If you're keeping primary kids home - how and why?

[Indecisivelurcher]

What I mean is, those parents choosing to keep primary aged children at home for a couple more weeks. Why? As in, do you think something will change in a couple more weeks? Options being schools will shut totally. Or the new variant will be shown to be no higher risk to children? I suppose I mean, what good is a couple more weeks? And how, I mean how are you managing around work, are you using leave? Are you working around the kids? In the first lockdown I was luckily able to reduce my hours, and then later on dh was furloughed. But neither option is available now as it would be personal choice.

I am tempted to keep my children off school for a couple of weeks, maybe all of Jan. Infection rates are higher than they were in March when schools shut, if it was imperative then, I don’t know why it’s not imperative now. If I do, it’ll be because it’s one less child that class teachers need to swab test and it reduces the risk to teachers but mostly it helps keep my children safe — they are each in a bubble of 60 at school.
Lockdown 1 was hardcore. My kids didn’t do nearly as much schoolwork as they would have done in school but we were both working full time. I tended to get them to do some work in the morning, then in the afternoon take them for a walk/run/cycle then let them have screens so I could get some work done. I got most of my stuff done in the evenings.

They're not proposing to test primary school children are they?

I don't understand the 'keep my children safe' argument.

I get the 'one less child to teach' argument

I get the 'one less child to spread it to the vulnerable' argument

I don't understand why in the face of overwhelming clinical evidence people think they need to shield their children from this?

Ours are shut anyway but before the announcement my rationale was that the figures were so high that it would probably be days rather than weeks before the bubble burst. I would rather risk a fine than spend ten days symptom spotting. The most vulnerable family member should get a vaccine within about a month so I guess kicking the issue a few weeks down the road might be a key decision.

The how is fairly easy as ks2, no concern academically, just biding time until secondary. Plus older siblings we are both working full time as we did through the first lockdown. The house will suffer the most. I do though think that they should temporarily suspended fines everywhere officially. There will be others in our position who could keep their children off but are worried about fines and losing places. Fewer children in school is safer for those in school too.

@oohmamama

I don't understand the 'keep my children safe' argument.

I get the 'one less child to teach' argument

I get the 'one less child to spread it to the vulnerable' argument

I don't understand why in the face of overwhelming clinical evidence people think they need to shield their children from this?

I think because of the new strain parents are concerned. All we know is that it’s more transmissible and that it’s more likely to affect children. In terms of severity of disease, they are assuming that it doesn’t cause more severe disease in children just like the “wild” strain, but they have said that they don’t actually have evidence for this and studies are currently underway.

Yes the new strain being more spread by children and potentially then being more likely to be ill with it is what's making me ask the question.

Then there's the how question! I can't easily work around a 3yo and 6yo, they're not self sufficient at doing school work or playing without asking for input and a million snacks, and my job has gone very video call heavy. If I use leave, then I've got less leave for covering burst bubbles, sickness, normal school hols etc.

I wish there was an extension to the school hols really. Wouldn't that help get rates down?

@2boysand1princess

The new strain has been around since September.

No increase in deaths or serious illness in children yet an increase in positive tests.

There is seriously no need to worry about children. Enough else to worry about!

I dont have primary age children, or secondary for that matter, i imagine the parents must feel vulnerable to the virus themselves?
otoh parents may also feel worried for their children catching it.

people are worried, for a variety of reasons, themselves, their parents, their off spring, colleagues. you name it

I'm not keeping DD home, I think school is safe place for her, but the reason I would be tempted is if all schools closed next week she'll have just got back into swing of things and then having to take her out would be more unsettled for her than not being in at all.
Also given we have kept ourselves to ourselves all holidays with the exception of grandparents on Xmas day, I would feel OK asking them to do a bit of childcare if she hadn't gone back then off.

@oohmamama

*@2boysand1princess*

The new strain has been around since September.

No increase in deaths or serious illness in children yet an increase in positive tests.

There is seriously no need to worry about children. Enough else to worry about!

If that's true then great. It was the stuff quoted on here last night that led me to ask. I will likely look for some science based papers later today to better inform myself. Rather than twitter!

We weren’t testing in March so don’t know if infection rates were higher but I’ve seen estimates that 100,000 per day were being infected. Think back to March. No social distancing, everything was open, but concerts going ahead.

Mine will stay at home with the vulnerable relatives we live with, it’s less about the DC and more about them, if we didn’t live here the DC would go to school (no choice really as I have to go to work)

I’m keeping my primary child off. They have a health condition that makes me worry although her drs have said she’s not likely to suffer more than any other child who catches it. My older two children are off until the 18th Jan so we’ll reassess then.
I can change my work hours quite easily to make it more workable and my husband is working from home so can take over for short periods.
I am confident that they will do ‘schoolwork’ I set for them at home too so I’m not worried about the academic side of things either for a few weeks.
We are expecting to be fined.

I’m considering it because DH is ECV. I’m a sahm and an ex teacher although secondary trained. I’m confident that I can teach her the basics it’s the social isolation I’m worried about it. DD1 is in reception but under compulsory school age so we can’t be fined.

That’s my concern, I’m not worried about my daughter catching it but I am worried about her passing it to me and DH who are both asthmatic.

We both work so we can’t keep her home unless the schools shut but we live in a tier 4 area and it’s worrying

@Indecisivelurcher

The news article that it came from (telegraph) has been pulled.

I presume because they discovered that the sources are not legitimate.

I live in a tier 3 area and was in hospital this week: my nurse was a children's nurse redeployed from her ward because there are no children in. 30% of covid cases in our area are the new variant.

There is an agenda to get the schools shut and it seems that false information is being spread to try and ensure this happens.

My school is now closed as of last night's U-turn but was initially planned to stay open.

I was planning to keep my DD off for the first couple of weeks if the school had opened because she has asthma and I'm in London. Given the reports of staff and oxygen shortages I am not taking my chances with this.

This isn't particularly a COVID thing, its more that I just don't want her coming within a mile of a hospital right now: colds and respiratory bugs of any kind often trigger asthma attacks. I'd be as worried about her having to go to A&E for an attack triggered by a cold bug.

Once we get some indication that numbers are falling and hospitals are coping I'd be happy for her to go back in. Just not with the NHS at breaking point.

T4 Midlands here. Local hospital over run as it was in April.

Year 2 child due to go back Tuesday.

I think it's madness. I'm undecided. I want to keep her off. I'm in a fortunate position to do so and she couldn't care less to be honest and is one of those kids who does workbooks everyday ugly in the holidays for 'fun' (if she wasn't my physical double, I'd insist she was swapped at birth!), so she wouldn't fall behind.

Posted too soon... but it would mean lying to the school. Saying we had to self isolate. My 4 month old is my main worry.

(Don't know where 'ugly' cam from)

My yr5 will be staying off
His brother is coming out of hospital after a month and 2 emergency surgeries. We will not take the risk

My 4.5 year old school is shut (London) so I have no choice but I had already decided to keep him off pre Christmas anyway. I think he will be off until Feb half term at the earliest but Easter probably more likely at this point.

I live in a small flat with dh and ds. Dh and I both wfh, him full time and me 3 days a week. I always worked for a remote employer and don't have set hours so this puts me at a significant advantage however I still find it difficult. I tend to do early mornings and evenings.

I don't understand why in the face of overwhelming clinical evidence people think they need to shield their children from this?

I am more worried about the long term effects of covid on children, which as of yet there is no clinical evidence for.

How? We are WFH so we will manage. One DC is in secondary and will do their work independently. One is in primary.
Why? I'm on the shielding list and I cannot see how this is compatible with sending my DC into the classroom at the moment. I am hoping I will be vaccinated soon. If the household has to self isolate I will have to cancel upcoming medical treatment that may prevent further disability.

I am also considering keeping mine off.
I am worried about my children catching it, they have tested positive once, caught from school, it was horrible, I dont want that happening again.