Sending children back to nursery

[NJDO]

Hi! This is my first thread and just wondering out of curiosity really - if nurseries do reopen on 1st June, will you be sending your children back?

I'm a Nursery Manager and have mixed feelings about reopening as there is no way social distancing can happen with children under 4, and although we will take precaution and have measures in place, it won't be fair to the little ones for us grown ups to stay away from them, wear masks etc.

Just wondering what everyone's views/opinions on returning are?

I will be sending my 2 yo. He misses his friends and needs to go back to some sort of normality as he’s becoming shy and afraid of people.

I'm waiting with baited breath to hear what our setting will do. I work in the nursery class of a private school. Our class has been closed during lockdown, although there have been older children in (from Reception) who are keyworker's children.

I'm torn about what to do. My son goes to nursery for two mornings a week (15 hours funded place). He is really missing nursery and loves going. Also he is due to start reception in September, and he has delays in some areas of development which nursery was really helping with. (We are doing what we can but obviously we can't do as much as nursery can, especially with interaction with others which was a big part of what they were working on).
Part of me wants him to go back ASAP but the other part isn't sure if it's for the best. Also others will need nurseries in order to work, I'm a SAHM so technically I don't need my son to go to nursery, he goes for his benefit. So would it be unfair of me to send him in in June? Or at all? I'm really not sure at the moment. Think I'll wait and see what the nursery say before I make any decision.

My CM maintains that she will not be opening as she cannot ensure social distancing in her setting.

Unless my work ‘force the issue’, and say I have to be in the office, I will keep DS off. He doesn’t need to be there- I’d rather keep the setting as safe as possible for the people who actually need it.

That said, he is missing nursery terribly 😔

Have we had clarification on the start date yet?

I don’t know tbh. Maybe as I have to pay but dd wasn’t settled when lock down happened and is happy without it. She’d only done a few mornings for a couple of weeks (age 2.5).

We’re not sending ours back if the school does reopen. We’ve got a baby due in a few weeks so just doesn’t seem worth the risk. I’d say if you can wait until later, say September then do that, but it’s impossible for some people. I feel awful for the ones that don’t have much choice & also for the poor teachers at risk!

My 3yo will be the first there. I'm at home on my own with 7 and 3yo boys and all they seem to do is fight and moan at me now - taking the situation out on each other, and on me. All the home activities and walks have lost appeal. Home learning has lost appeal. This morning I felt utterly exhausted, was in tears after the "update".... and both of them started shouting at me before 7oclock,... "MAMMY make breakfast NOW!! HURRY UP... MAMMY!! BREAKFAST!!" and I just lost it. Sent 7yo back up to bed (he screeched at me and started destroying his room) 3yo burst into tears, and I went in the kitchen and cried.

I'm exhausted on top of exhausted on top of stressed on top of depressed on top of being flogged and flogged and screamed at with no support and nothing to look forward to. I am so lonely. The risk of covid to us all is minimal, the risk of mental breakdown and all the dangers that come with mental illness is much greater. I will cry happy tears when the nurseries open and again when school opens to Y3.

I’m being made redundant after furlough ends, however I have no clue what to do about DS nursery place I’m hoping they’ll be happy for me to carry on paying a retainer till I find a new job asap. I worry about us all catching it but I also worry about not having a home or food if I don’t get back out there working asap. Please all wish me luck in finding another job! Ha!

I’m def sending my 3 year old back. She’s climbing the walls & my usually very pleasant, well behaved daughter is turning into a terror 😳

Her newborn sister arrived into her world two days before lockdown & its been HARD for all of us. DD2 has been very colicky and cries a lot. It’s really unsettled DD1 to have all the crying, a stressed out set of parents trying to stop the crying, get an hours sleep etc, usual new baby stuff 🥴 She asks you go back to nursery constantly. I can only assume because she wants a break from everything at home!

And as her parent, I just want a little bit of normality for her. A chance to get out the house, have some focused attention all day, playing with children again & a bit of education!

And selfishly, I need a break. It’s been a really tough 8 weeks of getting used to parenting two of them!

@Straycatstrut

Sorry to hear you've been having such a hard time, it must be so difficult being alone, well done to you and I'm sure you're smashing it! x

I'm in two minds as my DD starts reception in September and would finish nursery end of July. I'm quite lucky at being able to work around the kids.

Yes, I will send DD back to school nursery as soon as I can. She is an only child and needs the social interaction, I feel the benefits outweighs the risks in our personal circumstances.

Probably not. My ds starts school in September and never really liked preschool. Will be a huge effort to get him there again and then he will have to readjust again in September. I'm also loving having this time with him. I haven't completely decided though, I might just reduce his hours if that's an option.

We will hold off as long as is possible, DC2 is due now so we need to protect them but very conscious 2 under 2 will be hard work alone!!

We will also play it by ability for grandparents to pop over and assist. If they are being careful we will allow them to visit prior to nursery being used. We are letting them make their own choices with these things but I know they won't be waiting for a vaccine to see grandchildren so actually whilst DC is off is the safest time

I will send DD age 3 back. She misses her friends so much and desperately wants to play with other children again. It's in her best interests to go. Everyone is going to get the virus eventually so may as well get it over with

Was it mentioned today that reopening of nurseries will be phased like schools?

I have no problem sending mine in as I am not concerned about catching the virus. If we do we will self isolate.
But until I have to go to work I'd rather be with them and not pay for childcare. That's my honest answer, even though as soon as I am back in work, I will need nursery.

Yep I'll be sending mine back, she misses it so much and these are her last months before school

I will. I don't see how it will be any less risky to send him in now compared to September.

My nursery hold 60 children at once in pre-school alone. Probably around 90 on register in a week.
Of the 8 staff who work in that particular room 4 of the staff are classed as vunerable (myself included) and 1 as extremely vulnerable.
With no social distancing or PPE I know several nursery staff (good experienced nursery staff) who intend to look for alternative employment as its just too much risk for the reward. These people are terrified.
Nobody knows what to do for the best, adults need to work, the economy needs the boost, children need to learn.

He will have to, when my non essential workplace reopens and ill have the choice of send him to nursery to recieve a wage to pay bills or quit my job and live of benefits. So i will have to send him.

I've seen people reassuring themselves and others that children aren't likely to get it, if they do it'll be mild.... what about the staff caring for them? Children can pass it on with little or no symptoms. It seems like it's a case of 'oh well, tough shite, parents need to work

I sympathise but there are lots of people whose jobs mean they are placed at risk.

The country can’t afford for people to stay at home for much longer, and there may not be a job for you at the end of this if your nursery doesn’t start taking children back soon.

I’m not sending DD for a while because I’m on maternity leave, and my husband is a doctor so I don’t want her to catch it and pass it to others there.

I'll be sending DS back. He has a speech and language delay, an EHCP and is an only child. He needs the support, social interaction, some different toys and activities and it would help his readiness for school in September.

For him, the benefits massively outweigh the risks.

I'll be sending DS in but possibly reduced hours to begin with. Straight in from being with me and dh day in day out to nursery 4 days a week would be too much for an 18 month old. He's forgotten all about nursery. Saying that, I'm currently furloughed so would wait until at least 1st June before starting if they were open before then.