To resent parents who are still sending their kids to school on Monday

[letmeinthroughyourwindow]

Not the genuine cases, obviously.

But I'm a teacher and we will be opening for the duration because 40% of our pupils have at least one parent who is a keyworker.

Before the list was released, the government told us to expect 10% and we planned accordingly. In fact, we planned for 20%.

When the list was released, it was so broad that far more parents than we ever expected fell into one of the categories.

Now, if your need is genuine then of course I want to care for your child. I'm happy to do it, and proud that doing so keeps you working.

But we have so many parents who are allowed to send their child to school, but shouldn't be, that it's infuriating me.

If you are a keyworker but your partner is a stay-at-home parent should you be sending them in?

If you are a keyworker but your partner works from home or is allowed to work from home indefinitely, should you be sending them in?

My sister's employer is allowing all employees who are parents to work from home on full pay, but many are saying that they don't need to, because their partner is a keyworker so their kids can still go to school

Just because you can send them, doesn't mean you should. It shouldn't be the best or easiest option for you, it should be a last resort if there is nowhere else to keep them safe.

The number one, most critical piece of advice for keyworker parents is, 'if it is at all possible for children to be kept at home then they should be.'

Please don't think I'm lazy and cba babysitting these children. I cried when my class went home yesterday, and care about every child in school. If I am in work full time anyway, then it really doesn't matter how many children are in the classroom.

But so many people don't understand social distancing. They are walking around like they are immortal, or only thinking that they themselves will probably be ok if they get it. For social distancing to have the desired effect, then everyone who can be at home, should be. If there was a chance of your child dying from this, would you send them to school? Well then think about who might die because they came into contact with your child.

And all of this brought on by a friend who called me last night to say that she is thrilled to be able to send her child to school on Monday because she is a deliveroo driver, even though her unemployed bf will be home all day on the PlayStation.

I'm angry that some parents think they still need to be working from home as normal. There is no "normal" anymore. Change your working pattern, do calls only during nap time, have your child in the room with you doing their own work and enjoy a mutual feeling of productivity...

The teacher who can't do live registration with a toddler - why can't you do it with him there? Not usually appropriate, but these are different times. Sending him to a CM so you can take a register twice a day (10 minutes?) is ridiculous. Then you mark when he naps/at night like the rest of us.

Employers and employees should be realising that, if you have kids and WFH, quiet, adult-only time is going to be limited. It's the people WFH and continuing as normal who will massively contribute to the spread of the virus.

These are not normal times!!!!!

Well in Ireland the schools are all shut. No exceptions. Some emergency measures have been put in place for the children of key workers (meaning mostly medical staff).

No child ‘needs’ to be in school (for their own sake) at this time. They need to be safe and their parents need to be responsible.

Yes it’s very difficult to do work from home (and very stressful in an environment where we’re having to hang on to contracts for dear life). But needs must.

The school are worried about my children. As am I. I agree that this isn't the priority now - that keeping them and others alive is.

And whoever said learn to parent can fuck off too. THREE kids with ASD. I'm not being entitled here, I asked genuinely whether I should send my son in as the school contacted me to offer a place.

If this situation does go on for six months or s year... I wonder if they’ll start doing part time school... so half of class 1 comes in Monday and Tuesday, school is deep cleaned Wednesday, the other half comes in Thursday and Friday.

@NeverGotMyPuppy

I don’t understand how you can’t do your job at home with a toddler. What on Earth will you be doing all day?

I'm angry that some parents think they still need to be working from home as normal. There is no "normal" anymore

This

I don't understand the problem in that respect, in that you will still be doing the same job but just with a different configuration of kids from other classes/years

Its quite obvious. Why has this move been made.

Less kids in school, less chance of spreading the virus. More kids in school, more chance of spreading it.

And when all the teachers in the school get sick and nurses cant get to work, less people to actually help those sick

I didn’t tell you to learn to parent, accessorize

Schools with an inflated sense of self importance are as big a problem as parents who can’t register with a toddler around ()

Keep them off.

No child ‘needs’ to be in school (for their own sake) at this time
You are so, so wrong about this. Maybe not school, but there are plenty of children who really, really need to be somewhere other than home for at least part of the day

They need to be safe and their parents need to be responsible
The need to be safe might mean school, sadly.

Another one whose head teacher said there was a 20% maximum and we needed to give details so they could cut down if necessary.

No jane, I’m sorry, but you are wrong. We have to make awful decisions at a time like this. If a child is genuinely unsafe at home, the answer isn’t to put everyone at risk by making him come to school.

@BlueSkysAhead but coronavirus is happening which is why we are in this situation...I'm having to go into to work to babysit other people's kids who could potentially infect me with the coronavirus...I am also having to send my three kids to their schools and nursery to mix with other kids and adults so they are more like to catch/carry the coronavirus and pass it on to loads more people when in reality we should all be socially distancing/self isolating

I came here expecting to say YABU but read your post and YANBU. Ima key worker (GP) but husband is not but is self employed. He cannot cancel his work for next week because he’s halfway through a job (would leave vulnerable elderly people with no heating/kitchen) but he’ll be finishing it as quickly as possible. Wherever we can, our son will go to friends who are at home with their children rather than school but given I’m almost certainly going to be at work full time next week he may have to go in at some point. After that, my husband will postpone his work, look after our son and hope his business survives while I deal with what is coming.

Our school was very clear and stressed 3 times underlined and in bold on the website that unless both parents are key workers and you have no other safe alternative your children should not be in school. It reiterated the importance of social distancing.

Some people just think "yeah we still have free childcare", unfortunately. They are really missing the point of why they are doing all this, they read that children aren't badly affected and just think great we'll just carry on. They can't seem to think about anyone else.

All these 'but how could my husband possibly WFH with children there?!' posts show how little people have realised the gravity of this situation. Normally you can't work from home with a toddler. This isn't normal. I'm doing it at the moment and it's rubbish and hard and I have to work all evening and sometimes he pops up in conference calls which would normally be deeply unprofessional but THIS ISN'T NORMAL. Trying to pretend that your husband's job is so big and important that nothing changes even in a global pandemic is a kind of magical thinking.

I do think vets are key, but it should be available for emergencies only- they can reduce hours. Much veterinary work is non essential- check-ups, vaccinations, etc. can be postponed -minor ailments like fleas, mites, small cuts, skin diseases could be done from home over the phone or email and medication collected.

People won't grasp it until the teachers die!

Yeah that’s ok slacker, don’t be upset. I don’t mind putting my life at risk so your DH can work at home. That’s obviously more important

OP, I think vets should be on the list.

I live in a rural area. Most vets, including mine, do a lot of farm work, so perform an important role in maintaining herd health which in turn protects food supplies and the financial viability of farms.

I am a key worker. My partner cannot work from home and while he still has business he will work, then he will work for his friend whos business is thriving atm. We need money, we need stability.
If I need to send my son to school, I will.
Luckily I have my mum nearby who will look after him. And he can be on his own for a couple of hours. You don't know everyone's circumstances so get on with your job or go into isolation. Like the rest of us.

We have to make awful decisions at a time like this. If a child is genuinely unsafe at home, the answer isn’t to put everyone at risk by making him come to school.

Go on then, what should we do instead?

'Schools are expected to ensure there is no alternative'

That's ridiculous! Some parents tell schools anything if it gets them what they want. Are schools expected to do a family tree and then go round looking to see what each aunt/uncle/grandparent is doing and whether they could look after the children or not?

It has to be they are looked after if just one parent is a key worker because that parent may have a partner who earns much more than them and if one had to stay at home it would have to be the key worker.

Asking genuine question here for teachers. If coronavirus wasn't happening, you would be working in school as normal, being paid. You will still be working in school as normal albeit under slightly different circumstances. I don't understand the problem in that respect, in that you will still be doing the same job but just with a different configuration of kids from other classes/years confused

Normally when I go to work there isn't the risk of being infected with a deadly virus.

It's not normal work. We're putting something -anything - in place so people who are busy saving lives during this can do their jobs.

A husband who is WFH and doesn't want to be disturbed is not someone who needs emergency childcare.

Dawn please please research those children who have severe SN. Some cannot be left alone for a second. Or they will kills themselves through their actions. Sometimes it really is a rough decision by what is best.