How the hell are parents meant to work?

[worzelsnurzel123]

With this latest blow from schools and yet further delays, I predict employers will cease to be “ fair” and they will run out of the patience BJ vaguely muttered about hoping they’d have. So what are the options?

1. Resign from jobs? This could have massive impact on income, likely to affect women and the future of women’s’ rights and progress in the workplace, creation of mental health issues and socio economic problems
2. Will some parents be pushed in to feeling the have no choice but to leave kids home alone? Esp those who are borderline age group eg 8-12. Not ideal at all. Clearly this will impact on MH, safety, parental work performance.
3. Leave kids with grandparents who are likely to be over 70 in many cases, shielding or vulnerable. Risks of passing the virus on would lead to guilt , worry on both sides.
4. Wait for everything to fuck up work wise, scrabble for child care here there and everywhere, lose employers good will due to time off needed and eventually get dismissed for poor attendance, breach of conduct and or poor performance

This is a disgrace. An absolute disgrace

is increasingly apparent that there is a minority of people who see this crisis as an opportunity to return women to their rightful place in the kitchen.
Sadly it appears so

It is increasingly apparent that there is a minority of people who see this crisis as an opportunity to return women to their rightful place in the kitchen

I think you are right.
How fucking depressing

@cyclingmad

Tough shits to working parents...well I think everyone needs to realise lots of different people are having to make sacrifices some have lost their business or jobs already, some are going to stuck with no opportunity to move upward in their role for some time, some might have to take a pay cut, unemployed will find it harder to find jobs. Yet working parents are making it out that it's so unfair to them like they are the ones having to give up so much. If you life might mean no more holidays, a bit more having to cut out some extra luxuries then so be it.

For us if one of us has to quit work we won't be able to pay the mortgage.

You are very naive if you think this is a case of less holiday for fuck sake.

@bookworm14

I don’t work to buy fucking playstations and TVs; I work to pay the mortgage.

It is increasingly apparent that there is a minority of people who see this crisis as an opportunity to return women to their rightful place in the kitchen.

Yep you're right. We have to put up and shut up apparently.

Whilst many predicted the demise of private schools due to the economic effects of Covid, it looks like they are going to get a whole load of new recruits due to the tardiness of the State. Maybe it’s a ploy to get the numbers in state sector lower and widen that old gap of attainment and privilege that bit further. Bravo you old Etonians in Westminster. Like you give a shit

I have been ‘able’ to wfh. My work like to talk the talk of being understanding of people with children but in reality there is no understanding or acceptance. I will now likely be made redundant within the next month due to this shitstorm and the inability of me to do my full time job and look after my two small children.

I have never stated that it should be the woman who looks after the children. We have emancipation, so men can also do child care. I realise that a lot of women have worked hard for their careers, but my thoughts, which are definitely not everybody's or, in this case, many. If you have children, it is your responsibility to look after them, not the State's. Schools are there for education, not for child care. What do people do during the long summer holidays? My time, as a parent, was not the 1950's or 1960's, so I am not going back to those decades.

@Viviand

I have never stated that it should be the woman who looks after the children. We have emancipation, so men can also do child care. I realise that a lot of women have worked hard for their careers, but my thoughts, which are definitely not everybody's or, in this case, many. If you have children, it is your responsibility to look after them, not the State's. Schools are there for education, not for child care. What do people do during the long summer holidays? My time, as a parent, was not the 1950's or 1960's, so I am not going back to those decades.

Of course men can do childcare but even in 2020 men still typically earn more. It leaves us little choice.

It isn't the state's job to provide childcare no. But education? Absolutely.

All the things people use in the school holidays - grandparents, holiday clubs, childminders, swapping with other families has been banned (childminders only re opened last week I believe)

What the actual fuck do you suggest people do? Like please I think we all need suggestions because I for one am stuck!

@Pinkbutterfly79 why is it not safe? Its been proven children are largely unaffected. More chance of meeting struck by lightening than dying of coronavirus. So your fears must be for yourself and your colleagues. Fair enough I suppose, but what makes you different to our supermarket workers? They're exposing themselves to a much greater risk than you as they are surrounded by adults all day. You are part of a vital public service, you are at no greater risk than tesco workers, post people, refuse collectors etc. Seriously. Wake up and take your responsibilities seriously. This comes from a family of medical professionals who have put ourselves on the front line every single day for the last 14 weeks.

viviand if you'd bothered to read the full thread that question has been answered numerous times....

Annual leave ( in my case it's been cancelled...I usually take a month off. I'm allowed a week)
Holiday clubs (closed)
Grandparents ( not allowed)

It's not the states responsibility to provide childcare but it is their responsibility to educate.
I'm happy to pay for childcare but there isn't any available.

@TrustTheGeneGenie you have to quit your job or lose your house, apparently. Because of course, if you have children, one of you must never work on the Off chance there may be a global pandemic and all childcare/95% available education places become unavailable overnight, for no fixed term. And god forbid if you’re a single parent. Simple really 🙄🙄

[quote HeadSpin5]@TrustTheGeneGenie you have to quit your job or lose your house, apparently. Because of course, if you have children, one of you must never work on the Off chance there may be a global pandemic and all childcare/95% available education places become unavailable overnight, for no fixed term. And god forbid if you’re a single parent. Simple really 🙄🙄[/quote]
Yes silly me! I must have missed that memo!

I must have imagined all the years of women being encouraged to work!

@Viviand

The trouble is that people, these days, want everything, now. When we got married, we were both working, in low paid jobs, one a nurse. When first child came along, woman gave up work. We didn't have a washing machine, tumble drier etc. Washing was done in the bath. Terry towelling nappies (re-usable). Second child came along and we had saved enough for the washing machine. There was always one parent at home for the children, until the youngest reached 16. We never bought anything until we had the money for it. Only item on tick was a mortgage. There would be no problem with child care if we followed the old ways. I agree that families would not have all the really necessary things, such as PlayStation, 40 inch televisions, Sky TV, foreign holidays et al. I do feel sorry for the widowed single parent who, obviously, needs to work to supply food for her/his family. They definitely need assistance and should be prioritised for children returning to school or child care. I expect to be demonised for my views, but my thought is, if you can't afford it, don't do it. Cut your cloth according to its width. However, I do have sympathy for those that have gone ahead and bought stuff in times of plenty. We never expected this pandemic and it has hit everyone hard. I await the vilification!

@Viviand

I see a widowed (presumably ‘deserving’) LP gets your sympathy. How magnanimous of you. I’m a LP but one of those pesky feckless ones whose marriage broke down.

I have no foreign holidays, no Sky TV, no expensive games consoles. I don’t buy things on credit. I work hard and save as much as I can. I work to pay the mortgage, feed and clothe my 2 DC. What is more, I enjoy my work and I’m very good at it. I have neither the option nor the inclination to become a 1950s style housewife.

I take it you’re the husband in your little scenario? I also assume you were raising children when housing was considerably less expensive than it is now, and the ‘woman’ wasn’t in a tonne of student debt after a nursing degree?

@bookworm14

I don’t work to buy fucking playstations and TVs; I work to pay the mortgage.

It is increasingly apparent that there is a minority of people who see this crisis as an opportunity to return women to their rightful place in the kitchen.

Yes this

@Viviand a lot of parents use holiday clubs in the holidays. Which are not open. It's not hard to figure that out, is it?

I’d like to see more problem solving to enable more children to return to school.
I work for the NHS so have been working flat out. However, as my husband is not a key worker we couldn’t keep my little boy at school. So he’s been trying to hold together a demanding job working from home while looking after a 5 year old, with me working 10-12 hour days.
Luckily my little boy is back at school now, shorter hours and only 4 days. If it had gone on any longer I don’t know how we’d cope. Surely there are empty venues with spacious rooms like conference centres or training suites to give kids more space to socially distance. Why not use them? If more teachers are needed due to smaller classes, can’t the government put a call out for retired/ returning teachers...like they did with NHS staff???

@Viviand why only widowed single parents? Do you think my life plan was to get divorced? Because I can assure you it wasn't. But that's how my life worked out.

And this isn't the old days. Inflation costs are so high that many couples both need to be working to afford bills. Tax credits were introduced for people on low incomes because one wage isn't enough to pay for everything any more.

@misshoney1

Go back to the school & insist on a place for your child as a worker returning to work you maybe required to provide evidence of working hours failing that email your Head teacher so you have a record ... failing that contact your local Authority 🤞🏻

I am a key worker in a high pressure specialist role in agriculture/food supply chain and my husband is a green keeper on a golf course, so both jobs which cannot be done fully from home. We have both worked full time throughout, tag teaming mornings/afternoons out of the house as much as possible but its getting to the time of the year where we are both at our busiest. We are not entitled to any childcare, as confirmed by an email from the head of education for our council, due to the fact my husband is not a key worker. I've involved our local councillors and MSP and nobody can help. Normally my eldest would be at a holiday club in the summer along with days with grandparents but it is staying closed to everyone. My 2 year old goes to a private nursery which is only taking kids with 2 key worker parents as per the council rules. So at the minute we have 2 different babysitters, 1 low risk grandparent and some wfh to fill the gaps. I love my job and if I was to leave the small team I work with would struggle in the short term. But I earn less than DH so if we are still in this situation come August when blended learning comes in I may need to resign as part time and wfh is not an option in my position. Stressful doesn't even come close....

I am fed up with reading lofty comments from people (especially but not only teachers) about schools providing education not childcare.

Of course schools provide childcare. The present crisis has shown this to be abundantly clear. If they didn’t, how would people women be able to work? Answer: they can’t.

I hope that what comes out of this crisis is an honest rethink of the role of schools in the community. No more snooty heads refusing to allow wrap around care on their premises or unions bleating about the divine right of teachers to take 8 week summer holidays. No more excuses why some or all school buildings can’t be used by the community in the holidays. An acknowledgement that schools are best placed to provide the affordable year round childcare that working parents need. And in return some more Govt money for facilities and staff.

There will be a huge surge in applicants to NHS jobs like nursing after this crisis, because of the way the NHS has stepped up and risen to the challenge. I would like to think that teaching could and should benefit in the same way, but at the moment it’s hard to see that happening.

A lot of women are in key worker roles, relatively low paid in a lot of cases. Do we really want to force them out of work due to childcare issues? You only get childcare support generally if both parents are key workers.
I work for the NHS, my husband Is the higher wage earner. If one of us had to lose their job it’d be me. We couldn’t pay the mortgage and bills on my wage.

8 weeks summer holiday. I've only been getting 6. Outrageous, I'll call my union rep tomorrow. Cheers.

I feel justly chastised. I suppose my hard times were nothing compared to now. We had it easy compared to today's families, although it didn't feel like it at the time. We were broke for most of the time.

I apologise for upsetting anyone. It was and never will be my intention to do that. If I have offended anyone, please forgive my crassness.
I hope you all get things sorted out and resume a happy life.

God bless you.

I think most in the nhs and care working would be glad of 1 day holiday right now ...

@fia101

I print out the teaching pack for my kids every day 5 and 7.

7 year old is okish at getting on with it, well
not maths but not a chance with 5 year old.

They need help too as they're learning obviously.

Kids that young need someone teaching them and supervising them to help them when they get stuck and encourage them.

It's not enough to give them the school packs and tell them to get on with it.

I'm working full time to keep the wolf from the door.

I can't teach them at home properly. 10 mins here and there.

My kids' education is suffering

This is the reality for huge numbers of people.

It is appalling.

Takemetogreeceplease
What would you have done normally? ? As the 1st of July would be the school holidays in Scotland anyway

Used grandparents, holiday clubs and annual leave. Grandparents are shielding, holiday clubs are closed and I can't use AL as I've been made to take some whilst furloughed and staff who weren't furloughed are being given priority as they're knackered, that's what.