Very scared nurseries will close

[Llamapolice]

I returned from maternity leave during the March lockdown and almost lost my job because of this issue, fortunately as I went back in April it wasn't a problem for too long and I got away with it. I can't wfh and there is no childminder availability locally. It was an extremely stressful time.

If the same happens this time I'll be out of a job, we depend on my salary and I'm really scared.

I guess a lot of people will be in the same boat as schools seem likely to close too.

I'm not sure why I'm posting, just really stressed and panicking these last couple of days.

@coldnwindy Whilst I understand your point. As a secondary school teacher, I need my 3 year old to attend nursery. So that I can pass between up to 5 bubbles of 120 kids a day. I'm also in tier 4 and can't visit my family on Christmas day despite this.

Although hopefully they will stay open for keywords

I don’t know if I can do it again. Last lock down I had just returned from mat leave and had a 3yo and 1yo. We both had to work in shifts and were basically completely frazzled. The 1yo now at least has grown up a bit and isn’t trying to kill herself constantly but the older one is now in reception and would need home schooling. Unfortunately the only way to manage is hours and hours of tv. We had a period of isolation and I swear the 4yo developed an American accent from all the YouTube shite she ended up watching.

It is all fine if you’ve got someone at home not working but if two parents or single working household it is unsustainable and hideous. I felt so guilty during lockdown 1 that my social media was full of posters banging on about crafts and making memories while we were imploding with the pressure. I don’t know if I can do it to my children again.

I can't, I just can't. I am a single parent already working a crazy busy job day and evenings when he's in bed. We are still on reduced hours at nursery for the same money. (1.5 hours less each day for cleaning and to space put drop offs) First lockdown almost killed me, I got up at 4.45 7 days a week to try and do my work and went to bed at 10.30. At least last time it was sunny and hot.

I know that this isn’t legit but would it be worth asking any of the nursery practitioners if they’d be up for nannying for you if the nursery was to close?

I am a teacher. Like the rest of you I would unable to work if the nurseries closed. There were no keyworker spaces in my city last time.

@Clockstop

I may rock up to number 10 and hand over my DS so he can pull apart boris' kitchen if they close English nurseries

Let’s

I also just can’t work with my 3 year old & 9 month old. I’m on the phone to customers ALL day. I also manage a team of 8 who take calls as well. My 9 month old is currently at the crawling & climbing & destroying my house stage. You cannot take your eyes off her or she bashes her head, finds a toy of her sisters to eat, half climbs on the sofa & falls.. how do I deal with that & take calls from customers? My bosses are in the US & really do not give a shit about what’s happening in the UK. They expect us to be working as normal 🤷🏼‍♀️ I’m genuinely terrified.

My DD’s nursery is large & they’ve had no child cases & 2 adult cases since June .. and we are in West Yorkshire that’s had high cases throughout 🤷🏼‍♀️

I'm in tier 4 so I fully expect schools to close. I am praying nurseries will be spared but I am not optimistic.

Thanks for starting this. I struggled last time with my toddler and a small baby and I was on maternity leave. I work out of home in a school so no idea what the future holds :(

Solidarity here too, Sky News seem to quite freely suggesting that schools/nurseries are going to close UK wide this evening.

Mine are 7 & 9 so slightly different but DH works full time out of the home (food wholesale) so it's just me, trying to do a full time job and homeschool 2 x DC.

They're good kids, but they need help and things explaining, so the interruptions and low level noise is absolutely constant. That combined with the phone constantly ringing and a diary full of meetings made my mental health the worst it's ever been in the summer.

Naively, it hadn't occurred to me that we'd be here again as everything was looking so promising with the vaccine. I literally can't bear the thought of having to do it again. For all of those with a toddler, oh my 🙁

Do you have the link from sky news ?

I was on maternity leave last lockdown, and dh was at home. I'm now working full time from home, and dh is working out of the house full time. I can't imagine how on earth I would manage a 1 year old and a 3 year old, and work full time. Its just not possible. Dh's parents passed away, his sister is 4 hours away, and my parents are ecv so no childcare support to call on. We will be fucked if nurseries close. If one of us has to quit working then our debts from the last lockdown will just be compounded. And we face losing our home, and then what? Seriously scary stuff.

I hope not as it will mean colleague will do very little again as she's trying to watch 2 preschoolers. Her husband seems incapable of taking any time off form his WFH job to watch them.

Oh god @Coffeesnob11, your post made me realise how awful it's going to be trying to do this in winter. In spring I was getting up at 5am and/or going to bed at midnight to try to fit work in around parenting my toddler. It nearly broke me, but at least I could have a cup of tea in the garden in peace and quiet when everyone else was asleep. I do not fancy doing that in January.

I'm worried work will see this as a good excuse to make the couple of us with young kids redundant... it's only a matter of time anyway.

It has nothing to do with my wants, my 1 year old needs constant supervision and it's hard enough trying to work from home when DH is there too and she is just running around in the background. I would not be able to cope if I was by my self with her as I know from experience I would get about 5 minutes done. Sadly this cost me my job in the first lockdown.

I’d also say last time it wasn’t really safe. We ended up putting in place strict slots where one of us was working abs one was doing childcare. Most of the time that sort of worked but went wrong if both of us ever needed to work at the same time.

It is a nightmare.
Could a neighbour help it is very common in Ireland for neighbours to be childminders a newborn is seen as a potential job.
Hopefully they won't close.

Listening to Patel on R4 still talking about schools open. Which would include nurseries obvs

A small ray of hope

I think schools will reopen too.

It would be catastrophic.

Please remember, it's not just nurseries. I had a 4 year old reception age dc during the last lockdown. You simply can not work and safely supervise a small child.

I ALSO have a teenager, and even though they don't need co stand supervision. My teen ended up having suicidal thoughts last lockdown. No previous history of mental health issues but sheer isolation and some online bullying (long story) which wouldn't have happened had they been in school.

It's absolutely nothing to do with personal wants. Personal wants are like wanting a new TV.

Being able to work and keep food in my children's belly's is survival.

My other worry about nursery closure for my pre-school age child is that now is a crucial stage of development for him. He needs to learn from others, socially and emotionally and it's bad enough with everything nice indoors that we used to do being closed. I've already had to deal with a period of unpaid work due to son having to isolate sue to a case in bubble . I'm so sick of being shat on for almost a year now.

I know it’s so crucial that children get to socialise at an early age.

Pre school age that is. It has had very low impact keeping them in so far.

I cannot see that they should close.

I don't think my youngest can take another lockdown all play centre/swimming etc have been shut, long winter days stuck in the home.
If it happens I'll try bubble him a few days with a working DM from his class to give a hand.

Thanks @MarshaBradyo I really hope you're right!