Will your kids be going back to nursery?

[chunkyrun]

My sons nursery will be opening beginning of June. I'd love to send him back for both our sanities but I'm worried nows not the right time. I work weekends when he goes to his dads. childcare during week would be good financially. I could work more than just two days. Can just about get by at the minute. What's everyone's thoughts on this? Anyone in a similar situation?

I'm on the fence at the moment but leaning towards yes. DD is 18 mths and she really needs the stimulation from nursery. She does 2 days. I need to speak to nursery first to see what their plan is, but it isn't a huge nursery so I think it would be a small group of children and only 1/2 staff members. I need more information before I can make a definite decision.

Absolutely, I'll be first in the queue! Our son is adopted and has really struggled with the loss of his key worker and friends. We've seen a real regression in behaviour since nursery closed and as he is an only child he desperately needs to be around his peers. He also has global developmental delay and I worry he will fall further behind, although we are trying our best at home.

It's difficult. I don't know what our nursery is doing yet but my 4 year old really needs it for his mental health now and to prepare for school in September. It would also massively help me because of the demanding baby who takes so much of my time that my 4yo is suffering.
None of us have known underlying conditions.
Don't know what to do. I'd rather my mum was allowed to come round to help out. So would she!

It's been soo tough on little ones. Mine watches far to much tv then I'd ever care to admit. He's also an only child so missing his friends and all the activities

Definitely. Dd has been great during lockdown, but it’s been 7 weeks and she’s desperately missing her key worker and friends. I also need to get back to work ASAP. I think the little bit of normality will be really good for both of us. And I’m just going to have to trust the govt (argh) when they say young children aren’t really affected.

We can’t stay home for 2 years while a vaccine is developed. Thankfully we also live in the city with the lowest death rate in the country, so that does reassure me slightly.

I’m not sure just yet. Erring on the side of no.
DP will be working from home for the next 10 weeks minimum so can carry on covering the 2 days a week DS usually went. DS is coping fine at home and he’s happy, I’m pregnant with number 2 so quite frankly could do with saving the nursery costs. But it depends on if we will lose our place really, if I don’t send him back from day one.

I'm really torn, but veering towards no. I'm due a baby on the 1st July via c section so would pull her out 2 weeks before that to try and minimise risk of anyone catching it before going into hospital. She'd only be there 2 weeks before pulling her out again. I think it would be too hard on her.

If I wasn't pregnant I'd be sending her back though.

Yes, I have two at nursery and they are both going back full time on 01 June if nursery confirm that's when they are opening.

We will be as both wfh with a 2 and a 3 year old is untenable. The 3 year old especially cannot wait to go back. I think we will reduce the amount they are in though partly for financial reasons and partly to reduce their risk. Maybe 2/3 days rather than the normal 4. Not sure yet.

DS will be going back. Both parents supervising a young toddler whilst attempting to work is wearing thin.

Yes, my DD will be going back on June 1 if possible.

Number 10's response has been woeful but I trust the wider civil service and scientific advice which shows children tend to get a milder dose than adults. I will be watching closely to see whether or not it is confirmed that children don't pass it to one another.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-in-children/

We have no underlying health conditions as a family though so I appreciate we are in a fortunate position. I value her socialisation and frankly, my sanity! I can't keep her gone indefinitely and I'm not sure there is ever going to be a perfect moment to send her back.

DD has been at nursery throughout.

Yes my dd will be going back to nursery her usual 2 days on 1st June.

Yes

I’m in two minds about it. Work have said they are okay with my flexible hours that I’ve been doing for the past 7 weeks but I do think my 19month old would benefit from seeing another child her age and admittedly, I am starting to feel very burned out as I work during her nap and then log on again once she is in bed for the night so have no time to turn off, if you get what I mean.

It all depends on what the guidance for early years childcare says when it comes out though for me. I read the one for schools and I can’t understand what kind of environment nursery will be if they get advised to remove all toys and soft furnishings like schools have.

So yeah. Definitely in two minds about it. We don’t have any underlying conditions and our area hasn’t had many confirmed cases so low risk there, it’s just the wondering of what kind of environment she will be going back to.

No. Both me and dh are key workers so could have sent him all along. None of my colleagues have sent their kids to school either.

I will gladly pay to keep his place as his nursery is wonderful but I dont feel comfortable yet.

Saying that, I couldn't tell you what would feel "safe" enough for me to send him back either.

100% yes. Dd only goes mornings as normally grandparents in the afternoon but means i can wfh in morming with no interuptions, then have her in the afternoons

They need to reduce numbers in the nurseries so it would make sense to give the places to children who have both parents working or both parents working from home and to single parents that work.

I'm furloughed and probably will be until the end of June (right before the summer holidays start, Scotland) and DH works from home. We wouldn't require a place as I'm here to entertain DS all day. By then it will have been 11 weeks of some parents trying to work/work at home so those people should be priority for places in my view.

Me and DH have booked annual leave to cover the summer holidays anyway so if I need to go back to work at the end of June, we have the holidays sorted. Because I've been on furlough for 7 weeks, I cancelled two weeks annual leave I had booked for Easter and the start of June so I have all that annual leave to cover the summer holidays. It would be selfish to take a nursery place if they are limited. I would hope he can go back in August

Not sure at the moment I'd need to have a chat with nursery. I'd love for him to go back for the socialising, he was doing fantastic and I was seeing a big difference in his behaviour and an improvement in his language skills. However, I currently am not in need of childcare so if the nursery says they need smaller numbers in the room I will keep him off until things are safer for everyone

Yes. My boy needs the social aspect of nursery and needs to be ready for school in September.

It's hard because the virus is scary but life has to go on. I'm starting to become more concerned about the impact of a deep recession and the huge judginess of people creating huge class divides.

Il be dropping her off straight away.

She starts school in September and has
Gone from absolutely loving pre school to refusing to even talk about going back. She says she doesn’t want to go school etc.

She thrives at school.

They need to reduce numbers in the nurseries so it would make sense to give the places to children who have both parents working or both parents working from home and to single parents that work.

^^ that's a good point. Currently I'm topped up with universal credit but things are extremely tight but just about manageable

Saying that, I couldn't tell you what would feel "safe" enough for me to send him back either.

^^ yea this is what I'm struggling if not now then when. I should be going to university in September so could really do with working as much as possible in run up to save

Yep. It's too difficult trying to work from home with a toddler, plus he needs the social interaction with other children. I am going to increase his days from 2 to 3. Usually grandparents look after him the other day, but as they are shielding won't be able to

I guess he'll he was starting to get changes in his life(moved to a new room) and that was stopped Cuz of this and since then we've been juggling working life with taking care of him.

I guess nursery will also say we've to pay full bill so if he doesn't go we'd still be paying but juggling our working hours so no benefit in there.

however, if they said can you keep him home for another 2 weeks (you'd not have to pay) so those kids whose parents that both have to go to work onsite join first I'd have no problem on keeping him for a few more weeks.

we live in southwest where the numbers have been pretty low so the risk is minimum, I feel more unsecured if I had to go by bus to the office than by sending my son to nursery where his bubble is trackable than the public transport

however each family is different and what works or feels right for me doesn't have to feel ok for yuo