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Related: Lockdown Learning, discuss home schooling during lockdown.

Covid

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

89 replies

Knackeredmommy · 22/03/2020 09:56

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.

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Vinylsamso · 22/03/2020 13:39

Do you seriously not think that all families from rich to poor, stupid to highly educated are not having discussions about what they are going to do. Nobody gives a shit what someone in Mumsnet thinks.

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meow1989 · 22/03/2020 13:41

Dh and are are both keyworkers. We are both having to work from home (dh teacher and i am in a vulnerable group). We have agreed ds will stay at home and we will struggle with working from home with him there (nearly 2), i just cannot justify increasing ds risk for the sake of my job. I understand that there are some who must use the provision to provide front line care and by keeping ds off i am also reducing spreading risk for their children.

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woodhill · 22/03/2020 13:45

Do you think it is necessary for some EHCP dc to come in particularly if they are secondary age?

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Knackeredmommy · 22/03/2020 13:54

If a child had an EHCP they are eligible for a place but advice is still if they can be at home to stay at home.

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ChloeDecker · 22/03/2020 14:40

Do you seriously not think that all families from rich to poor, stupid to highly educated are not having discussions about what they are going to do.

Do you seriously think that all families have done this? That some families aren’t wilfully taking the piss or genuinely hadn’t thought all things through because they were not in possession of all the facts? If so, I’m sorry but that is a little deluded.

Nobody gives a shit what someone in Mumsnet thinks.

Thankfully, some still do. If that even causes one more child to stay at home safely, who wouldn’t have done before, then that is potentially another life saved.

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CalleighDoodle · 22/03/2020 14:45

Sadly, I know far too many key workers, and that list is LONG, who are planning to send children in to school all week despite:
Not working full time
Only working weekend
Have a partner who can wfh
Have an unemployed partner!

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Fandoozle1 · 22/03/2020 14:50

Both parents here are healthcare workers. We have no choice but to take up the schools offer of childcare. Otherwise I wont be able to dispense and get medication to the elderly. I'm putting my health and that of my family at risk for a measly minimum wage (along with being told that I'm not "real" NHS staff).
I cannot put into words how much I appreciate the teaching staff who are putting themselves out there to help us in this way.

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JBFletcherismyaunt · 22/03/2020 14:54

I wish I could keep my children off school, I absolutely hate the fact that I’ll have to wave them off each morning knowing that it would be safer to keep them home wbdvits causing me so much anxiety I can barely sleep. It’s wonderful that so many people have the luxury of being able to keep their children home, but some of us don’t - and some of us are working hard to keep vital services going, but thanks so much for making me feel even guiltier than I already do!

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PertEllaTitsahoy · 22/03/2020 14:55

Some businesses are stretching the definition of key worker and forcing staff to put their kids into school to come in to work.

These businesses need to be held publicly accountable for their actions.

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Cohle · 22/03/2020 14:55

The Scottish system of having three tiers of key workers and prioritising provision accordingly does seem sensible in light of how many people and employers are taking the piss.

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PertEllaTitsahoy · 22/03/2020 14:59

some of us are working hard to keep vital services going, but thanks so much for making me feel even guiltier than I already do!

You should only feel guilty if you are sending your kids to school when other options are available to you. As presumably you have no other option theres no reason for you to feel guilty 🤷‍♀️

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BlackeyedSusan · 22/03/2020 15:04

Mine qualify due to disabilities. Still staying at home though, doing what we can education wise. He may have to go to his dad's for a bit so that I can survive the stress.

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BlackeyedSusan · 22/03/2020 15:05

Yeah, if you genuinely don't have an option, don't feel guilty, please. Only you know. We can't judge from here.

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JBFletcherismyaunt · 22/03/2020 15:13

It’s easy to say don’t feel guilty, but it’s easier said than done isn’t it when you know your child would be safer at home? My own fault for clicking on the thread. It’s a horrible situation for everyone.

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Knackeredmommy · 22/03/2020 15:16

This isn't about making anyone who has to use school tomorrow guilty! I am only repeating Government advice and how important it is that only people who actually need childcare, (and of course there are people who do!) use it. I'm so grateful to all those key workers xx

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TinnedPearsForPudding · 22/03/2020 15:34

I understand your post but there have been so many of these posts in the past couple of day. I'm not sending my son for shits & giggles I'm sending him because I have no other option. In fact my shifts in A&E are 10 hours & I only have childcare for 6.5 hours, still not sure how we're going to work that one out.

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Sockwomble · 22/03/2020 15:36

"Do you think it is necessary for some EHCP dc to come in particularly if they are secondary age?"

There will be lots of children who won't need to be in and some who for health reasons are better off not in school.

However the government advice states that vulnerable children are expected to be in school and some children because of their particular disability and nothing to do with parenting, will be more vulnerable at home than at school.

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ChloeDecker · 22/03/2020 15:42

I understand your post but there have been so many of these posts in the past couple of day. I'm not sending my son for shits & giggles I'm sending him because I have no other option. In fact my shifts in A&E are 10 hours & I only have childcare for 6.5 hours, still not sure how we're going to work that one out.

In fairness, it is posts like these that are aimed at increasing the safety of your children. Surely that is a good thing?

Wraparound care not being available is another issue and I too, will suffer because of this.

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CaryStoppins · 22/03/2020 15:47

@TinnedPearsForPudding how do you usually cover 10 hour shifts?

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HavelockVetinari · 22/03/2020 15:50

@WonkyDonk87 are you a lone parent? And if not, is your DP/H also a key worker?

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0v9c99f9g9d939d9f9g9h8h · 22/03/2020 15:50

I'd think twice about sending my 6 year old in to sit apart from every other child, cared for my someone in full PPE, doing 'independent' work. It may be unavoidable but it sounds traumatizing and I hope counseling can be offered at some point.

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Davincitoad · 22/03/2020 15:51

Fully prepared for another teacher bashing here but I am last caring. Number one it’s not a game. If you child is at school they will be mingling with 100 other kids. The teachers are not lazy. They are not trying to get a day off. We cannot socially distance kids as much as we try. If one of their parents is a nurse or doctor they may carry the virus to
Your child. Your child brings it home to
You. No one is saying key as in super vital no other option for kids to go in is off the table. But have some sense the work is f*cking ending here and all some people care about is having some Peace and quiet at home. If you run a shop bloody keep
Your kids in the back out of harms way. By long teachers will all be sick anyway and the provision will have to be withdrawn.

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Davincitoad · 22/03/2020 15:52

@0v9c99f9g9d939d9f9g9h8h why does the teacher not have the right to be safe?

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ChloeDecker · 22/03/2020 15:58

TinnedPearsForPudding how do you usually cover 10 hour shifts?

Breakfast club and after school club which most aren’t running from Monday. Will be a very stressful time for frontline keyworkers

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lazylinguist · 22/03/2020 16:04

Dear lord. The coronavirus outbreak seems to have severely affected some people's ability to read.

The OP is saying that Key workers should keep their dc at home IF THEY CAN. i.e. if there is another parent at home or if the child is old enough to be left home alone.

There are parents a) trying to pretend they are keyworkers and b) sending their dc in because they think they are supposed to or because they think their child will be taught actual lessons. Or because their child is bored.
Schoos are open to provide childcare for necessary workers who have no other option. That's it.

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