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Original poster

School while not positive.

57 replies

TestZen · 01/02/2022 06:34

Hi. I'm sure this has been done before.

We all test ourselves on a Monday morning. My 5 year old was positive. Through the day it became clear her throat is hurting, temperature & she went downhill.

My son is 8 & school said he needs to be in. They are aware of myself being a single parent who doesn't drive. They said they will authorize the absence if I can't get him in, which is nice of them.

If I had any way to get him there I'd keep him home today & possibly tomorrow as well, testing each day, then send him on Thursday.

Will this be looked at as wrong though? By other parents? The parents who I speak to when I collect my youngest are absolutely against siblings attending school if another sibling is positive... It's all they talk about... 'So & so bought their kid in while the other one has covid, I told my kid to stay away from them', 'We took 2 extra tests last night & 2 before school, because of that sibling' etc.
Also scanning any photos put online to see if their child is sat next to a sibling & 'warning' other parents of 'the situation'.

I don't agree with any of that. Say nothing other than 'Its difficult because siblings are supposed to be in. They technically aren't doing anything wrong'.

Anyway, I'm waffling a bit but basically, if I can find a way to send my son to school on Thursday & Friday, would that be wrong? (I would only do it if each test before then is absolutely negative)
Or should I just write this week off for both of them because he could be spreading it?

OP posts:
Original poster
TestZen · 01/02/2022 08:05

Dammitthisisshit Just saw your post. It's awful, I know. I haven't sent him in yesterday or today.

Not that it matters now but these 4 parents don't know anybody vulnerable, they say that at every chance they can get, how lucky they are.

OP posts:
Original poster
TestZen · 01/02/2022 08:06

CarrieBlue I was hoping that if he was going to get a positive it would show up soon....

I am well aware that it doesn't always happen that way before everybody jumps on me.

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Dammitthisisshit · 01/02/2022 08:09

@Dontforgetyourbrolly
I’m so pleased my having cancer and primary children amuses you. Perhaps have a look at yourself. I wouldn’t with this on anyone. Even you.

Why not come back and sensibly disagree on why it’s unreasonable to expect the mitigations I have outlined to be in place before all the Covid limitations are lifted. And no I don’t think we should be in lockdown. I do think we should still be taking reasonable measures to stop spread until what’s coming to mitigate is in place. And no it’s not the same as flu.

Dammitthisisshit · 01/02/2022 08:09

*wish this, not with

Original poster
TestZen · 01/02/2022 08:10

Finallygotme That's the worry isn't it. It's been tearing through both of their classes since they went back. A case in at least one of the classes every day.

OP posts:
FawnFrenchieMum · 01/02/2022 08:14

I would still send him, my DH and DD tested positive Sunday evening/Monday morning, DS & I didn’t test positive until the following Sunday. If I had kept DS off the first week, he would have been off school for 2&half weeks!

Looneytune253 · 01/02/2022 08:14

Report the nastiness to the school. That's disgusting. Our HT would be horrified and speak to the parents asap.

Dammitthisisshit · 01/02/2022 08:19

@TestZen they do sound overzealous then!
I get that’s it’s hard, I really do. I’m mostly angry with the government for putting schools and parents in the position where those that want to do the right thing are being pushed not to! It feels very disjointed that one thing opens before another is organised.

Original poster
TestZen · 01/02/2022 08:20

FawnFrenchieMum Yes, that's the worry isn't it!

Looneytune I think I will. I honestly hadn't even thought to do that. I don't know how I 'fell in' with this group really, (the loud crowd) because I'm quiet & shy, it's purely because we walk the same way as this one parent & the kids made friends really.

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Original poster
TestZen · 01/02/2022 08:23

Dammitthisisshit Thank you, I appreciate that. I've read your post again & I'm so sorry that it's like that for youFlowers

I actually have a relative with cancer so we've barely see them (& outside) while it's going round the school like this, but they are in the 'Im fine! Everybody carry on like normal!' stages & get annoyed with me for that!

OP posts:
Username536448227 · 01/02/2022 08:54

If the school says it's fine to be in, it's fine to be. Our school has had a massive outbreak, negative siblings have been in which is kinda crazy as probably hasn't helped but siblings being in is well within the rules. No point of siblings missing education if they are negative.

Username536448227 · 01/02/2022 08:55

And also as a pp said report the nastiness to the school. Parents often lose their minds when it comes to covid. When there was an outbreak with DD's class most had barely any to no symptoms but the parents were being ott about it all. People keeping their negative kids off to avoid it but they can't them off for weeks. It's rife! Parents aren't experts!

Original poster
TestZen · 01/02/2022 09:13

Username I agree. One of the children of said parents is having serious mental health problems now 'because of the virus'... (I actually think it's because of the parents reaction to the virus)

I'm trying to arrange something now. I've emailed the school again. I'm sure siblings have spread it but it's just a crappy situation all round isn't it!

OP posts:
NothingIsWrong · 01/02/2022 09:23

Mine can get themselves to school and back (2 on school transport, 1 200 yards and old enough to walk) so in they go if they themselves are negative.

middleager · 01/02/2022 09:29

I had Covid, my son had it.
My other son went to school, as per the rules.

DH was wfh. Neither of them caught it.

Keep calm and carry on, as they say.

SummerHouse · 01/02/2022 09:30

I think it's a really difficult situation. I tested positive at the same time as both children and this was a blessing as there was no decision to make. How odd to be glad that both your children have covid! Whatever you do OP, if I knew you, I would support you 100% and say you are amazing and doing the best you can. Flowers

Original poster
TestZen · 01/02/2022 09:55

Thank you SunmerHouse Yes it's weird isn't it! I took some shopping round to a friend's who had covid a few weeks ago & I got my son to go to the door & hand it through the crack to her (negative) son while I stood back, & I thought 'Such a strange thing to be risking my child over myself!'

Thank you for the support everybody.

OP posts:
Original poster
TestZen · 01/02/2022 09:57

SummerHouse I meant to say as well, that my son & I were talking yesterday & I said to him that it would be better as well if we both test positive now too!

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Infracat · 01/02/2022 10:55

My eldest went to school when my youngest had it. He didn't catch it either. In fact noone else in our household did. Send him in and try not to worry what others think. They might find themselves in that situation too at some point.

Buzzinwithbez · 01/02/2022 11:01

This is a very 'in the moment' thing.
People are now looking back on the last 18 months and thinking 'I can't believe I did/thought that'
For any parents that are judging now, it will be water under the bridge soon.

Do what you feel is the right thing to do.

Spacemonkey2016 · 01/02/2022 11:04

At DS's school, there's twins in his year (one is each class) and the twin in the other form had covid. His sister still came in to school and it didn't even cross my mind that she shouldn't. And this is Reception, so lots of close contact. I don't believe the second twin caught it at all.

RG2468 · 01/02/2022 11:12

Statistically this really isn’t as serious a virus. It’s just not! I come at as someone who is triple vax and on the CEV list. There was a very high chance alpha would have done me in. I know people who’ve had alpha and almost died but now had omicron and said it’s a mild cold . I’ve just had omicron and I don’t know the long term impact on me of having had the virus but I’m just tired that’s all. People of my profiling died a lot during alpha.

RG2468 · 01/02/2022 11:13

What I’m trying to say it’s not 2020

Original poster
TestZen · 01/02/2022 11:51

I have Thursday & Friday for him to get to school & home again sorted (assuming negative tests) & we have online learning for today & tomorrow so things are feeling a lot brighter.

RG2468 Thank you for that perspective & I'm sorry you are in that position. I hope you stay well from now on.

Buzzinwithbez I've only met these parents since my youngest started in September but I honestly can't ever imagine them not being ridiculously paranoid about it!
I just saw the thread about isolation being scrapped in March, I hadn't heard that, Imagine how they are going to take thatGrin

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LovelyLovelyWarmCoffee · 01/02/2022 14:45

In my opinion they should have kept the household isolation rule. The problem now is that officially siblings don’t have to isolate even though it would make sense if we want to limit the spread. So people will judge you for following the rules… because the rules don’t make sense to a lot of people!