them to. I'm part time.
DH is working from home. So, I'm not going to send them in.
But, should I? Psychologically it would be better for them to be there, and of course far easier for DH to get work done.
OTOH, I'm increasing their risk, and our risk. (And school staff risk) So I'm thinking no I shouldn't. And probably won't.

What are others doing?
(DC's are yr3 and yr5)

AFH = WFH

Knobblybobbly I’m having to send ds to school and I feel guilty too

He is 12 so I think he can manage two days at home when I work shorter hours

I am exposed or shall be exposed to the coronavirus at work (work in mh) and have resigned myself (as have all my colleagues) to likely catching it of course I am following every guildline i possibly can if I catch it ds will and will likely passed it on as will be many of the same with the children he is at school with

It’s a horrible situation to be in I am so anxious and get so angry at people who are still so blasé

And feel the same I am not thinking about anything else apart from this awful fucking virus

No @Knobbly, it was a response to the OPs post

@Knobby

Having just read your other posts - the childcare provision is absolutely there for people in your situation - where both people in a couple are keyworkers and therefore need childcare.

I completely understand your anxiety in this unprecedented situation. I too am gutted in that I will have to take my daughter to work with me and the risks that entails. I am a teacher and a single parent. Normally in an emergency my dad would mind my youngest, but he's 75, we've already not seen him for over a week which is really unusual.

My response to the OP and to anyone in a similar position (a couple where 1 is a keyworker and the other is not) is that, while the government guidance says only 1 of the parents has to be a keyworker to access the childcare provision, this provision is absolutely a last resort not first choice and if the other parent is not a keyworker then really they should 'do their bit' and do the childcare themselves.

The economic measures announced yesterday should help ease some of the financial worries couples may have and enable them keep their children at home.

Our school has been clear that this is childcare, not normal school, and is only for those who really can’t manage without.

Your kids wouldn’t be in their normal class with their teachers. Our school will put all kids together in the hall, with the bare minimum of supervisors (not qualified teachers) and set up activities for them.

It’s a way to keep kids safe so key workers can still work, not school. So I wouldn’t use it if I didn’t have to.

Technically we also qualify under the key workers rule, but we voluntarily pulled our dc out a week ago because we all need to reduce risk of the virus spreading as much as we can.

The socially responsible thing is to keep them home if you possibly can.

I decided today to go to work and send my daughter to school. She will absolutely hate it (very small rural school and very few kids will be going in). Have now read this thread and questioning my decision. WTF do I do?

That was incredibly kind of you. Is there anyway you could do it say just one day a week or is it all or nothing with redeployment? Most of the AHPs in my trust are refusing to be redeployed and want to stay at home.

I am absolutely furious with several friends who are technically key workers (made key workers as in public sector) where one parent is absolutely capable of wfh but are still planning on fucking sending their kids to school. 😡 They really just don’t get it and are only thinking of themselves in my opinion.

I'm a teacher
We won't be teaching as such
We will be providing supervised space for the children to do the same work the children at home are doing .
We have lots of staff off.
If we can't cover the supervision we will have to suspend it or make choices dependant on true need.
We won't be having lots of fun...we are social distancing still !!!

@PrivateD00r yes I could do that if I take unpaid leave. Infact could not work at all and keep my daughter home with me.

Which is better....?

1. Stay home with daughter and reduce risk of getting and spreading covid

2. Go to work and help the NHS but risk catching and spreading covid to daughter and, therefore her teachers/class mates.

?

I can’t see the point in reducing hours if I do chose to go to work, the risk of catching and spreading will be virtually the same. So may as well do all or nothing.

(I think this is why many AHP’s have decided to do nothing).

My DH is VERY pro us going to work as normal, doing our bit and our DD being part of that. She’s only 5 but he has told her she is on a special team that is fighting this virus, she goes to school so we can go to work.

He’s now working almost 60 hours a week, about 20 of those hours will be unpaid - with staff shortage they are simply on their knees.

I do think it’s a matter of time before we all catch it, and then this whole quandary will be irrelevant.

Knobblybobbly All my colleagues have resigned themselves to catching it that’s those working in mh (myself) and in hospitals in London

I have no choice if I don’t work or choose not to I won’t have enough money to live on

Some of us are needed to carry on working and unless your dh moves out you are being exposed as he will be

I know that’s means we could still pass it others all we can do is stay away from people when we are not working

I'd actually forgotten I'd posted this! No they aren't going to be going back to school on Monday. I very VERY briefly thought it might be beneficial from a mental health POV (theirs) to still be around other children, but absolutely agree that the safest place for them to be is at home (and for the teachers, less children). So, we'll all be cocooning at home. Except for me, when I have to go to work.

Stay safe everyone.

Sorry @allhailthegingerninja I totally hijacked your post!

My 2.5 is in an independent nursery it's closing tomorrow waiting on local council regarding any positions for key worker children available

My 8.5 year old has been to key working provisions two days this week

Today my mum is due to have them (works in hospital)
OH - key worker also has now said he'll work then come home for me to work so they don't go to Grandmother as he's worried about infection (few of my mums colleagues have tested positive)

But my sister also works in the hospital & I'm due to have her daughter my niece Monday so surely that's still ignoring infection control me having her?!

Goodness knows what we do next week - juggle that when it comes as each relative was going to do one day (three days in total)

The other relative isn't in a hospital / care environment

But I'm unsure of OH reasoning I understand the infection control thing but we're not self isolating??