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Related: Lockdown Learning, discuss home schooling during lockdown.
NHS Coronavirus information. Information from gov.uk. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have health concerns, please seek medical attention.
Related: Lockdown Learning, discuss home schooling during lockdown.
Covid
Social distancing from young children
DBML · 22/03/2020 13:18
Just wondering if primary teachers, nursery nurses and parents of younger children can offer some advice.
I’m about to start minding the children of key workers. I’m a secondary teacher, mainly GCSE and A level.
The children we’re having to look after are between (I think) 4 and 11.
Other than my son, I’ve never spent time with such little kids, but I imagine them to want hugs, get too close, want to hold your hand etc (more so the 4/5 year olds I suspect).
I suffer with OCD (diagnosed and medicated) so this would make me clammy at the best of time. With this virus around, I don’t want any child within 2 meters of me.
Equally, I don’t want to alarm, upset or not be comforting to these little children at such a confusing time. I do want to make them feel cared for.
So, how do I social distance from young children?
jessy2018 · 22/03/2020 13:57
Tell them you have a personal space bubble around you . I guess you will be encouraging that with all of them anyway.
MobLife · 22/03/2020 13:58
Are you able to decline to take this on, on the basis of your medical needs?
DBML · 22/03/2020 14:10
No, I don’t think so for OCD. I think they’d tell me to man up lol!
I don’t mind doing it, but I’m not used to little children and am quite a stern person naturally. I am more concerned about frightening them when they’ll already be unsure of the situation. A bubble around me sounds good.
I’m one of those people that when someone says to me “do you want to hold the baby?” I say “no thank you” 
jessy2018 · 22/03/2020 14:53
I used that a lot with young children when I worked in a school. Oops you’re in my bubble ! Take a step back 😂
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