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Original poster

Are you keeping your kids off school?

132 replies

ThievesTemple · 12/12/2021 20:50

Anyone doing this? Interested to hear if anyone considering this given high infection rates this close to Christmas.

OP posts:
PeachesPumpkin · 12/12/2021 21:28

It’s pretty likely the teachers and TAs will be off sick and schools will close due to lack of staffing anyway OP.
I hope teachers manage to have some kind of Christmas with their wider families but it’s unlikely.

TenoringBehind · 12/12/2021 21:28

Not a chance,

School much more important than Christmas.

Unanananana · 12/12/2021 21:28

No. Its just one day. My DC need to be in school so they can get an education I can work and keep a roof over our heads.

Taking kids out of school to 'save Christmas' is bonkers. Its unlikely those doing it will actually, properly isolate anyway. Can you imagine tryi g to keep kids indoors and isolated for two weeks around this time of year? Nah mate.

If its pure anxiety that makes parents isolate thrir kids from school, then those parents may benefit from counselling.

2toastornot2toast · 12/12/2021 21:31

Just to add noone in primary schools will be done much this week so all the comments about learning and importance of school is invalid. Socially I understand.

Cookiecrisps · 12/12/2021 21:39

@2toastornot2toast this is not true of all schools. I work in a primary school and we will be having a near normal week of learning because that’s what SLT have said just happen. The only difference being a Christmas dinner and Christmas party games within our classrooms for 1 afternoon. We are not allowed to show DVDs unless related to the curriculum. Even our card making has to be linked to skills in the curriculum.

I hope all the people taking their children out early are honest about it with the school rather than make up symptoms and don’t request remote learning set by school as this adds massively to workload.

Largethighsbadeyes · 12/12/2021 21:44

I have emailed the school and set out our reasons. They are very supportive but cannot do anything about the LEA fining us which I understand completely. I am not going to pretend they have symptoms.

EcoCustard · 12/12/2021 21:51

Sending mine in as normal doubt they are doing much school work but they have class party, Christmas show. Dc3 looking unlikely though as appears to be coming down with another sickness
Bug or virus. Their panto trip is cancelled though. However after all the sickness we have had between our children since September I have postponed a few play dates for the start of the holidays as would like a week or two of better health for all.

Redlocks28 · 12/12/2021 21:56

I wish I could, but I am teaching so they have to go in.

The staff WhatsApp group has been pinging all day with people testing positive-it’s going to be fun making it to the end of term and not testing positive.

BananaPant · 12/12/2021 21:59

@Largethighsbadeyes

I am for the last week. Terminally ill parent and it may be his last Christmas. We will be staying away from people as much as possible in those 10 days.

We are doing what's right for our family and others will not agree with it, I understand that.

❤️

niceupthedanceagain · 12/12/2021 22:02

I'm considering it, two of DC's best friends have tested positive today and we are due to go and see elderly PIL on Saturday for the first time in 2 years. It's also DC's birthday on Christmas week.

middleager · 12/12/2021 22:02

No, one of mine is doing his mocks, having missed so much time alreafy, and knowing full well GCSEs may not go ahead again.

NothingIsWrong · 12/12/2021 22:02

Nice that you have the choice. I think my boss would have some serious raised eyebrows if I did that.

Not that I would anyway.

DSGR · 12/12/2021 22:03

Of course I’m not!

Leftleg · 12/12/2021 22:04

No.

NoSquirrels · 12/12/2021 22:05

No. It’s one more week, there’s fun stuff to do and neither of mine are anxious.

We’re at home for Christmas not travelling- I’ll be gutted if we have to isolate but not so desperate that I am willing to say they don’t need school.

If I had a very vulnerable family member that would be different but we don’t, so just have to carry on and hope for the best.

GoodnightGrandma · 12/12/2021 22:07

No. He’s missed enough already.

gogohm · 12/12/2021 22:09

DD's are older, university - all lectures online (pre recorded) this week for some reason, they are not happy! Seems staff are not wanting to do their job again. Now wondering if it's because they have taken their kids out of school??? All ours are triple vaxxed as of today, they want to get on with studying

rainbowscalling · 12/12/2021 22:11

Nope. Couldn't even if we wanted too as we both work full time so would have no childcare if she was off.

TooManyPlatesInMotion · 12/12/2021 22:14

Of course not! They want and need to go to school.

traka · 12/12/2021 22:16

Taking into account that covid will still be here in one hundred years time just like the Spanish flu is still here over one hundred years later, are you saying that you'll be keeping your children out of school until covid has gone?

BigTwinkie · 12/12/2021 22:26

No

OhDearWhyAmIFatterly · 12/12/2021 22:44

Yes, we are due to fly for Xmas on Saturday. Have not seen family for 10 years, no way am I risking it. Dh will do as much wfh as possible. I'm a teacher so I can't wfh. We have staff testing positive end of last week. I cannot believe we are less than a week away from seeing my family and it all might fall apart.
To all of you saying, no way, kids need school etc. That's true, however, for some of us, family must come 1st and I'm doing everything I can to try to make our visit happen....

Heartdogs · 12/12/2021 22:48

No.

It is a sin how much school they have missed already. They will go every day they can for the rest of their school lives.

julieca · 12/12/2021 22:59

They are going tomorrow, but we are in two minds here. If they go in up to the last day, we cant go to my parents at Xmas. It is too risky for my parents. We need to decide soon.

julieca · 12/12/2021 23:00

@traka

Taking into account that covid will still be here in one hundred years time just like the Spanish flu is still here over one hundred years later, are you saying that you'll be keeping your children out of school until covid has gone?
Of course not. But the question is school or a family Christmas. We can't have both.