Don't 'save Christmas' instead save schools and keep them in person in January (Save Schools = YES)

[SoTiredNeedHoliday]

I feel that our kids have suffered enough and missed out on significant important social and academic periods of their lives. It feels like the PM is 'keeping Christmas' because of fears about his popularity and also because of the 'party' sandal. He should be thinking of the greater good and our lives longer term.
I feel restrictions now for 2/3 weeks and enabling kids to go to school in January is far more important than 'keeping Christmas' and having a lockdown or home schooling in January

What do you think?

Save Schools = YES

I feel that our kids have suffered enough and missed out on significant important social and academic periods of their lives. It feels like the PM is 'keeping Christmas' because of fears about his popularity and also because of the 'party' sandal. He should be thinking of the greater good and our lives longer term.
I feel restrictions now for 2/3 weeks and enabling kids to go to school in January is far more important than 'keeping Christmas' and having a lockdown or home schooling in January

What do you think?

Save Schools = YANBU

OP’s posts: See all

No

Not everyone has kids you know. Most people I work with don't and would not be on board with this at all.

Yabu. I'd rather have Christmas

If kids are getting covid, the we should be looking at approving the vaccine for them, so they can stay in school. But that seems to create much MN handwringing about "risks"

And I think it's more likely that BJ knows that no one will listen if he cancels Christmas again. So this way he avoids the embarrassment

I think that restrictions for 2/3 weeks would achieve nothing and that we've seen that repeatedly now.

This probably doesn’t “save” or help the children who’s parents will lose their jobs/have no money for Christmas because they work in the hospitality sector.
No easy answers with this really

YABU. Christmas is more important because EVERYBODY can enjoy it. Only kids go to school, and a lot of them bloody loathe it.

If someone says "I'm a SAHM and don't want the kids around the house next term" or "I'm in work and childcare is a nightmare if the schools are shut" I get that POV, but that doesn't change my view.

Yes, I think is it more important to keep schools fully open, especially for years 11 and 13.

But I don't see that as something that will gain traction when up against the 'cakes and ale' crowd pleaser of Christmas. Just about every society has mid-winter festivals. It helps us all get through the longer darker days. They matter, especially when the opportunity to see family is added in.

But yes, it should be done with a realisation that choices now will affect levels of admissions in January, and that in turn could mean restrictions and impact on schools

I don't have young kids....lots of people don't.... my priority is definitely not schools.....so me ( and many like me) will prioritise Christmas....you can do as wish though

Not everyone has kids you know

Everyone was a kid once though, so should realise how badly affected you’d have been by having schools closed on and off.

I’m not necessarily saying i disagree with the decision not to lockdown over Christmas- people are vaxxed now, we can’t afford to support businesses again and we’ve got to get on with things - but I really hate it when people think kids having a quality of life is just to benefit of the parents.

no
I want my adult disabled child home, not stuck in a care home for another christmas.

I love Christmas but would happily give it up to save the school term.

@MorningStarling

YABU. Christmas is more important because EVERYBODY can enjoy it. Only kids go to school, and a lot of them bloody loathe it.

If someone says "I'm a SAHM and don't want the kids around the house next term" or "I'm in work and childcare is a nightmare if the schools are shut" I get that POV, but that doesn't change my view.

Or, 'I'm worried about my child falling behind in their education'

If that was the choice, I’d pick schools but I don’t think not mixing over Xmas would necessarily be enough to save schools. If it’s as bad as the predictions seem to be, not mixing over Xmas would probably just delay schools closing, if they’re going to.

especially for years 11 and 13.

^^
I would say especially for those in years 2,3,4 who’ve had their entire early schooling disrupted - they’ve missed vital foundation stuff and are at risk of never catching up.

My Dd in year 8 has got the basics to build on and can happily work at home, there are little ones who haven’t properly learnt to read because of all this. And kids with SEN are a real worry too.

If it's a straight choice then I'd choose to keep the kids in school. I don't think it matters if you have kids or not - everyone is badly affected when kids are not in school, and parents have to home school as other people have to pick up the slack at work, there is more abuse, more DV etc..

I cried last year when Boris announced schools were closed in Jan - it was obvious we were heading for another lockdown and data proves if you lockdown harder and earlier its much more effective and the lockdown ends up much shorter. Last year everyone knew we were going to lock down but instead of 2 or 3 weeks in december and cancelling xmas we did 6 or 7 weeks or whatever in Jan and it could have been avoided. I'd be raging if they made the same mistake again.

Saying all that, I dont think lockdown is inevitable at the moment, it's too early to know the effects of omircon on hospitalisation etc and we are in a very different place with the vaccines and boosters so I don't necessarily agree with the watch and wait approach with limited restrictions like masks. Although I think they should have cancelled xmas parties and it's ridiculous that they didnt- it would obviously have been embarrassing for them given the recent news but they shouldn't be putting politics above people health (though I'm not surprised they are)

If someone says "I'm a SAHM and don't want the kids around the house next term" or "I'm in work and childcare is a nightmare if the schools are shut" I get that POV, but that doesn't change my view.

^^
This is not the reason why schools need to stay open. It’s for the children’s sake - and we were all children, and had a chance at a childhood - not for the parents. I don’t know any SAHM who have said this - it’s working parents who have struggled but it’s not the reason, it’s for the children as individuals.

Where are all the posters saying we need to think of the vulnerable children, it appears that Christmas may be important than them

I agree that schools and education are more important than Christmas. Even if you don't have children yourself, surely you can understand that the future of our society depends on education? However, I don't agree with shutting businesses either. I support the idea of covid safe measures such as vaccine cards or negative lfts, so that the people who are least likely to spread the virus can carry on as normal, pumping money into local businesses.

I agree with you but I don't have any local family and no space to put them up. So we are usually just a family unit at Xmas anyway. As others have said though not everyone has kids, somits not a popular opinion.

I think the teachers need the break

@xxxGirlCrushxxx

No

Not everyone has kids you know. Most people I work with don't and would not be on board with this at all.

I do not have young children, yet. But I really think school is more important for their future than Christmas. You can organize a good p[arty with your children at home and they will able to go to school. I think it is crucial for kids to steady. I do not say they have to study only. But I am really making points about priorities.

My DD missed all of y11 due to MH issues triggered by the pandemic.
I am desperate for her college to stay open next term because she really will go backwards with her MH without it.

However she also 'needs' the normality of Christmas and seeing GPs etc.

It is a massive balancing act. Education, MH for all, the Economy.
You won't please everyone.

My view is:

Masks
Wfh if you can
Vaccine passports for events, indoor mixing (those who can’t be vaxxed to be exempt)
Catch the teens up to three jabs as soon as we can
Start offering a vax to primary school children whose parents want it as soon as we can

We should keep Christmas and vaccinate kids.

If I’m honest, there seem to have been so many cases already in schools and many older children have also already had a vaccination, that I think schools are less likely to be such a big area of transmission soon due to high levels of antibodies.