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Original poster

Should I send my child to school tomorrow?

49 replies

nyebevanshair · 22/03/2020 06:46

What should I do?

Both my husband an I are teachers and have to go to work tomorrow.

Dd is 11 and in Y7. Should I send her into school or let her stay at home by herself to do the online work that has been set.

She is fairly sensible and mature and we have left her on her own for a few hours before, but never for a whole day.

I'm not sure what to do for the best.

OP posts:
Dawnofanewmillenium · 22/03/2020 06:47

Home, assuming NT.

puds11 · 22/03/2020 06:48

That’s tricky. How long is your school day going to be? What’s your week like? I know some teachers are doing rotation so only doing one day in school a week and is a shorter day.

Duckchick · 22/03/2020 06:54

I doubt an 11 year old is old enough to be left at home 5 days a week, particularly at a worrying / scary time, I think it would be too damaging for her mental health. Will you both be working 5 days a week? You could send her part time, e.g. Monday, Wednesday and Friday?

Ciwirocks · 22/03/2020 06:56

I think ideally your employers need to facilitate one of you working from home and one in work so you both volunteer for the hubs and work around each other. If you both need to go in on Monday as it’s the first day I would leave her at home.

Toobuktim · 22/03/2020 06:57

Is she an old or young year 7? How long will you both be out of the house? She may be sensible, but being alone at home 5 days a week for long stretches.......I’d personally send her to school

Original poster
nyebevanshair · 22/03/2020 06:58

I'm assuming there will be some kind of rota, but we won't know until tomorrow.

I'm hoping it will be rare that we are both have to be at work on the same day - so being on her own all day may happen occasionally, but I doubt it will be every day.

OP posts:
TriSkiRun99 · 22/03/2020 06:59

Take her with you to work? She could help or work quietly on her own in your classroom. Less lonely?

reefedsail · 22/03/2020 07:02

See the children of frontline NHS staff as, basically, dangerous. Then decided whether you want to put your DD in a concentration of them.

KatherineJaneway · 22/03/2020 07:02

Home.

AmelieTaylor · 22/03/2020 07:03

I’d leave her at home tomorrow, but both go to school with a way to organise working different days, so it’s only occasionally she’s on her own all day.

She’s old enough, it’s just not a great time to be alone.

Who could she call in an emergency?

Dawnofanewmillenium · 22/03/2020 07:04

I was left alone at younger than 11.

Normally I would say it’s a bit young and ideally, if you can find an alternative, do so. But in these circumstances and looking at Italy, keep her home.

AmelieTaylor · 22/03/2020 07:04

@TriSkiRun99

Take her with you to work? She could help or work quietly on her own in your classroom. Less lonely?

If she’s going to be in a school, it’s better to be her own one with friends -and kids she’s already mixed with and working (mainly to keep her mind off worrying)

VivaLeBeaver · 22/03/2020 07:06

My brother is a teacher and has been told he can take his year 7 dc to his work with him. May be an option?

I left my Dd home alone in holidays in year 7. So if you think she’s sensible and can ring you then leave her at home. Safest for her.

SmileEachDay · 22/03/2020 07:07

If leave her, with regular FaceTime check ins. I’m hoping schools will be able to develop rotas of staff once they have an idea of numbers. But for that to happen we need as many children as possible at home.

I’m a teacher too - big love 💓 It’s been a hard couple of weeks, hey?

puds11 · 22/03/2020 07:08

Leave her at home.

gizmodo1 · 22/03/2020 07:09

I don't know the answer to whether to leave her alone. I was left alone at that age in the summer holidays.

Theres always got to be a first time. Maybe this is it?

Are you and your OH primary or secondary?

I'm secondary and I'm not even on the first two week rota. I have friends in primary, they are working two or three days a week. Less staff in primary.

Alanna1 · 22/03/2020 07:11

I’d leave her at home. She can get to your work if she needs too? Call you? She’s sensible? Leave her at home.

itgetsthehoseagain · 22/03/2020 07:15

Sometimes at home, sometimes with you at school?

Natsku · 22/03/2020 07:29

Home. Every child that can stay at home should stay at home and if she's a generally sensible child then she can.

MrsWombat · 22/03/2020 07:32

We've got a "skeleton crew" rota at my school so I'm only in one day a week, and my young year 7 and my primary aged child will be going to their schools on that day only.

Imapotato · 22/03/2020 07:35

It depends how sensible she is really and if she is happy being left for that length of time.

Dd2 just turned 12 and y7 would be fine, she’s sensible and not a panicker at all. Dd1 probably would t have been fine all day at that age. She’s now 15 and they will stay home together.

Only you know if she’ll be ok with it.

Mummyoflittledragon · 22/03/2020 07:39

My friend is also a teacher. Her dh in IT. She is on a rota and has been told she can take her yr7 ds with her to school.

I wouldn’t leave my 11 yo dd alone for that length of time. She isn’t ready for this at all.

Maybe send your dd to school tomorrow and find out if you can bring her with you in future?

MinesAPintOfTea · 22/03/2020 07:40

Take her to one of your schools if at all possible. Assume that if one of you catches it, the whole family does, and it's very obvious that minimising the different places the family goes is the key thing.

If it is going around a group you/DH are supervising, she will catch it anyway, whether she was in your classroom or at home.

SmileEachDay · 22/03/2020 07:42

We've got a "skeleton crew" rota at my school so I'm only in one day a week, and my young year 7 and my primary aged child will be going to their schools on that day only

How have your school managed to put this in place so quickly? Are you in the UK?

Waffles80 · 22/03/2020 07:44

We have managed to create a skeleton crew of 12 for tomorrow, with some kitchen staff. There will be a rota ready for tomorrow.

School leaders who have failed to do this and are asking their full staff to come in tomorrow are absolute wankers for jeopardising their staff, kids and wider society.