Ireland's Calling for Normal Life to Return, thread number 5

[eggandonion]

Unlinked because I can't remember how to do it, and can't find Help thing.

Can't believe they are planning on opening schools from February. Starting with special needs, the most vulnerable
That's crazy I understand many need schools open for CC it is possible they will open there is a lot of pressure on Norma.
My friend her DH caught Covid19 from their DD from crèche DC is fine the father is still out of work ill.
Mine would get a place under SN I'll be tempted to send DS for the routine depending on how many are going.
DD is welcome to stay home.

So many families have different opinions on schools opening for kids, with such a variety of needs both medical and social. It's definitely not one size fits all.

Schools have remained open in the UK for children with sn and vulnerable kids and kids of key worker children. They are also fully open in France and France. I have lots of family working in hospitals who are now down staff due to schools being closed...
Whatever about big numbers, they can wait but some children will be in awful situations at home. Its so disingenuous to suggest that online learning can work with all children particularly those with sn, I know a lot of parents and their kids with sn just aren't engaging and need 100 percent supervision by the parent who might also need to work. Its a totally unrealistic expectation for parents to work full time and teach full time which is the expectation. I encourage parents to complete the feedback survey on the government website on how they are finding their homeschooling and share it.
It is not the school or teachers fault that the schools are shut, its an extraordinary situation but its totally unfair to place responsibility on parents to teach their lessons plans in full while said parents are also trying to work or take care of other children. Our taxes are paying towards our children getting an education and I have no doubt the schools won't be open until earliest end of march so almost 8 months of missed schooling....

*France and Spain. My friend is a teacher in Spain and although some (not all schools( have masks she says the children pull at them , take them off, swap them! Cases are high in both these countries but they are prioritising schools

I also have a friend who is a teacher in Spain, at second level. She is Basque and teaches English. She is frozen in the classroom. Apparently, the Spanish government cannot afford another lockdown.

I’m finding the going very hard today. The latest updates from the govt are just so disheartening. It’s not so much that the lockdown will continue into March, because you only have to look at the numbers to know how bad it is. But it was the wishy washy talk out of Varadkar on schools. I know it’s only evidence if how mentally fragile I am but I really need it broken down into bite size chunks. “Two weeks and we’ll review” I can cope with, even though I know it’s going to be longer than 2 weeks. But maybe February, maybe March did my head in altogether. It’s not just about how long it’s going to be, because it’s also about how long it definitely isn’t. Even if they said 6 months, it would be easier (for me) cos I could plan it out.
I know I’m going to get someone’s back up cos I’m saying this badly. I want and need the whole thing to be over as much as anyone. I’m definitely not saying I’d be happy with 6 months either
I wish they would take a bit of advice from a psychologist about their messaging and communication with the public because it’s as hard on the mental health as being locked down, homeschooling, the money worries and the fear of catching the bloody virus. They’re doing as much damage with their mouths as the virus.

Sorry, I’ll climb down off the soap box. I’m getting unreasonably ranty these days and no one needs that!

On a better note I saw my first snowdrops this morning

I hear you on the desire for concrete deadlines! I would love that too. I think the messaging in the first lockdown was very poor too and that hasn't helped public perception now, when we're all expecting to be strung along for months on end again.

Tbqh as a teacher, I'm delighted we aren't doing provision for kids of essential workers etc. Don't get me wrong, the idea behind it is good. The realities however... The list is far too long and while I'm not against helping frontline services, it would have to be extremely limited. My class are doing a lot of live and recorded lessons too - that level of provision just isn't happening if I'm also in school.

Reading the English MNer threads about it and talking to friends over there only solidifies my feeling on it. One friend of mine has 70% attendance in class and more trying to get in! You have the kids with additional needs, the kids of essential workers, those who are struggling with homeschooling. I don't think we'd handle it better here.

Agree that online learning for SN is rubbish. I don't know any parents in our circles who find it good. The school is trying but tbh they are stressing the fuck out of me. These singing and dancing live classes are ridiculous especially when I've 4 others here doing live lessons , the videos are hit and miss. I'm much better doing my own thing. I know what entertains dd and what she likes.

Of course in person teaching is much better but most in dds school are severely disabled so they thrive on person to person contact but the cases in the school were ridiculous, teaching staff in and out because of isolating from close contact. Teachers, sna's getting the virus and bringing it home to their families. There's been alot of very ill and even a death of sna's partner because SNA brought it home.

Then you have the staff blaming the kids for being carriers and bringing it in and you've the families blaming staff bringing it in, no one knows for sure, but everyone is blaming each other. Then you have the families who don't care and send the kids in sick, before lock down last year one mother put her child on the school bus while waiting for test results for child, she told no one and because child tested positive that's when school discovered through time line that she has been tested and put on the bus endangering the other ill children, the driver, the escort and then the school.

I definitely would prefer dd to be in school, but she has too many illnesses, she's 13 and still in nappies, spoon fed, and medications adminstered through out the day, some injections. While they wear gloves etc there's always contact, doing these and then holding things like markers, paints etc in their hands, holding them to console/comfort them etc. Then some rooms the staff don't wear masks because some children are afraid of them so that's another fear for the staff.

I know I only have dds school to judge by and 90% of the kids have underlying conditions. It may be an easier decision to send your child back if they are healthy and have some understanding what is going on and have no fear of PPE etc. I get parents are stressed, some kids are demanding and require alot of time and patience.

This one is very hard I agree @thelegohooverer. My teen dc are really struggling, they haven't seen their friends since before Christmas and there's no end in sight. The dark evenings and terrible weather are just adding insult to injury. They are both very sociable and miss their friends so much.

I was trying to look on the bright side, in a few weeks we'll see a proper stretch in the evenings and hopefully the weather will start to improve, but it's not much to look forward to is it? Dd's birthday is at the end of March, last year she had a lockdown zoom party which was a novelty at that point. Who would have imagined we'd be in the same situation a year on.

I hope they can sort out this vaccine mess with AZ, vaccinations are all we have to cling on to.

I haven't seen the updates or heard the news, just home from work.
The dentist took my tooth out, ouch.
I have concerts in june this year rescheduled from last year. No way they are going to happen. It's hard to know about weddings as well.
I dont know how the phased thing will work with schools. Just have to wait and see I suppose.
Off to look at the updates now.

I used to work in a SN school very like your dds school, judging by what you've said. I honestly don't know how many kids would come back, so many were medically vulnerable.

Also used to work in a school for behavioural disturbances. Tiny, ancient building with extreme behaviour from big lads. How the hell are the staff there meant to bring those kids back in a safe manner during a pandemic? I'd say a lot would be back asap but it's a dangerous environment in normal times.

A friend of mine teaches kids who can't be around her when she's masked as 9/10 times they meltdown - which isn't their fault, of course - and can't social distance in the slightest. Spitting etc is rife. Norma Foley has no idea.

Such a shít situation, it really is.

@Iblinkedandiamold

I haven't seen the updates or heard the news, just home from work. The dentist took my tooth out, ouch. I have concerts in june this year rescheduled from last year. No way they are going to happen. It's hard to know about weddings as well. I dont know how the phased thing will work with schools. Just have to wait and see I suppose. Off to look at the updates now.

Oof, sympathies on that one. Hope you're having a nice evening to yourself now though?

I'm glad schools closed when they did. Once the shops and restaurants opened 1st December it was only a matter of time before it exploded, my nerves were starting to fray the Christmas break came right on time saving many lifes.
If level 3 was mid November it could be much worse.

I wore a mask today in work because of my tooth. The kids didn't bat an eye lid I however felt like I was suffocating. The masks dont protect me though they protect others am I right in thinking that? My mask is just a general fabric one with a filter that I change.

I think it's agress the protect the user as well.as the people around you.

Certainly at the start the thinking was it just protect other people, some said it did nothing. But now the above is the general belief.

I got used to wearing a mask in work, but it's difficult to keep speaking loudly. I'd keep it on with the tooth socket, just as extra protection. Have a nice quiet evening!

@Lipz sounds very similar to the sn school I teach in.. ppe scares the kids so asked not to wear it but we can't not have close contact.. In my class I have many behavioural needs too which often require 2 staff to ensure safety of child and the others around them.
Today I had a child sent in ill - message arrived from parent she is feeling unwell but wouldn't take the calpol... Child wasn't sick with covid symptoms but was clearly feeling unwell.. If your child needs paracetamol keep them home!

I hate parents who send their child in sick. Worse still is when they dont tell you. In the past I've had to ring the parent and I get "oh they weren't feeling well this morning so we gave them calpol."
On the other hand I've had children coming in fine and within a hour or so they are throwing up or have diarrhoea just appear out of nowhere.
I'll keep wearing my mask anyway. I dont know how much protection it can offer when a child climbs onto my knee. I know I shouldn't let them but if they are upset they need comfort, what can you do.

My dd worked in a special school where open toed shoes were banned because some children didn't like toes. Apart from the potential problems of open toes in busy classrooms.
I think children are so used to adults in masks its normal. That's really sad.

@eggandonion yes they are but luckily the most my children have is a few behavioural problems. I can see when SEN children would struggle with masks. Also my children are school aged. I dont know how the preschoolers would react. They probably wouldn't be scared but they might try and pull the mask off.

So once again we are waiting. Is preschool open on monday or not. Will we find out before 6pm on Friday.

Why do I always forget about Craicnet. Jesus I’m driven demented with my preschooler at home all day everyday. Can’t see preschool opening up again before the schools do. She’s so bored and upset the poor thing, we have tears multiple times a day because she’s misses her friends and family. It’s all just so hard

@Ballygowenwater ahh that's so hard. I am sure they miss her too. I sent out a little task to my preschoolers on monday. They've been sending pictures back, love seeing them. Will be sending another little activity today for them to do. Dublin zoo also have a web cam which I only discovered lastnight. So I put a link up to that on the preschool Facebook page.

Yes it's draining.

Doesn't help that that 2021 was marketed like some magical cure. Well, it was more the going of 2020 that was focused on. Now we are in 2021, it's just like looking down on the yawning months of monotony.

Anyone in the republic with a child on the ECCE scheme only, the children are not going back until march 5th. Just got an email through now. I would say school is the same.