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.

Good post life

My children's father is a key worker so technically I could send my kids to school. He doesn't live with us.

But I'm working from home so of course my kids will be at home with me. I'm dreading how I'm going to juggle homeschooling and looking after the children and working but that's what I'm going to do.

I'm also being wound up by all the people being bored and thinking of all these amazing things they can do while you're at home. None of its coming my way. It would be nice to have a break from work so I could just be with the kids but none of its going to happen. As is common with single parents the burden just increases.

Of course I am thankful that I have a job that I can keep doing. I just don't know how I'm going to work/deal with the kids as well as do my job.

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

This wasn't mandatory. Our school applied the directive to the letter, and have 40%. Due to staff absence, we have five full classes of 30.

Someone upthread said I'd be doing fun stuff with half a class - not true.

Lifeisgenerallyfun

A wonderful post. A lot of posters on this thread should read it and reflect but I fear that it is too uncomfortable reading for them.

I can see working from home with a 4 or 5 year old can be difficult but the people I can't understand are the ones sending 14 and 15 year olds in. I know school can be a safe place but if there are no special needs why would you send a perfectly capable 14 15 or 16 year old into school?

So it's OK for delivery and supermarket staff to risk their health.... But not the dear teachers? OK mumsnet It isn't just about the teachers though, why would anyone send their child somewhere for 30 hours a week where their chances of picking up the virus will increase, why would they want the child then bringing that virus home? Just thinking about it from a selfish point of view it is better to keep children at home if you can.

Oh and husband does a pretty senior job which is also important to society but not in terms of keeping the country running right now.

I fall in the key worker group... I also have the ability to work from home. I’m going to be working from home.
At times I may need to call into work to collect things etc.. my child will be sitting in the car when I run in.

See, I’m conflicted. On one hand I agree with you, BUT:

I am a barrister - you wouldn’t think we’d be keyworkers but the lord chancellor has confirmed that we are. The courts service has confirmed that hearings will be going ahead despite the virus, and are threatening that many will have to take place in person Even if it’s a telephone hearing, if I don’t attend it’s a breach of my professional obligations and I could be struck off. There is simply no way that I could conduct a telephone hearing with a toddler around. It just wouldn’t work.

My DH is WFH but he’s a corporate dealing with distressed companies. He is rammed with work.

So my 18 mo continues to go to his childminder. I really don’t know what else I can do, but open to suggestions!

I'm a primary school teacher and will be going in on Monday.

We'll be trying to keep things as normal as possible for those children still in so they'll be asked to wear uniform, we'll have English and Maths in the morning and other subjects in the afternoon. We want to try and reduce the strangeness.

But of course nothing will be normal.

Instead of 3 classes in a year group, we'll have mixed age classes with one class for 2 year groups. We're only using one part of the school to cut down on cleaning. Most children won't be in their usual classroom. Most won't have their usual teacher. Most of their friends won't be in school. We won't teach effectively because it won't be the same children in every day so no carefully planned sequence of lessons, adjusted each day in light of formative assessment.

Children really shouldn't be coming in if it's inconvenient to have them at home. We are just trying to care for children if their own parents are unable to care for them and those parents need to go to work themselves because their job is essential and can't be done from home. We are trying to play our part by supporting those frontline workers.

With some jobs, you can maintain a safe distance from others. Teaching is one of the jobs (like frontline health and social care) where that is impossible. We have warned parents that it we won't be able to enforce social distancing at school.

And of course, as some children are children of health care professionals then they will be at greater risk of becoming infected. They could pass the virus on to other children and to school staff and we could take it home with us.

I don’t want my babies to get I’ll. I don’t know what will happen if I get at work. Who will look after them. I really want to look after them at home. In this respect health care workers children are collateral damage. Everyone stay home who. can.

"So it's OK for delivery and supermarket staff to risk their health.... But not the dear teachers? OK mumsnet."

RTFT.

This thread isn't about letting teachers go home.

It's about using schools responsibly so that social distancing works and lives are saved.

@Dawnofanewmillenium- safeguarding isn't so much about preventing abuse, it's about spotting potentially abused children and following up any worrying signs so that the correct agencies can deal with that further outside of the school. For a child who lives in a chaotic household then schools play a role in recognising when the situation has got worse and they can alert social workers to an escalating situation. Being in school provides that stability.

I know that freak, but it doesn’t change the fact that the teachers role is to observe and report rather than personally preventing the abuse. There is simply nothing whatsoever stable about schools just now.

"My DH is WFH but he’s a corporate dealing with distressed companies. He is rammed with work.

So my 18 mo continues to go to his childminder. I really don’t know what else I can do, but open to suggestions!"

When your childminder gets sick, you'll need a solution.

Two high earning parents, one WFH, but there is no solution.

My DH is WFH but he’s a corporate dealing with distressed companies. He is rammed with work.

Another one.

My DH is WFH but he’s a corporate dealing with distressed companies. He is rammed with work.

I do have some sympathy for this. Both me and DH have lots on and it’s really hard to juggle.

But needs must. Lots of screen time, working into the night, ruthless prioritisation. It’s shit, but it’s the right thing to do.

@recreationalcalpol- I know what you can do OP- get your DH to take leave! He's not an essential worker! Get him to cut down on work and only do the bare minimum when your child is asleep!

@letmeinthroughyourwindow our local school is 85pc key worker (military) children. We had an email from the station to say that only children with both parents serving should be sent to school and that if we can make other arrangements we should.

Fact is, most people look after their kids just fine, thanks very much. They might not live up to your middle class ideals, but the kids are nonetheless FINE!

Exactly, most. I don’t care how smug or middle class you think I am, I’ll continue offering support to those who need it.

What I am saying is simple. It is not the role of school to ‘safeguard vulnerable children’ - that is a catch all and meaningless phrase.

Please, PLEASE be a troll. It is absolutely the role of a school to safeguard vulnerable children.

You take them home with you do you, jane? Remove them from their parents?

The dilemmas of the privileged! geez

Anyone else picturing for Important Husband up-thread?

There is simply no way that I could conduct a telephone hearing with a toddler around. It just wouldn’t work

I’m in Ireland and we’ve been doing this for a week now.

You’d be surprised what you never thought possible, that just ‘wouldn’t work’ that you’re now doing on a regular basis. You just have to adapt.

Your circumstances aren’t particularly special, everyone here is dealing with similar.

Funny isnt it.

I have a very senior role in a business. Our people in the ground need to keep working or government and nhs building s wont have insurance.

I am co ordination rqyipiments for 600 people spread across the cih they to WFH.

I have endless conference calls and updates to do. But I can at least bloody try to WFH and look after the kids.