So it looks like we're being prepared for children not to go back until after Easter

[choosingcrumble]

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/children-face-months-at-home-as-schools-stay-shut-until-easter-wp5ltpm82?fbclid=IwAR1l0gRSzuJLIv508reRmBEojbYfoGOsWwe3_pBFmKpA4EbI1IgC5dKC2uE

I suspected it wouldn't be until then, let's just hope that it doesn't stretch into the summer.

@Lalliella

VACCINATE THE SCHOOL STAFF!!!

Why? What will it achieve?

You can still get Covid once vaccinated
They will still need to self isolate if they get it or come in contact with someone who has
As far as we know they can still transmit the virus

Teachers who are vulnerable to dying will fall into one of the priority vaccination groups.

So what is the benefit in vaccinating teachers above everyone else in a priority group who has been identified as being at higher risk of dying?

I can't believe this government is now seriously closing all schools- including primary schools - until Easter. This is absolute madness. Schools would be the last things to close they told us. Remember that?! How are estate agents and garden centres still open but schools closed until Easter?!? Shocking. How are parents supposed to cope? How many of us will get the sack?

Annnnnnnnnnd round we go again.

Well let's hope the government open car showrooms and golf clubs first for all the important men while children can languish at home

Personally I don't think telling parents who are probably already anxious and feeling guilty that lockdown will damage their children irrevocably is very helpful

But you absolutely need to be providing them with the information required to limit the harm, this is the biggest failing of the CMO entirely, completely ignoring any information or recommendations on how to limit the harm of lockdown.

For example, we know daylight time outdoors is a huge protector of myopia, so all children should be spending many hours a week outdoors in daylight to reduce the risk of needing glasses more than 50%.

We know the risk of avoiding diabetes and obesity is correlated with exercise and all children need to be getting the required hour of aerobic activity and the required strengthening activities, replacing that lost via school, extra curricular activities and playing with friends.

Not doing those things will harm your children, the medical evidence is very secure, but the CMO has ignored it, never mentioned it, schools might not so essential if he actually updated his guidance on healthy living.

@whittingtonmum

I can't believe this government is now seriously closing all schools- including primary schools - until Easter. This is absolute madness. Schools would be the last things to close they told us. Remember that?! How are estate agents and garden centres still open but schools closed until Easter?!? Shocking. How are parents supposed to cope? How many of us will get the sack?

Parents chose to have children so why wouldn’t most cope? Of people lose jobs it’s sad but you can’t open schools and let it run rife through society as the consequences will be far worse than some job losses.

Parents chose to have children so why wouldn’t most cope? Of people lose jobs it’s sad but you can’t open schools and let it run rife through society as the consequences will be far worse than some job losses

Don your hard hard.

Oh come on @IceCreamAndCandyfloss the vast majority of people when 'choosing to have children' didn't factor in a global pandemic, mandatory home learning, mass job losses and a looming massive recession.

It's absolutely reasonable that people would be struggling with parenting right now given that it looks completely different to the plans that the vast majority of people made.

@formerbabe

Well let's hope the government open car showrooms and golf clubs first for all the important men while children can languish at home

Well, leaving the "important men" part aside (which is irrelevant), I should imagine it's much easier to socially distance in and make a car showroom Covid secure than your average classroom.

Plus, having those things re-opened might help kick-start our economy.

God almighty. Calm the fuck down
You are like a bloody Dementor
You getting bent out of shape isn't going to get schools open any earlier.
They will open when it is safe to open them
Why do you find that so hard to get your head around?
No wonder kids are losing the plot when their crazy parents are foaming at the mouth like rabid dogs on a daily basis.
Go and take a couple of Calms and put a damp flannel on your forehead

Ariata it is clear you are either just getting a rise out of goadinf everyone, or you really are thick and lacking in empathy. Either way, this will be my only response to you.

@loulouljh

Ridiculous. Awful. In complete despair. A generation of children hung out to dry.

I feel the same way.

@formerbabe

'I'm fun fucking mum every day...'

I love that line so much it's deserves a re-quote

What a lot fail to understand (surely not on purpose) is that everyone's circumstances are different. Some are SAHP, financially stable and able to home educate and provide walks and fun for their children. Some live in tiny flats without gardens and limited finances. Some work out of the home full time and not critical workers so children at home all day. Some are WFH and attempting to home educated. Some love the simple lock down life with baking, reading, walking, arts and crafts and some hate it with a passion.

Some are therefore very stressed and some are quite chilled. Some parents will pass their anxieties to their children and some won't.

MN is a mix of all of these so we won't all agree on should schools be open/closed and when they should go back... However, it is what it is currently and even if totally don't agree there is little one can do about it. Or lobby your MP and if the case is schools are safe then all back.... or lobby to make schools safer.... etc etc

They will open when it is safe to open them

Bullshit

Why didn't they open last may/June when the rates were very low?

Ariata it is clear you are either just getting a rise out of goadinf everyone, or you really are thick and lacking in empathy. Either way, this will be my only response to you

Oh ok. Thanks for letting me know

Why didn't they open last may/June when the rates were very low?

Lets talk about how pandemics work shall we

@formerbabe

They will open when it is safe to open them

Bullshit

Why didn't they open last may/June when the rates were very low?

My school certainly did open for every year group last June.

Parents chose to have children so why wouldn’t most cope?

I doubt most expected to be homeschooling for months on end during a global pandemic?

Yes but also from this thread it's difficult not to wonder how many are actually projecting their anxiety on to their DCs and stressing them out? I don't see this level of stressing and anxiety amongst the parent group of my DCs primary irl. And we've been the second worst hit borough in the country. It's off the scale here.

Agree. Maybe not true for secondary but a lot of primary school kids will be taking their cue from their parents.

@formerbabe

Interesting that second wave started week after schools all went back full time. Certainly something to consider

Why didn't they open last may/June when the rates were very low?

Mine went back in June

Children are designed by nature to be resilient. They bounce. They’ll be alright. I’ve got 6 boys. Kids are tough cookies. They’ll not remember this in 6 months’ time. If they do, tough titties, they just have to crack on. That’s life. Pissing & whining about stuff - that’s what adults do.

Never underestimate children’s ability to adapt. They’ll catch up.

I’ve been thinking everyone will need to move back a year, from colleges to reception. How on earth else will lost content be caught up?
DS is year 12, on a tech course at college, they're only offering one day a week online and that has been a complete clusterfuck due to IT access issues and so far no work has been done since before Christmas.

We had some year groups back in June and Sixth Form