Please don't send your child to school if you don't need to.

[Zacharyezrarawlings]

Please, please can I ask you to NOT send your child to school unless you really need to?
I realise the government guidance is badly written and clear as mud (what a surprise) but actually if you read it all (and not just check if you're on a list of keyworkers) it does state many times:

"If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be."

"If children can stay safely at home, they should, to limit the chance of the virus spreading."

"And every child who can be safely cared for at home should be."

already I am seeing posts on here and elsewhere along the lines of "Im on the list of keyworkers, wondering if I should send my child to school. My DH/partner is WFH but would get much more done if fred went to school" or " I'm on the list of keyworkers - should I send 15 yr old betty to school s she can see her freinds and keep up with her studies?"
Or even posts asking " can I turn down my child's school place if I am a key worker"

I am a doctor. This is going to be the worst few months of my medical career. Im not scaremongering but we need to take responsibilty for doing what we can to limit the impact of this.

I realise some people absolutely will need to send their dc to school for various reasons and so they should, but please, please if their is any way your child could stay at home please dont send them in.

[Lamentations]

Our school has made it clear that if only one parent is a key worker the government expectation is that the children will be cared for by the other. I don't see why people are thinking that people are just going to be sending them in for fun.

The fact is that there are plenty of parents who will both be expected to be in work doing jobs that are vital for the rest of us and their usual alternative childcare will not be available.

OP if you have found a way to simultaneously work as a doctor, keep your children out of school and away from their grandparents then good for you but don't assume everyone else has that luxury.

[Lamentations]

Just read the last paragraph of your OP again - apologies for sniping. I'm just so sick of all this already.

[Isseyflora]

Except someone is wanting to send in a FIFTEEN YEAR OLD!

I think some parents think they have to send their child in if they are a key worker!

[Jobseeker19]

I agree 100%. I am a nursery worker and my husband is a delivery driver. They will be staying home with me whilst I work from home.
Many, many parents who are not key workers are trying to send their children in and we are creating rotas for the staff.
Stop being selfish and look after your own child if you can.

[Reginabambina]

If you are considering leaving your older child at home alone please have a think about how sensible they actually are. Yesterday we had a bunch of teenagers riding down the street (on a steep hill) in a stolen shopping trolley. They’re lucky not to have ended up in hospital to be blunt (the hill is very steep and there is a house at the very end and street lamps etc. one of them could have easily ended up with a concussion or a broken bone).

[TootsieTweets]

I think some parents think they have to send their child in if they are a key worker

I think our managers want us to go in 100%, and they are a bit as to why we would want no wages for 3 months.

I am in two minds as to what to do.

[Isseyflora]

So we all risk our lives because of some teens risking theirs?

Someone else’s child is not more important than anybody else’s.

[Isseyflora]

So go in tootsey but leave the secondary aged children at home.

[LaLaLaLa22]

I can look at my group of friends and predict who will send their kids. It's the same people who went back to work the second their child turned 1. Same people who still send their children to daycare even though they have the day off work. Same people who take vacations and ditch the kids with grandparents. Some people just don't like their kids and it's obvious.

[Isseyflora]

I don’t even think it’s that la, it’s the notion that they have to do things even in times of chaos.

I feel so so so sorry for the secondary kids forced in.

[Zacharyezrarawlings]

lamentations no worries. These are testing times and people are all on edge.
as I said I do aboslutely see why some people have no choice but to send their dc into school. totally. a single mum working in a hospital with a 6 yr old and no other family (outside of vulnerable groups ) - no choice.
But a single mum working in a hospital choosing to send their 15/16 yr old in because otherwise they would be bored/play on the xbox too much/miss thier freinds - really? and yes, I know people thinking of doing this.

as I said I am a doctor. My dh is a teacher. We will both have to work. Both possibly being at greater risk of being exposed to the virus. I have school aged dc aged 12, 13, 14 and 17. They will be staying at home. Thankfully my 20 and 21 yr old student dc are also home from uni so I realise I am fortunate. In reality the dc will be bored, they may argue, they will make a mess everywhere, they will I imagine they will do very little school work. It isnt ideal. Bt then these are not idea times.

[SarahInAccounts]

If too many send their children in the teachers will get ill and, key workers or not, DCs won't be in school.

I know some people with one parents who could be or is already at home are taking advantage. Utterly selfish.

[LaLaLaLa22]

Sorry my post was just about ppl who are sending their kids when they don't truly have to. It's obvious to me which ppl will do that. I know some people truly don't have a choice as both parents are key workers and I feel bad.. I'm sure they are very torn up about it because sending your kids to school and nursery is obviously NOT safe during a deadly global pandemic. 😷

[SallyLovesCheese]

I can look at my group of friends and predict who will send their kids. It's the same people who went back to work the second their child turned 1.
Some people just don't like their kids and it's obvious.

I went back to work when DS was 5 months. It doesn't mean I don't like him, what a bizarre thing to say.

[Onlyinanemergency]

My council (in south of Scotland) has decided all S4,5 and 6 pupils should remain in school to work on course work. Against government advice. Madness.

[SweetMarmalade]

I know of a couple of secondary school pupils aged 13 and 15 who have been told they’re going in to school.
I think a lot of people are under the impression that lessons will happen at school? That’s what my Ds has come home saying.

[PinkSqidgyPig]

My DH and I are both key workers. But had worked it out that our DD could stay at home.
Now that I've been sent home from work for 12 weeks (underlying health condition) it'll be much easier for now.
I'm really not looking forward to the home schooling 😂😂

[Zacharyezrarawlings]

only that is insane and totally irresponsible

[Oblomov20]

I've got this too! Mums saying oh I'm a key worker, so I can send my ..... 16 year old?

[Onlyinanemergency]

I know. I think a lot of people are in denial about how serious this all is.

[BathshebasBane]

I think people are missing the point schools are shutting you can't just send your kids in. You can apply for your child to have a place at the school is you fall into the key workers category and are critical to the COVID response. I've read the government page it clearly states under all categories you fall into the category of you are essential to covid response. It also says children should be cared for at home if you have someone who isn't a key worker and critical to covid

It also says school are being asked to offer a limited number of places. My child's school sent home a form asking key workers to identify themselves and provided manager details and confirmation that you are critical for COVID response and those parents will be given priority when organising limited places on offer

[Watermelontea]

@LaLaLaLa22 - The people who go back to work when their children turn 1?
So, you mean people who can’t afford to be off work unpaid any longer, and want a job to go back to? I’ll be going back when DD2 is 9 months. The horror, I must be a terrible mother!
FO with your judgemental shite.

[Isseyflora]

I think schools are trying to give that impression, sweet, but it’s babysitting.

I feel so, so sorry for them.

[Stellaris22]

I think I am technically a key worker as I work at the Co Op, but unless I am called in I won't be sending my daughter to school. Teachers are going to have a very hard time as it is so I'm not adding to it. Our school has been very proactive in setting up an online interactive classroom (Year 2) and sending home learning packs.

[Reginabambina]

@Isseyflora 1. Few people are at risk of death here, let’s not catastrophise.

1. If teens end up in hospital or taking up policing resources because they’ve been left alone all day then there is more risk of spread than if they had been sent to school.
   

@LaLaLaLa22 I don’t like my kids that much, I’m still keeping them at home and minimising all going out etc. because it’s the right thing to do. I also didn’t go back to work the second my youngest hit 1 (I liked them better when they were toddlers, also that’s a but misogynistic isn’t it? women are entitled to want careers, many don’t have a choice blah blah blah). I also wouldn’t leave my children with someone else while going away myself. You’re being very judgemental and jumping to conclusions that just don’t hold up.