Are you sending your child back to nursery if it opens in June?

[AnaV]

Just wondering what are people’s thoughts on sending kids back to nursery in June (or any time before the vaccine for Coronavirus is available)?
My husband and I both have to work from home and take care of our 1 year old daughter. Long-term this is not sustainable. I’m barely managing to do a fraction of work, and while at the moment that is ok, soon I might have to gear up to 100% productivity- I don’t see how that’s possible under these circumstances.
Our daughter clearly also misses interaction with other kids, when we go to a park she just watches other kids and reaches her arms towards them, it’s really sad she has to be stuck with only the two of us for so long.
But sending her to nursery in June doesn’t feel completely comfortable to me - whatever measures they take, the virus can easily spread in the nursery setting as long as there is one infected person around. Not to mention, having 1 year olds obey any rules such as distancing or not chewing on other kids’ toys is obviously not happening.
But on the other hand, they will have to go back to nursery eventually and the vaccine is not going to be available any time soon, so what difference does it make sending them sooner rather than later..?
Seems like there’s no right thing to do. Curious to hear what others think.

Yes I am, the risk to children is minimal.

Im not sending ds3. Not so much for fear of the virus, but because of the social distancing measures the school has to take. The headteacher sent out a letter (nursery attached to primary school) and he was basically begging parents not to send their kids in as it will be very different to what they are used to. I feel terrible for all the teachers that don't want to go back but are being forced.

I have no idea when I will send him back, just have to play it by ear.

I can't decide.... my 22 month old clearly misses nursery and I want to send him back. If he goes back he wouldn't be able to see my parents (in their 70s) again as too risky..... I just don't know.

We're still undecided. Financially we're struggling, I have had to reduce my hours and it's not sustainable for a long time. My husband doesn't want her to go back in June, he wants to wait and see what happens but it means another month of struggle. I can understand why he wants to wait though.

Yep. Both WFH getting by on annual leave and the good grace of our employers which is not limitless. DS desperately needs stimulation other than us. Have weighed up the risks and am ok with my decision.

I'm still furloughed and husband is wfh. We are saving £1200 per month even after paying 25% to nursery. I'd love them to go back just so we get a break but the massive saving a month is too good to miss whilst we don't need nursery.

I was going to, but having seen the guidelines and what classrooms/play following the guidelines will look like I’m not so sure. Nursery is learning through play and socialising. Our nursery does a lot of outdoor/loose part play and I don’t see how they can continue with that.

I’m also furloughed for another month at the very least (likely to be 2, maybe more) and probably can’t afford 3 days like previously.

So, I need to wait to see what the Scottish government advises and their timeline, see what my nursery decides to do and go from there. They are a great nursery and small business and ultimately I am going to need them again in the next few months. So maybe one day a week? I feel my DC would benefit, his nursery is wonderful and will adapt to the rules and finally they are small business and I am going to need them eventually (hopefully)

Kinda repeated myself there, forgive me said toddler interrupted my line of thought.

My DH works out the home and when my work reopens and i come off furlough, I will have to send him to nursery so our family can survive.
Im very happy with some of the controls nursery have put into place

My daughters nursery is only allowing children whose parents have to go back in to work on the 1st of June in addition to the key workers children who are already there. If you are furloughed or working from home you can’t send your children back yet, they have said they can’t possible stick to the guidelines with the nursery at full capacity.

No. I'm on maternity leave, so not needing to juggle WFH. The nursery have also said they're not charging if we don't send DC in, so to us, it's a win-win.
We will reassess in July, depending on what the lockdown situation is then.
If I wasn't on mat leave, I wouldn't have a choice, he'd have to go back as there is no way I could do my job effectively with a toddler.

So difficult. Whilst my husband is furloughed then no. As soon as he goes back to work (non-essential retail but small business where could easily practice social distancing) then we have no choice. Not ideal as I’m pregnant but we have no other choice - I couldn’t do my job and care for our toddler simultaneously.

Yes we will.

Some childcare providers will be charging even if you don't send them in (rightly so in my opinion as it is your choice) so check your contract carefully!

I'm hanging on for now. We are both Wfh but managing OK, so can carry on keeping her at home for now. Nursery are building up numbers gradually, with the maximum they are planning to do at 50% capacity. Hopefully the parents who need it most will get priority, and we can get DD in later.
Part of me is also hoping we can start seeing families soon so want to keep her away from nursery to minimise risk in case she can actually see her grandparents 🤞

Yes, I am. Our daughter had just turned 3. I’m on maternity leave, our DD2 is 9 weeks. She arrived just as lockdown started 😫 It’s been a huge adjustment for DD1 & we are seeing quite a negative turn in her behaviour & mood. She’s very sociable & is now blaming her baby sister for the fact she can’t see family or go to the park/softplay etc and saying things like she wants her to go away so Granny can come back! But I can see why as everything stopped just as sister arrived! She’s also become terrified of people as we’ve told her to move away from them when out walking so much!

Our nursery have made very reasonable adjustments on paper & said staff will not social distance from children their dedicated groups. If a child is hurt etc, they’ll get a hug. If they need to hold hands for safety, they will. And then follow good hygiene. But they’ll encourage children to play independently & with each other.

I’m quite comfortable with all this but my child is a bit older & also, a very independent player. So I don’t worry she’ll be upset if she can’t constantly have attention from her key worker!

I’ve looked carefully at all the stats & risks to children. I personally have concluded there’s no more risk than any other childhood illness. Covid itself seems very low risk. More concern around Kawasaki but again, statistically very low. More children end up in hospital with complications from chicken pox than this based on data so far. I try to look at the risks we’ve always taken in life, such as driving on the motorway & try think in perspective.

We gradually have to open back up, we have to start somewhere. As much as I HATE the Tories, life has to on. Yes, of course life & family is more important than the economy on an individual level but actually in stark reality, we all rely on the economy to live & survive. It’s our jobs, our houses, our food. If it collapses, we are going to spiral into an awful future. 😕

Yes we will be, both still working and last few months bery stressful. Risk to children is very low and we have no one shielding in the house.

Yes we will if there is space for him.

I feel the risk is very small to him and our family (all healthy no one elderly or shielding)

He’s an only and I’m wracked with guilt that hes not played with another child for 8 weeks.

Nursery have not been open for key workers throughout. Going back they have said critical workers first and then children who are transitioning to school first. They are only accepting 10 kids per day and operating reduced hours.

I’ll alter my hours (WFH) accordingly but in some ways I wonder if less hours on a reduced attendance basis really will be the magic bullet to “get Britain back to work”

I was thinking about this issue this morning. I love my DS to bits but being at home with him 24/7 and trying to work from home is getting too much, I am starting to get stressed out and he is probably stressed at the fact that he can't do much outside of the home or see anyone. He saw my mu for the first time in 2 months yesterday, but aside from that it has jus tbeen the two of us. I really resent not having a moment's silence to myself, which sounds very selfish actually. I need a break!

Our nursery has no outside space so I'm very torn on this. It seems unlikely that it will reopen in June, and I hope it doesn't so I have longer to decide what to do.

I don’t think I will, not right away. I am not concerned about the risk of covid to my son, but I am concerned about putting him into a nursery that has anxious staff, limited activities and toys, etc. He was due to start a new nursery but won’t be able to do his settles now - and on top of that I’d have to simply hand him over to a stranger in the car park and leave. When I read the measures the nursery will be taking it made me feel uncomfortable and I’d rather keep him home until things calm down a bit.

Last week our nursery messaged to say that they were opening on 1st june.
I'm work from home and husband is currently furloughed but they have already asked him to go back to work.
I can't justify the cost of nursery as we are barely making ends meet but I can't have dd at home and still wfh. I think I will have to send him in but I'm worried as currently 20 weeks pregnant. It's so hard to know what to do for the best. My hope is that it all gets reviewed again and decided to delay as still not safe before the 1st.
I have no idea if I'm being irrational or justified in my fears of things to come.

Yep, she’ll be going as soon as she can

No but only because we are shielding and their dad is in the most vulnerable category.
If we weren’t then I would absolutely be sending them in.

Yes we are and she's so excited. Mine is four and an only child so she's desperate for interaction with children. I also need to get back to work.

@heartonastring

Hi,

I was just wondering what you had decided to do about sending DD back to nursery as I’m 23 weeks pregnant and in a very similar situation except I’m currently furloughed. I have a DS who is due to start school in September he is already a very anxious child But I’m worried about getting him into school come September if he doesn’t return to nursery soon but at the same time I’m obviously concerned about being pregnant and while I’m at home looking after our 2 year old it seems very unnatural to send him out. It’s an impossible choice between everyone’s health and sons mental health🙈