Kids in school and change

[CovidStopping]

Ok, so my kids are the lucky ones - they've been in school throughout as DH and I both key workers. We r very lucky and I'm not disputing that at all.

However, I was reflecting today how hard it's been for them.

Their best friends left in March to be home schooled and they were both placed in bubbles with kids from other classes they didn't know so had to make me friends. Then old friends came back and they were separated from new friends in September. Then in January (or whenever - lost track!) old friends went off again and they were both in new bubbles again (but not same kids as last march), so had to make a bunch of new friends. Now next week old friends are coming back and they won't be allowed to mix with the new friends they've made.

I just feel.so sad for them. My kids had already had school changes prior to all this, as well as class shuffles mixing up the kids in the year.

I just feel.like they are learning that whatever friends they make will only be temporary so they better not get too close.

They've been great, but it's pretty hard on primary age kids to have to keep making and losing friends. :(

Just felt sad for them today that's all :(

Better to have loved and lost than not at all? My daughter hasn't played with another child since she finished on 18th December bar the one farcical day on 4th Jan. 23 weeks of school, fun and friendship lost. I'd completely have swopped places with you.

I feel sad for everything primary age children have been through, particularly those too young to really understand why. How on earth at age 4/5/6 can they comprehend a pandemic. I totally agree with you, they will have no reason to believe that this won’t just keep happening. We can’t promise them definitively that schools won’t close again, and we certainly couldn’t when they went back last September, so I am wary of reassuring my DC because I am not in control of the promises I might make.

And mine have been home since the 4th Jan. I think the experiences of those at school and those at home have been worlds apart, but still both awful situations for them all.

However, I was reflecting today how hard it's been for them.

Tell that to the children of parents on here who have reported how not being in school has triggered feelings of isolation/being left out - how to tell one of only 3 children in the class not in under a keyworker place etc why they shouldn't be sad when they log in to see all the rest of the class waving at them behind the teacher.

It's not been ideal for any child but children get split up for all sorts of reasons through out their school careers so it might be better to teach them a little resilience and point out they have now made a lot of new friends they might otherwise not have had the opportunity to know really well.

@palacegirl77

Better to have loved and lost than not at all? My daughter hasn't played with another child since she finished on 18th December bar the one farcical day on 4th Jan. 23 weeks of school, fun and friendship lost. I'd completely have swopped places with you.

I’m not disputing it’s tough, but I make that 11 weeks?

My friends son has autism and is a KW child and all this upheaval of new bubbles, different teacher etc in school has been so terrible for him he now school refuses.

@palacegirl77

Why’s your daughter not played with another child?

[quote OverTheRainbow88]@palacegirl77

Why’s your daughter not played with another child?[/quote]
It’s been illegal.

It has been hard for all primary aged kids I think. Mine sobbed after her school zoom lesson yesterday as out of her friendship group of 5, she’s the only one not in school. She had to watch them all chatting and laughing in the back of the video call while she hasn’t socialised with anyone since September.

December, not September, sorry.

@MrBullinaChinaShop

I genuinely find that shocking. She’s not socialised with anyone since dec?

[quote OverTheRainbow88]@MrBullinaChinaShop

I genuinely find that shocking. She’s not socialised with anyone since dec?[/quote]
No. Because she’s 7 so can’t go for a walk with friend alone, and I don’t know anyone who is willing to break the rules for her to be able to socialise.

@mrbullinachinashop why has your child not socialised with another child in nearly 3 months? Don't you take her to the park to meet a friend? Or out for a walk with another child? The law doesn't say they can't see or socialise with other children, just not in homes and not in groups, there are ways for her to see other children outdoors 😔.

@MrBullinaChinaShop

What about the playgrounds full of kids to play with?

[quote Invisimamma]@mrbullinachinashop why has your child not socialised with another child in nearly 3 months? Don't you take her to the park to meet a friend? Or out for a walk with another child? The law doesn't say they can't see or socialise with other children, just not in homes and not in groups, there are ways for her to see other children outdoors 😔. [/quote]
The law allows one person to meet with one other. I have taken her the park plenty of times, it has been empty.
Not sure why I’m getting a hard time for this . I don’t know anyone who has been willing to allow their children to socialise. Her friends are all in school during the week, and I am working every hour god sends to make up for the time I’m missing while homeschooling.
Trust me if I could have found the opportunity to socialise I would have done.

[quote OverTheRainbow88]@MrBullinaChinaShop

I genuinely find that shocking. She’s not socialised with anyone since dec?[/quote]
It has basically been against the law in England. I know loads of people have bent the rules and set up ‘childcare bubbles’ for playdates or ‘accidentally’ met in the park. But it’s hardly shocking that some people are actually abiding by the rules.

[quote OverTheRainbow88]@MrBullinaChinaShop

What about the playgrounds full of kids to play with?[/quote]
FFS. I live in a small village. We go to our local playground a lot, it is always empty bar the odd toddler. I don’t have all that much time to seek out other playgrounds where there might be other kids as I’m homeschooling and working full time.

You’re right your kids are one of the lucky ones being in school, home schooling with minimal interaction with their peers unless it’s via a screen has certainly not been a picnic either!

But it’s hardly shocking that some people are actually abiding by the rules.

It is shocking if it means a 7 year old hasn’t played with another kid for almost 3 months.

Imagine that happening 2 years ago and people not finding it shocking!

[quote OverTheRainbow88]@palacegirl77

Why’s your daughter not played with another child?[/quote]
Because of a little thing called lockdown and her being too young to e.g. go for a walk with a friend??

@Marmite27 she was also out march - July too

@OverTheRainbow88

But it’s hardly shocking that some people are actually abiding by the rules.

It is shocking if it means a 7 year old hasn’t played with another kid for almost 3 months.

Imagine that happening 2 years ago and people not finding it shocking!

Like I said, I’ve tried to find opportunities for her to socialise but alongside working full time, homeschooling and the people I know in the village being unwilling to allow their kids to socialise, I haven’t been able to! Yes it’s awful. Yes it’s shocking. Yes I feel shit who it and you’re making me feel worse. But that’s the situation many have been put in with school closures.

Same here. We’ve stuck to the rules so my primary-aged daughter hasn’t seen anyone under the age of 35 since mid December (only DH, MIL and me). We tried a few Zoom play dates but they’re not a patch on the real thing. I can’t wait for school to reopen to her so she can socialise with her peers.

[quote OverTheRainbow88]@MrBullinaChinaShop

I genuinely find that shocking. She’s not socialised with anyone since dec?[/quote]
How is this shocking when it's been the law to day she can't!

*about it