One DC isolating - other should too?

[PatsyKen]

DH and I are key workers (teachers working at school), both DC at school full time. Just had call to say eldest DC needs to isolate for 10 days as he is close contact of a positive staff member at his school. Would you keep younger DC home too? He doesn’t need to if we’re following the rules but I’m not sure if it’s irresponsible to still send him in?
Also, if it’s relevant - elder DC can stay home alone whereas if younger DC stays at home it means one of us can’t go to work.

Tricky one. Will your employer accept it as a valid reason for absence if the rules don't actually require your younger DC to isolate? Though I totally take the point that Covid doesn't play by the rules, so I understand your dilemma.

I would send send youngest in, no need for their routine to be disrupted as well

I'd send them in, and just be very civilians I'm sure you will be re son. Also really better for isolating that he's home alone not hanging with you and beo

In that situation I would send in

Thank you. I’m struggle with it!

We had this twice last term with older DC and decided to still send younger DC in. Our logic was you don't know when the situation will reverse so best not to set an 'all stay home' precedent.

When my youngest had to isolate my eldest went to school still .

At our dc’s school the Head has sent out a message requesting Siblings of contacts to be kept at home, it’s a slippery slope!

I’d send the younger one in. That’s what we did in a similar situation in December. Obviously that changes if any symptoms in the child who had contact.

I would say though that if your older DC develops any kind of symptoms I would get him tested rather than waiting to see whether he develops symptoms on the official government-approved list.

Perhaps you and your DH should mention the situation to the head teachers at your respective schools. If they have any spare capacity re staffing they might actually prefer you not to come in rather than risk having someone in from a household that is known to have had recent contact with someone Covid-positive.

Our logic was you don't know when the situation will reverse so best not to set an 'all stay home' precedent

This.

When we had our first experience with ds1 having to isolate in early September, dh and I were at loggerheads over it- with me thinking the other 2 dc should go in Las normal and him adamant all 3 should stay home. He reluctantly agreed the other 2 should go in.

To date we've now had this four times - ds1 has had to isolate twice and ds2 and 3 once each.

Had we kept them all off each time then all 3 dc would have missed 8 full weeks of school/creche between Sept - Dec. So I'm definitely glad we didn't make that decision!

Thanks for all your replies which I did read! Update is that after checking with all the schools involved, we followed the guidelines and still send other DC in and continued to work. Luckily no have symptoms have developed and he’s back to school tomorrow. Phew!

A bubble burst in my dc school last week, headteacher asked if 1 child is isolating from the bubble to keep any siblings off too as presumably there would be an adult at home looking after the isolating child. The sibling didn't need to isolate but it would help reduce the numbers in school.