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Original poster

Single parent with no way to get my son to school

168 replies

wobblywinelover · 23/11/2021 20:59

I've had a PCR test today and awaiting results... BUT if it comes back positive i'm not sure what i'm going to do about getting my son to school if his PCR comes back negative (he currently has no symptoms). I'm triple jabbed and he had his first vaccine a couple of weeks ago. I normally have to drive him 15 minutes to school, there's no way he can get there on his own unless I send him in a taxi (which are few and far between in the area I live in). No one else to take him. He's in year 10 and i'm concerned about him missing yet more school work. What have other people done in this situation? I know worst case scenario i'm going to have to keep him off but this is not ideal obviously. Thanks.

OP posts:
Heyvedge · 24/11/2021 07:51

I would drive him in, maybe drop him off and pick up in a quiet bit of town if it is easier than going right up to the school if it is busy.

Original poster
wobblywinelover · 24/11/2021 07:52

@hellcatspangle

I'm failing to see why you can't drive him to school and wait in the car (unless you become very ill and can't drive, or you're trying to isolate from him altogether)

Sometimes, common sense prevails.

Because its technically illegal for me to leave the house, this is what the discussion on this thread is about
OP posts:
Original poster
wobblywinelover · 24/11/2021 07:56

Because it isn't

OP posts:
yougottasmilesobright · 24/11/2021 08:01

I'd take him in anyway
Obviously you don't get out of the car but for yr10 I'm guessing you wouldn't anyway!
Or let him do online learning, most schools are setting it for the kids that test positive or have to isolate

Southbucksldn · 24/11/2021 08:01

I know parents still driving to school, while having tested positive.
I actually didn’t realise that the weren’t supposed to until I read this thread….

Thisisworsethananticpated · 24/11/2021 08:20

Because its technically illegal for me to leave the house, this is what the discussion on this thread is about

It’s a grey area and my school told
Me to send son in despite me and his sibling having corona !!
The fact is you won’t get arrested or fined for sitting in a car !!!!!

AntiMaskersAreTwats · 24/11/2021 08:56

As soon as the government took away the simple step of masks and allowed family members of Covid positive people to carry on as normal that was it for me! All my family have had boosters, we hardly go anywhere and when we do we wear FFP2 masks for some protection. If we get it it’s from school anyway. No way is my children missing anymore school hence why I’m no longer testing anyone.

trumpisagit · 24/11/2021 09:04

Have you looked into cycling?
Unless he has sen/can't ride a bike, then there are very few places it isn't safe for a 14 or 15 year old to cycle.
It's light enough at 8 am which would give him 40 minutes to cycle.
A 15 min car journey is probably less than 10 miles, probably nearer 5. Sounds doable.

BudgeSquare · 24/11/2021 09:23

[quote Sebastianthecoo]@BudgeSquare I put ‘independence’ in inverted commas as another poster kept mentioning it as if getting oneself to school was the benchmark for independence and it’s clear you think similarly.

Yes my DC are trapped at home unless I drive them anywhere. Except they are not, they are surrounded by acres of woodland and farmland, den building, vegetable growing, animal tending and fresh air. They go with friends after school for a walk, to hang out or whatever and I pick them up when they are ready. They all attend extra curricular activities which I drive them too, or drop them off at the bus stop next to school and they catch the bus there. They also catch the bus into town to go to the cinema/swimming/out for lunch.

I hope that clears up any concerns about them being trapped.[/quote]
That was a lot of words when you could just have said "yes".

claymodels · 24/11/2021 09:25

@trumpisagit

Have you looked into cycling? Unless he has sen/can't ride a bike, then there are very few places it isn't safe for a 14 or 15 year old to cycle. It's light enough at 8 am which would give him 40 minutes to cycle. A 15 min car journey is probably less than 10 miles, probably nearer 5. Sounds doable.
This is ridiculous - 3 minutes drive out of my small town leads you to country roads with a 60mph limit, and enough for cars in winter there is no chance I would have my teen cycling these roads
Willyoujustbequiet · 24/11/2021 09:32

Can't believe the amount of posters advocating driving whilst supposedly required to be at home isolating.

No wonder we're in this mess when people clearly think the rules don't apply to them.

shouldistop · 24/11/2021 09:37

@trumpisagit

Have you looked into cycling? Unless he has sen/can't ride a bike, then there are very few places it isn't safe for a 14 or 15 year old to cycle. It's light enough at 8 am which would give him 40 minutes to cycle. A 15 min car journey is probably less than 10 miles, probably nearer 5. Sounds doable.
Have you never heard of 60 mph rural roads then? And sunrise in Aberdeen for instance isn't until after 8am at the moment.
Sebastianthecoo · 24/11/2021 09:39

@BudgeSquare you appeared to be hard of thinking so thought it best to elaborate incase you were very concerned about these poor children trapped in the country.

Triffid1 · 24/11/2021 09:46

I absolutely would drive him and stay in the car. Yes, technically, you are not supposed to leave the house. But this is one of those situations where the rules don't offer a specific answer for every situation and you have to get a bit creative. There is absolutely no increase in risk of you spreading it if you drive him to school. As it's a small space, you could both wear masks and leave windows open but the truth is that sharing a home means you're exposing him anyway.

petitdonkey · 24/11/2021 09:56

@trumpisagit - can I presume you live in a town? It takes me 15 minutes to take my son to the station. That includes a motorway. Google suggests it’s a 52 minute cycle or a 2hr 30 walk. The estimate 1hr 7 mins on public transport. (But actually the buses don’t start until 7 so that wouldn’t work)

This is to get him to the train station where he gets the 7:52 train each morning to get to school.. (he starts at 8:30)

petitdonkey · 24/11/2021 09:58

Sorry @wobblywinelover - did not mean to add to the chatter about getting children to school! Hope your test stays negative.

BudgeSquare · 24/11/2021 10:27

[quote Sebastianthecoo]@BudgeSquare you appeared to be hard of thinking so thought it best to elaborate incase you were very concerned about these poor children trapped in the country.[/quote]
Thank you.

I'm very reassured to hear that your teenage children can tend animals, grow vegetables and breathe air while they're waiting for their mum to drive them anywhere else.

AngelsWithSilverWings · 24/11/2021 10:38

I tested positive last week and I will not risk breaking the law to drive the DC to school.

DS school is a 15 min car drive away but can cycle and it takes him 25 mins. DD can take a train easily thankfully. Her previous school had no public transport links to it so if she was still there she would be at home as she is useless and unsafe on a bike sadly.

If you have a bike he can use safely then that's the only option really. If not he has to stay at home.

sashh · 24/11/2021 10:40

@trumpisagit

Have you looked into cycling? Unless he has sen/can't ride a bike, then there are very few places it isn't safe for a 14 or 15 year old to cycle. It's light enough at 8 am which would give him 40 minutes to cycle. A 15 min car journey is probably less than 10 miles, probably nearer 5. Sounds doable.
LMAO

Sorry there is a road by me, a duel carriage way that has just had its limit lowered from 70 to 60.

Then there is the question of carrying a school bag, not having anywhere at school to lock a bike or leave a helmet.

A 15 min journey on country roads can be 15 miles, and not 15 miles of flat road.

zombiedog21 · 24/11/2021 10:53

Drive him.

milkysmum · 24/11/2021 11:13

Everyone I know who has had covid ( many many people, myself included ) had still done the school run. School has been aware and have just said not to get out of the car. For those parents with small children teachers have done over and escorted the child from the car to the playground - no school has had an issue with covid positive parents doing school run.

JSL52 · 24/11/2021 11:30

How would OP spread Covid if she stayed in the car ?

spiderlight · 24/11/2021 12:00

@JSL52

How would OP spread Covid if she stayed in the car ?
She wouldn't - unless she broke down or had an accident, which would bring her into contact with other drivers and the emergency/breakdown recovery services.
TurnUpTurnip · 24/11/2021 12:02

@milkysmum

Everyone I know who has had covid ( many many people, myself included ) had still done the school run. School has been aware and have just said not to get out of the car. For those parents with small children teachers have done over and escorted the child from the car to the playground - no school has had an issue with covid positive parents doing school run.
That’s under the assumption that every drives, I had to keep mine home as I don’t, parents that drive don’t have the option to bring theirs in
mswales · 24/11/2021 12:17

@squee123

For those saying it makes no difference to anyone if the OP drives him... what if she breaks down? What if she has an accident and requires emergency care? I really do think it is selfish to break the rules and drive given that you could be putting others at risk.
She is just as likely, in fact more likely, to need emergency assistance while at home. More accidents happen at home than anywhere else. Definitely think you should just drive him to school and stay in the car OP.

www.rospa.com/home-safety/advice/general/facts-and-figures