Social distancing in schools- mental health

[Myfriendanxiety]

Does anyone else feel that they would rather home school their children indefinitely than send them to a school where they have to social distance?

I really worry about the mental health of children if they are forced to sit alone at desks 2m apart from others without any proper play time or interaction. I just can’t see how this type of schooling is going to be beneficial to children and how it will create a positive learning environment.

My DS has another year before he starts school luckily- but if he were starting in September to a school system based on social distancing then I wouldn’t be sending him.

SpudsAreLife84

Do you work with children? In a confined space? With lots of shared resources and, much of the time, no space to walk past each other without brushing against each other?

How many times a day do you fight with your colleagues and need to be separated? Or cry and want a cuddle? Or ask you manager to tie your shoelace or look in your eye to see if there's anything in there? How many times do you require a colleague/manager to unstuck a stuck zip?

Etc.

It's not the same.

That doesn't mean schools need to be shut indefinitely but it does need to be understood that they do not operate like workplaces that comprise only of adults!

I also fall to believe you have hundreds of people bumping into you in a corridor 2m wide. 5 times a day coughing and sneezing on you without any regard. Not to mention many other scenarios that I won't re hash now.

Maybe I am wrong.

Luckily we won't be the first - some countries never closed their schools, others are reopening them in a variety of ways. There will be more data on this fairly soon.

I think there's a huge difference between schools and hairdressers tbh - hairdressers are a primarily adult environment with many adults in a single room, far less than 2m apart (normally). And (as much as I am desperate to get rid of my badger roots!) it's not got anything like the same long term impact compared to keeping our children out of education and childcare for over a year (for those who want to wait for a vaccine)

hairdressers are a primarily adult environment with many adults in a single room, far less than 2m apart

You should see our staffroom

it's not got anything like the same long term impact compared to keeping our children out of education and childcare for over a year (for those who want to wait for a vaccine)

I do agree but then some people do suffer mentally with the way they look.

And over a year agree isn't sustainable.

I did say upthread I think it will be the adults/teachers who might need social distancing from each other if the info about kids turns out to be proven!

I do agree but then some people do suffer mentally with the way they look.

I have to admit that as soon as closures were announced I emailed my hairdresser to ask what the mix was for my roots! I haven't done it yet but I will be. I'm dyed copper with dark brown hair naturally, that's slowly greying. Not a good look

The French are waaaaay more actively unionised that the UK (despite what some may think )

A slight understatement

BuddleiaTime why did you assume I meant parents accepting the risks that brought? I was referring to the teachers. I am fully on the side of the teachers here, they should be involved in the decision making?

Sorry didn’t mean to put in that last question mark!

As I said upthread, I don’t believe teachers should go back without knowing all the risks involved and managing those appropriately. If that means teachers going back in full PPE and with an attempt at social distancing, I will probably deregister mine and homeschool as at 6 and 4 I don’t think that would be in their best interests. That will have the effect of helping will social distancing as less pupils to manage, so will be beneficial to everyone. I’m not presuming to make decisions for anyone... whatever the situation ends up being, I will make a decision in the best interests of my children.

Sorry for misunderstanding @Drivingdownthe101

I got a bit fed up with some clueless individuals talking bulllshit.

How they are getting schools back in Denmark schools repening

I have an 8 year old with social communication disorder. Regardless of social distancing, she will struggle with a return to school. Any form of being in groups of people would be better right now for her than enforced social isolation with people who already know and make accommodations for her needs. Even 2 metres away, she would be able to converse with someone she isn't spending 24/7 with.

@Whaddyathinkofthis this sound very much like the prison that I work in actually, yes 🤷‍♀️

Gosh some of these comments. I don’t think any teacher would want to wear full PPE from 9-3 do you actually realise how hot it would be? These risks every where travelling on a bus, train touching things in a supermarket. I think some people are overly anxious to be suggesting teaching in full PPE. The nurses don’t even have it for the COVID patients.

@jinxpixie

At our school, we are also blessed to have a beautiful park where our children can play

Anyone else’s school blessed to have a beautiful park?

Not teaching, but I suspect if I asked our team to do a full day of holiday club in full PPE they'd actually laugh at me!

@RigaBalsam we won’t be the first to send our kids back. Loads of other places are doing it. The Dutch primary schools will be doing it without any social distancing for primary kids. In fact, under 12s have always been exempt from the social distancing laws there and have been encouraged to play out together while school is closed. They got their R under 1 before we did.

@jinxpixie did you read the article about Denmark?
No secondaries open
Primary Classes split in two (therefore requiring double the space - unless Doctor Who is along in a minute with his Tardis we can't achieve that).

Be interesting to look at how the dutch run schools chipotle definitely.

under 12s have always been exempt from the social distancing laws there and have been encouraged to play out together while school is closed. They got their R under 1 before we did.
@ChipotleBlessing

I would love it if my daughter could play out for a bit with a friend. I think it would do wonders for her over school right now.

Teachers and parents will thwart Macron’s plans to reopen schools
Parents of French pupils have said they will engage in “civil disobedience” by keeping their children at home when President Macron reopens schools on May 11.
And teaching unions have also pledged to boycott lessons when schools return, accusing the government of exploiting schools to “.try out a collective immunity theory”.
The National Unitary Union of Primary School Teachers has opposed the reopening of schools until all pupils and teachers have been tested for the virus, which means lessons could not effectively resume until July 4.
Officials are concerned about the damage this could cause to President Macron’s reputation, with one source describing the policy as an “enormous mess” according to The Times.

this sound very much like the prison that I work in actually, yes

Ok. So you're not happy that you have to work in these conditions so don't see why others shouldn't either?

Perhaps they could have closed the prisons then and allowed inmates home to be supervised by their families?

No?

So schools and prisons arent very much alike at all are, they?

I understand your resentment that your working conditions aren't ideal, but that doesn't mean others should be forced into the same position.

Or is it just teachers you're cross about?

I'm not unhappy at work, quite the opposite. Whilst its kindly irritating that others are on a long holiday, I at least get a change of scenery. My point is, if prisons, hospitals, secure units supermarkets etc are all at work and it's been assessed as a manageable risk, why the heck do teachers think it will be any different for them? I just dont get it.