Please Keyworkers if you can, keep your children at home.

[Knackeredmommy]

I know the info received is vague, but the advice is that everyone is safer at home and that is the best place to be. If you can keep children home tomorrow please do. There is no teaching going on, it's babysitting. Of course if you need to be at work and have no other option, then send them in, but this isn't about keeping routine or your children being taught.
Please do think carefully about it and also the school staff who are going to be looking after your children and not their own.
Stay safe.

I'm pretty sure keyworkers are well aware of the risks since they are going to be the ones at the frontline going out and about when everyone else is at home.

I dont think you need to pile even more pressure on them. Many of them dont have a choice if they have no childcare.

Maybe instead you should spend your efforts telling the public to stop congregating in tourist spots even though everything is closed. I also bet that non key workers will continue to take their kids to parks and mix them that way. Just because they arent at school doesnt mean people are going to obey social distancing rules.

OP I hear you. Today my cousin told me she's sending her son in. She's a keyworker and her DP (the dad) is home and unemployed. She's vulnerable too

The clue is in the name 'Key Workers'. How can they be expected to do their 'Key' job AND stay at home looking after the children.

Stupid suggestion.

SFS

I think what OP means is if there is another parent available in the house then don't send your kids to school, even if that parent is technically WFH. Yes, it'll be tricky juggling kids and WFH, but with planning it's do-able. My OH is a teacher and I'd be furious if he catches CV because some lazy arse, feckless unemployed parent couldn't be bothered to look after their own kid/s while their key worker spouse/partner is at work.

This sums it up

I'm a childminder and the term 'key worker' covers a huge range of jobs. Many of my 'key workers' are working from home or in a home with non-key workers and yet they still want to send their children to me tomorrow.

In Wales, we have been given very little definitive guidance and are relying on parents who can keep their children at home to choose to do so.

I’m pretty sure keyworkers are well aware of the risks since they are going to be the ones at the frontline going out and about when everyone else is at home.

Oh if only you were right. Judging by other threads on here, however, this is not the case and plenty of people are abusing the vague criteria for being a keyworker-such as working for a company selling motor parts

These types of messages from the OP are currently essential to keep as many people safe as possible.

If you are a genuine keyworker and you have no other option, then schools opening are for you.

If you are not a genuine keyworker and/or you have a partner at home, even WFH, don’t send them in and potentially put frontline keyworkers are even greater risk.

I'm keeping the kids home. Dh is a key worker. He will use the car so no more public transport, he will have a shower and put his work clothes in the laundry the second he walks through the door.

I'll be working (attempting ft) with the dc at home.

It’s really worrying how many people are not understanding this.

I don't think some people are understanding the nature of keyworker roles. Take a social worker position, even if we were blessed to be allocated the odd day working from home, we would be making telephone calls to vulnerable clients and assessing their needs. We may need to do an emergency visit i.e. Leave the house or liaise with other key services. There is no way on earth you could do that kind of confidential work with your own child in the background coming in and out telling they're bored, they want a drink or whatever. Myself and my partner are both keyworkers. What does anyone propose we do? Let our DC field some of the calls for us? Take her with us our emergency visits? Maybe we need to go to the police station - should I be taking her along? I feel there is quite a misconception about what keyworkers do on mumsnet. Please have some consideration and trust that we are doing the right thing. Those of you cosily isolating at home believe me i would LOVE to do the same. But my job is apparently "critical" even though we haven't had pay rises for nearly a decade. Come on people let's focus on the vulnerable (clients) please rather than targeting keyworkers who don't even have the time to go hoarding food and supplies. Enough.

Yes, it'll be tricky juggling kids and WFH, but with planning it's do-able

Not necessarily. It seems like a lot of people are at best half-working from home. I have multiple young DCs and am busier than ever at work due to coronavirus-related work, DH are lucky as can both WFH but even taking turns trying to work it's nearly impossible - if I was alone at home all day the choice would be stopping work (a terrible idea, given we're about to hit an immense recession) or sending them into school.

So tired of people assuming that everyone else is being lazy. Save your anger for those still crowding nail salons or catching up with older relatives because 'granny couldn't bear to be isolated', not those doing their best to care for kids and keep some money coming in.

I'm a keyworker. My child has been at home for a week. Although, honestly, I don't think it makes any difference at all, the point we are at now.

The clue is in the name 'Key Workers'. How can they be expected to do their 'Key' job AND stay at home looking after the children.

Not all key workers need to send their kids in.

I know people sending their 14/15 year olds in.

People who have another parent at home.

I am WFH and a key worker. Ds is staying with me. I wont be as productive. That's just how it is. My team wont be as productive. We are all just trying to do what we can.

Early starts, working late etc. Working around ds.

Not all key workers need to send their kids.

Op is saying that if you dint need to send them dont. Recognise the difference between need and 'it's easier for them to go in'

I don't think some people are understanding the nature of keyworker roles.

Absolutely but not in the way that you think. Too many posters on this thread are missing the key words ‘if you can’ in the thread title.

This message is to those who ‘are’ taking the piss.

Please don’t derail with genuine reasons for children needing to be in school and let the message stand for those who are thinking:

1. I or partner is a keyworker so children must be in school because I have been told to.

1. I or partner is a keyworker but I want my kids to have a change of scenario, despite their being an adult at home, capable of looking after them.

1. I or a partner is a keyworker but my husband who WFH couldn’t possible look after our baby/teenage children or other as it would be an inconvenience to them

1. I or my partner aren’t really keyworkers and we didn’t think we would be on the list published, was going to WFH or be at home anyway but am happy I can now send them off to school and get a break.

This list goes on really. This message from the OP is designed to keep schools as safe a place as possible for the school staff, children and their families.

let the message stand for those who are thinking

I'll also add to this

5. They will miss being with their friends / want to socialize with other children.

6. They need the routine. - When for the vast majority of schools there will be no routine.

Teachers and other school staff will happily look after those who need to be in school. The point being made is quite a few who are going to be in school could be at home.

I agree with OP - the interpretation I've seen of key worker has been ridiculous. Charity workers in fundraising seeing themselves as key workers - I'm sorry, but you're not. (I am one!)

Stuckforthefourthtime Oh, I am very angry with all those idiots still going out and about. But I'm just as frustrated by people trying to bend the system to send their kids to school when there is a parent at home still. Yes, it's difficult to work with kids at home, but we will all have to team tag it/struggle through. Harsh, but true. I work full time from home and I'll be managing alone with my DC while my partner continues going into school to look after other people's kids.

@Babymamamama I agree with you.

Also OP not everyone's child is going to a school or nursery. Some are going to childminders, who are self-employed. Some of these childminders have self-employed partners who won't be able to work. This government has excluded the self-employed workers from their rescue packages. I presume you are happy for more families than necessary not having enough money for food?

I find it strange that my dc are going to go to school (not everyday though) so that I can go to work looking after other key worker children. How many school staff are going to be looking after other school staff dc that if we all stayed home, we wouldn't have to do? I think we should all give it this week and see what happens

Agreed. I’m a key worker (NHS), but DH isn’t so DC at home with him. Schools should be used as a last resort, when you have no other choice. Vulnerable children are different of course.

@Babymamamama both key workers, with absolutely not alternative. I am sure the teacher will be happy to have your children.

@LittleLittleLittle if one is a key worker and one is self employed and still gets lots of work on (unlikely but can happen) and theres no alternative, I am sure teachers would be fine.

They are talking about when there IS an alternative.

The only ones winding me up are keyworkers who have a partner at home off work who could be looking after the kids.

This is my situation. DH a keyworker and I'm at home. So of course the kids are staying off.

To all of those workers who have no choice but to send their kids, thank you for the amazing job you are all doing to keep this country running. I'm sure being apart from your children at this time must be difficult and I will be forever grateful for the sacrifices you are all making.

As I said, of course send children in if you need to but there is a huge list of people that are keyworkers and also children who have EHCPs or social workers whose carers are bringing them in tomorrow even though they're at home.
So if this doesn't apply to you, great! Thank you those who are following guidance but there are people who aren't. I spent Friday calling carers and parents who will be sending children in tomorrow because "they like coming to school".
Not a dig at keyworkers at all, I am one myself.

Keyworker here (frontline NHS). I expected the nursery to close and am eternally grateful for the staff that will be there next week, looking after DD whilst I work. If I can face going to a shop I'll be picking them up some decent coffee and biscuits whilst I'm there

God thanks so much. There I was listening to the Goverment when actually it’s knackeredmummy that I should have been listening to!

So fucking sick of everyone thinking they can change the World.