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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:
Perfect28 · 13/12/2021 06:31

So many adamant no's here, but do people realise that if your child catches covid this week you say goodbye to pretty much the entire Christmas break. It's not just 'one lunch with gran' it's isolation for 10 days. If you're a single parent that's you isolating too. If you're not, that still means no family time together. For a week of watching movies/making cards?
We are both teachers and I wish they would have moved to online learning this week. Tbh we are closed for several year groups anyway because of staff absence. I will be keeping my distance, I'm terrified to have my break ruined. Husband and baby caught it over half term so we didn't have a break then either, and we really need one!

1AngelicFruitCake · 13/12/2021 06:34

[quote Cookiecrisps]@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.[/quote]
I agree! In years gone by we used to have a toy day but not allowed that now as so much extra to catch up on!

sarahc336 · 13/12/2021 06:38

Absolutely not, ones at nursery and one at school. It's so much better for their emotional well-being being there xx

purplesequins · 13/12/2021 06:42

no
my teens have some exams this week that count towards their gsce. of course they are going to school!
there are rumours though that school will allow dc home after the tests though, which will mean half days.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 13/12/2021 06:44

[quote julieca]@CeeceeBloomingdale but as it gets nearer to Xmas, they do less actual real learning.[/quote]
Not true for us. One of mins is yearc10 so a GCSE year, they learn until the very last minute. The youngest is year 6 and they are running catch up sessions for extra maths, they are definitely still learning. Even if it's less, it is still happening. Christmas is just one day!

RosieLemonade · 13/12/2021 06:48

@Perfect28 speak for yourself! We have to teach as usual until Friday afternoon when we can play party games. What can I do though? I have to teach and DH has to work so DD has to go to school! I'm nearly 28 weeks pregnant as well to add another worry. Last year I did pull DD out. Not for fear of one of us getting it but if any child in either of our class had got it we would have had to isolate for 10 days.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 13/12/2021 06:49

@Perfect28

So many adamant no's here, but do people realise that if your child catches covid this week you say goodbye to pretty much the entire Christmas break. It's not just 'one lunch with gran' it's isolation for 10 days. If you're a single parent that's you isolating too. If you're not, that still means no family time together. For a week of watching movies/making cards? We are both teachers and I wish they would have moved to online learning this week. Tbh we are closed for several year groups anyway because of staff absence. I will be keeping my distance, I'm terrified to have my break ruined. Husband and baby caught it over half term so we didn't have a break then either, and we really need one!
Yes the majority of people posting can likely count to ten and understand what isolation means, although not everyone in the household would necessarily need to isolate. I'm not having my children miss out on learning opportunities so you can have a holiday. We are not all teachers, some of us aren't even getting a break Hmm
Itisasecret · 13/12/2021 06:52

You can tell how out of touch MN is with what goes on in schools. A week of Christmas fun, making cards, movies Biscuit As if!

Itisasecret · 13/12/2021 06:53

Ps, I’m sceptical of any “teacher” who says that because it actually doesn’t happen anymore.

Tabbacus · 13/12/2021 06:54

@Itisasecret

You can tell how out of touch MN is with what goes on in schools. A week of Christmas fun, making cards, movies Biscuit As if!
It's a shame its not still like that (obviously not teachers fault but a government putting more and more pressure on them and on children). The last week of Christmas term was always tbe best!
Gingerlovesbiscuits · 13/12/2021 06:55

I’ll be keeping them off for the second half of the week. We have cv and ecv family members and covid is rife in their school at the minute so if, by some miracle, we get to Wednesday without them already catching it then we want to maximise the chances of a safer Xmas for everyone. They are only having a toy day and film day for their last few days anyway so won’t be missing much work. I am so angry about the lack of any mitigation’s in schools when other countries are all vaccinating their kids and encouraging mask wearing. We’re just happy to infect our kids even though the long term implications of covid are unknown.

Sirzy · 13/12/2021 06:56

Ds is in year 7. He is finally getting on a good roll and they certainly not doing just movies and things much to his delight!

After the last few years every second counts more than ever.

We already have very much scaled back plans and if we end up needing to isolate so be it. Not ideal but not the end of the world either!

FreeBritnee · 13/12/2021 06:57

No.

IsThisAkissingBook · 13/12/2021 06:59

Yes because my daughter (11) caught it in September. Stopped eating, has been in a wheelchair since. She has been ng fed, syringe fed and the plan was to be stomach fed. Been in intensive care in Bristol when we live in Pembrokeshire.
Spent 8 weeks in hospital. She only woke up last week after a month asleep. We were told she could die. My 14yr old has brittle asthma and is on azythromycin I'm beyond anxious that he will also end up in hospital.

RobinPenguins · 13/12/2021 07:00

@PeachesPumpkin

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.
It’s likely this might happen to a minority of staff in a minority of schools. The idea every school in the country is in the position is a complete nonsense.
Lalalablahblahblah · 13/12/2021 07:00

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

Largethighsbadeyes · 13/12/2021 07:02

God I'm so sorry 😞 😔

Largethighsbadeyes · 13/12/2021 07:03

That was to @IsThisAkissingBook

mellongoose · 13/12/2021 07:05

@IsThisAkissingBook hoping your DC is on the road to recovery. X

Angel2702 · 13/12/2021 07:05

No youngest already had it in October so hoping she has enough protection to get through Christmas. Eldest is doing his GCSE mocks so no chance of taking him out.

OnTimeStillLate · 13/12/2021 07:08

I didn't plan too but both of my little ones (yr2 and school nursery) came down with a cough this weekend and my eldest especially is really lethargic. We took them for PCRs yesterday morning and are waiting for the results. I'm hoping they'll make it in by the end of the week providing the tests are negative.

Sirzy · 13/12/2021 07:08

isakissingbooth so sorry to hear what you have gone through.

If it’s any reassurance I have seen some research coming out that suggests that asthmatics on preventer inhalers seem to be less likely to contract covid. Ds is a brittle asthmatic (was one the shielding list) and that and the fact he is now vaccinated has helped stop me worrying so much.

PiddleOfPuppies · 13/12/2021 07:11

No, they've missed too much school over the last 2 years and they really need a much education as they can get. Plus I don't want to be any part of permitting wholesale closing of schools ever again, and I think keeping children off in case they get ill sends exactly that message. There are going to be some really pissed off parents if their kids come down with it anyway - unless they're keeping them locked inside the house for the full 10 days...

Perfect28 · 13/12/2021 07:14

I too will be teaching curriculum until the last day as is mandated. I'm under no illusion that every teacher will, nor do I believe that the students will be super focused on learning this week. Seems a bit of bitterness that teachers get a break and if we loose it then 'tough'. In many professions if you're sick in your holidays you get to rebook them. The staff absence situation is dire and I cannot believe that a single school is not experiencing that.

MissCruellaDeVil · 13/12/2021 07:15

No, they need the Christmas shows, fayres, movie days etc, after the last 2 years they deserve a treat.