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.

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.

This with bells on!!

I could send DS to school, but I'm not because I'm working from home so he's staying with me.

Unfortunately the general British public have shown how selfish and entitled they are with their behaviour in supermarkets, so their attitude to schools is not going to be any different

Marshbradyo
I agree with you, and they're my friends. I know it sounds drastic but I don't want to be friends with them anymore.
Our lives, like many others, have been turned upside down by this. Me and DH are wfh, and will need to juggle that with childcare, but we'll do it, because it's nothing compared to what some people will have to sacrifice. We're going to suffer together as a country in so many ways. So it's pretty hard to bite your tongue when some people are blatently taking the piss. I hope it's a minority.

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?

No, and these people are cheeky fuckers of the highest order. Headteachers need to start telling people who can bring their kids and who can't.

I do think feedback is useful by whatever channel that you think will get back to govt. they do change things if they are not working effectively.

I am bitterly resentful, and perhaps that doesn’t reflect well on me but I can’t bring myself to give a shit.

I volunteer straight away when they asked for staff for school to look after the children of key workers because I wanted to do my part to support the country in a time of national crisis.

But it seems that what I was actually volunteering to do was look after the kids of people who are too stupid to understand social distancing or put the greater good of the country first.

Healthcare workers are risking their lives. Many in China and Italy have become seriously ill while trying to save people.

The best way we can repay their bravery is STAY AT HOME and reduce the number of people taking up critical care beds.

If you can stay at home then do. Keep your children home. Make way for the people who might be fighting to save your stupid life in 30 days time.

It's not about inconveniencing him, it's that if he wasn't actually WFH he'd lose his job.*And yes, he really is shut in his study all day. No way could he administer the full home schooling timetable that our DC's two schools require. But don't worry, I'm a SAHP so it's irrelevant. But if I worked for the NHS then our DC would have to go to school, despite him physically being here.

The so bloody be it! I'm not risking my health/life so your husband doesn't lose his job!!

We're not collateral damage to support your financial situation.

I'm tired, I've said goodbye to my wonderful class, I've not slept and have spent three days planning work for them and establishing links of communication for the ones I'm worried about. This is whilst smiling and reassuring them that all will be ok. I've never felt as FFSish as I have this morning 😡

@Dawnofanewmillenium then that shows how ignorant you are

Yanbu op

I have four children, 8, 7, 3 & 3. The 7yo has an EHCP. I'm a sahm and dh is now wfh. But that means 8+ hrs in our room, mostly on calls. Then often more hours once kids are in bed.

I deregged last year and now they're asking me to go back to nursing. If I do, my kids will have to go to school. He can't look after them and work. And he can't stop working because he earns triple what a nurse does.

That's why it only has to be one keyworker. Otherwise the nurses etc who would go back to work to help, can't.

And of course I'd rather keep them home, but we all have to make sacrifices.

there does appear to be a significant minority of parents who are hunting for any reason to send them in rather than inconveniencing themselves too much

It's not even a significant minority on my class WhatsApp groups. It feels like a majority! I'm just hoping the schools will weed out the ones who are taking the piss or that people will eventually come to their senses

You are not being unreasonable if there is a parent free to look after children. But you are being hugely unreasonable by assuming someone who works from home can look after a child. There is a perpetual myth that if you work from home you are actually sitting around watching TV and reading Facebook. Working from home means just that, working from home. If someone who works from home is simultaneously looking after a child then they are not working and should not expect to be paid by their employer.

In ni out local schools released statement saying two parents must be key workers and school is to be considered last port of call. Me and dh are both key workers but I'm going to try and work evenings and weekends around dh to limit having to send them in. But as virus progresses we may both be needed 7 days a week

But if I worked for the NHS then our DC would have to go to school, despite him physically being here.

Your children are 8 and 12. What you describe just isn't convincing. Your husband would have to make sacrifices the way that others have to. I'm surprised at just how many are adamant that their circumstances mean they need childcare when they clearly do not. Your 8 and 12 year old have an adult at home even if you were a key worker and they should not be in school.

If there is a parent at home or working from home, yes you’re right, the children need to stay at home.

Our school have been very strict on this.

I'm a keyworker, ds not going in. He is going to his childminders half days instead and my partner looking after him the other half day. I feel this is better for him and he was involved in the decision. I feel school should be the last resort not the first

OP - You've lost me if you really don't understand that vets are a vital service. Are you lacking in intelligence, compassion or both? What do you teach?

zafferana

It’s a good thing that you don’t need a school place because you are a PT student and SAHP but unless you are going to say your children have SEND, saying that a 12 and an 8 year old would be too much for WFH parent to manage with the current climate beggars belief.

My ds and dil are considered to be keyworkers. My dil doesn’t want to send our dgs to school but because her employer knows she can then she will not be paid if she stays at home.
My dd can work from home and if necessary my dgs will be taken to stay with his aunt but she’s a 90 mile drive away so not an easy decision.
We’re in France and would normally be the people to care for our dgs. It’s so frustrating. I actually had a flight booked to go over but it’s been cancelled.

No, donkey, it shows how ignorant YOU are

YOU are at home, and YOU should be looking after YOUR child. Instead, you choose to send her into school and insist this is the best place for her. You know it’s a global pandemic, you know people are dead, you know every day new deaths are announced. Every single one of those deaths was a person, they were somebody’s mum or dad, grandparent, sister, brother, friend, husband, wife. You know that it spreads.

That’s what we know. There’s a lot we DON’T know. We don’t know quite how or if it impacts on people’s long term health. We don’t know if pregnant women are at risk, we don’t know if children may have problems later down the line, we don’t know if it will get worse.

And you still send your child in and you dare call ME ignorant?

I think a vet should be on the list of key workers.

They don’t need teaching, MrsMc

Sorry but in the midst of a global pandemic jemima getting her sums right is slightly not really important.

My dh is an Nhs clinician and I am a lawyer and can work entirely from home. My kids are staying at home with me and I am very thankful that they can.

I don't think being able to send them off to some random school with a random collection of other children is anything to feel pleased about.

Granted mine are 8 and 10 and my work are understanding that I won't be able to do full days plus mind them plus make sure they do a bit of learning.

I totally agree. One mum on my local Fb page is a key worker and her husband works from home. She said she was sending her kids to school as the teacher could teach long multiplication better than him! 😡 Made me so angry!

It's always the husbands who have to "lock themselves away on conference calls" isn't it?

I'm wfh as of Monday with a 5yo and a 7yo. I'll need to take calls, and at times be 100% focused on tasks. But the needs of this current situation are that none of us are able to continue with the status quo changes need to be made. Flexibility needs to be found.

A colleague is insistent that her son "can't possibly work from home with two small kids" - he does the same kind of job as me! And she hasn't even batted an eye that I am. Because I am a woman innit.