Is September going to be a big risk?

[Melonslicexx]

Just curious to people's opinions on all this. I know nobody has a crystal ball. Partners sister has caught coronavirus this week. It's a reminder that it's still very much out there. She works in a high risk job. But still.....

I want my child back at school. She went for a session Monday and she loved it. But they were stood on spots and the teachers spoke to them through a computer screen. They didn't actually get to see them.

I know life cant stop forever. But they are going back right at the start of virus season. There will be children every single week with colds, fevers, coughs and the like. We won't be allowed to keep them off without getting a test. Ofcourse testing is important. But my mum's had four as she's been in hospital with something else. She said it makes you gag. It's not always terrible. But you gag. She said one nurse shoved it really far up her nose she felt pain in her eyebrow. So she's said it's not pleasent but it's fine because it's important. Children will be having these tests done several times over the winter. It feels like all we have ahead is stress. I'm so sorry to write it when people want to move forward. but it comes with risk. Eventually it's going to end up in all schools over this winter. When it does parents will be having to keep kids off and isolated. Parents will be trying to work around all this. There will be the worry waiting to hear if a child has tested positive in your child's bubble/school etc. But the scariest part is what if we as parents get it and we feel absolutely terrible. Yet nobody is going to take our children for us as we won't be allowed. Or what If our kids get a horrible version.

Sister in law has fever
Aches
No taste.
No sense of smell,
She's vomiting.
Her backs squeezing.
She is exhausted.

Sounds absolutely awful and the reality is after hiding away since march we all are very likely to get it over the autumn and winter.

In your opinions. Do you think this winter will mean most of us will get it?
Are you worried about your child going to school?
Do you think it's going to be a nightmare everytime your child or yourself gets a cold?

I know that last year there were times I had a cold and DD was ok. But that won't be ok this year. Any virus will mean stay home.

What does they mean for attendance?

Sorry for all the questions. Just wanted s harmless discussion about what others are thinking.

I do understand your mainly valid or at least udnerstandable concerns OP but you sound a teeny bit undermining of yourself when you start saying walking to the front of the school is a massive inconvenience!

Just place marking

@Piggywaspushed

Yes because it is a 25 minute walk as it is. So the kids can see the back gates but have to walk right around the other way. Little legs get tired. so yes dragging her further and having a toddler in tow is a pain. Plenty of mums have grumbled about it. They get to the corner and see the gates but have to walk all the way to the other side. It adds quite abit on! . Some have to walk all the way back to take the other kid in. It's just more rush and a longer walk with tired kids. Doesn't affect me personally. Not sure why you are nit picking.

I know it's trivial but I'm also annoyed they have decided my daughter has to go around to the front of the school to get it. It adds a good five minutes extra walking on. Makes the walk feel alot longer for a 5 year old. But they've decided set classes will be using set gates. So it's massively inconveniencing parents who live the other side on the school. Especially if you have a child on each side.

I’m sorry but I think being short sighted here, you can’t moan that school are going back and moan about the measures they are taking to keep you safe. It’s five minutes extra walking.

Just because I think that one isn't about safety or massive disruptions. It just muddies your argument is all. I imagine it is something the school is going for a good reason?

Oh dear. I've said the wrong thing. That's this thread finished now. Apologise that's triggered people.

I know how the threads turning now so I'll go. I got all I wanted to know so thanks to everyone who replied. Over and out

@Melonslicexx Our school have said Yr2 (in Sept) will have to go round to the other gates & through that entrace. They've said they'll open the gates to the car park in the afternoon so parents & child(ren) can leave that way but they won't do the same for morning drop off! It doesn't bother me too much, he won't be tired in the morning so can't moan about it but the whole use this gate, use that one is a bit mad. Especially as the gates they'd have them exit by, will have the queue of parents doing nursery pick up right next to them!

@Melonslicexx it is pick, pick, dig sometimes on here, don’t you know you should be grateful you have legs to walk that little bit further!!!

Walking an extra 5 minutes in the pouring rain with a 5 year old and a toddler is inconvenient.

I think September will be a huge risk, I’m following what’s happening around the rest of the world and it doesn’t look promising. My heart goes out to all members of staff in schools. Our deputy head seems to think schools will be closed again by October half term.

I’m mystified by people who aren’t worried about Covid, they obviously don’t feel they have anything to lose, it doesn’t matter that a mid 50’s teacher with underlying health conditions has 3 teens at home who could be left without a mother or father.

I’d like to see part time schooling and staff allowed to wear PPE, masks for the over 7’s, children in other countries seem to manage ok, I have no idea why ours are not able to.

They are super impractical in a job where you talk all day, I tried it for an hour yesterday.

Talk louder.

There are concerns but seems like everyone is spiralling in a state of anxiety about every possible thing that could go wrong. Life is never in our control. We need to let go of this idea that we can control every thing and enjoy each day for what it is. We are only going to get through this by moving forward and hoping for treatment/ vaccines. Those who are really scared for their children can always homeschool. Home schooling has always been an option for parents but it does mean deregistering your child from school obviously. That comes with big responsibility and risk in itself. No one can waive a magic wand and make this all ok we are just going to have to toughen up and ride this out. It might not be as bad as we think anyway. Working ourselves into a frenzy about what might happen or not happen will not change the future !

I'll just repeat what I always say - if you feel worried and don't want to return, you do not have to deregister on day one.

Also, just because you go back the first week, you can have a rethink if it sounds like a shitshow.

Take it day by day. It isn't 'you're in or you're out forever, decide by day one'.

Appreciate many have childcare issues that make this much harder. And this doesn't really help teachers who are worried, rightly so imo.

But I think, despite the bullying from the government, and plenty of people on here, things will inevitably be pretty up and down through the start of term. 'Back to normal' yeah right

There will be a hell of a lot of mh issues coming to the fore at the start of term too. Schools could well be chaos.

@Spinakker Working ourselves into frenzy might not change the future, but going into a school setting with SD vs one without could change an awful lot.

Working ourselves in a frenzy won't change the future but neither will hoping. One is just perhaps better for anxiety levels than the other.

Only those who get it or come in contact with someone with it will quarantine. I don’t think they’ll lock everyone up at home again the economy needs us out and about. It’s probably going to be survival of the fittest.

Do you know what, and sorry to sound grumpy, I don't want to have to choose between hope or worry. I want to be bloody doing something. In ww2 I'd have joined the land girls or sewn fucking parachutes or done something. Here it feels like my only choice is either pretend it isn't happening or feel at how totally limp the plans for reopening schools are.

I would love to relax and just go with it. But I'm not going to relax until my child and all other children can go to school without catching a virus that has the power to kill and cause really unpleasant side effects.

I just think they've had all summer to test out if things will work with all kids back. They chose to have a few reception aged and a few year 6s in and some key worker kids. Then they left the rest at home. So in September just as the weather's cooling off they think it is the right time to put thousands of kids back into secondary and hundreds into primary school. They think by giving us different gates they are stopping parents mixing. They think that teachers are able to do their job two meters away from their students. They don't feel it's safe to provide a hot meal to a child! That speaks volumes. Why should our children be put into a situation where they are at risk. The government have decided pe bags would cause a risk. Backpacks would cause a risk. Whole year groups in playgrounds are a risk.

But they want to reassure us our children are safe? Doesn't sound Like it's safe at all.

everyone is spiralling in a state of anxiety about every possible thing that could go wrong. Life is never in our control. We need to let go of this idea that we can control every thing
This. I am a teacher I was opposed to schools closing and am happy to go back in September-I think the risk then is much less than in early March when lots of people wee getting various forms of it, including me. Almost everyone so know has had some or all of the symptoms and I don't know anyone who has even been hospitalised, let alone died.
I do not want to subject a whole generation of children to a ridiculous regime of separate entrances/masks/distancing or all the other petty regulations that simply induce fear and hostility. Shock that PP DC had intro to school standing on squares and talking to a teacher who was
'on a computer'???
Why on earth did that teacher agree to such an unkind arrangement?
It is irresponsible of people on here to state that schools will be 'unsafe'.
If parents are terrified then home school. If teachers are terrified then resign. Far better to have school closing for lack of teachers (of that really happened, but it'll be an empty threat£ than for the children to be taught by people who are spreading unnecessary fear that teachers will be dropping like flies in from to of the kids. It didn't happen when the 'danger' was many times greater than it is even now, let alone September.
And NO! to masks for school children. Completely OTT and damaging.

I’m going from being a sahm, to starting a new teaching job in September!! Now I’m wondering if I’ve done the right thing.

Though I’ve just read your post, @lifeafter50, and it’s made me feel better!

I just want to get back to some semblance of normal life.

@Llamazoom

I know tell me about it. It's like a competition on here with everything. It's far enough without having the extra walk. My son's 2.5. he wants to walk but doesn't walk nicely. So he's in a buggy arching and crying. So yeah could do without the longer walk and the queue when we get there. But yeah it's not a first world problem. But we could do without it! X

I would love to relax and just go with it. But I'm not going to relax until my child and all other children can go to school without catching a virus that has the power to kill and cause really unpleasant side effects.

Well you wont ever be relaxing then, since there have ALWAYS been viruses around that have the power to kill and cause unpleasant side effects.

Life is not without risk, it never has been. People seem to have forgotten that. Unless you're going to sit around at home until there's a vaccine for death then I would suggest you try and get back to as much normality as you can.

@Juststopswimming
When was the last virus you remember that caused all this?

Very interested in this because never ever come across one in my 31 years. My mum hasn't either.

So which ones have put teachers and children at risk like this before?

The is my concern. My children get every cold going, usually a cough and runny nose so not classic covid symptoms but it is not going to be realistic or sustainable to be off for 14 days every couple of weeks, I’ll be off more than I am at work which isn’t good considering I work in much needed community nursing. There needs to be an accurate way of testing the kids so they can go back without the 14 days and little disruption. I thought if your swab was negative you went back to work?