Would / will you send kids back to nursery / school?

Resurrect

I have an almost 3 year old who would benefit from returning to nursery.

We have recently moved house and are temporarily living with my wife’s parents. She is a live wire & not been with other children since the lockdown. 

We have a nursery place from August when we hopefully be living in a house we are buying & no longer with my parents in law. 

I have been furloughed & wife on maternity leave with our 5 month old.

2 questions - 1. would you send your kids back to nursery / school in August (or September)?

2. if you aren’t aren’t working, would you put your child in to nursery for their benefit & to free up some time for yourself & in laws? I imagine we’ll need to pay the nursery as we’ve agreed a place from August. 

Apologies if this is a repeat of other threads. 

Thank you 

chelseablue

Yes to both questions 
My son is 6 and in Year 1 so he is at school as I type, he went back 2 weeks ago 

carly

Yes on both counts, as long as I was happy with the safety procedures taken by the nursery

maman

I can't understand the reasoning behind today's announcement. The social distancing measures for schools and colleges and nurseries are the least for any public setting. So we need to be safe at work, in the shops, in the pub or restaurant but in schools it doesn't matter. Children have been infected in Leicester. What are the priorities? What's the peculiar science that's guiding this? 🤔

Resurrect

I wrote this before seeing the news with the update. 20 kids together in a nursery seems too many. 

We have spoken to our nursery who suggested some days part time in August then every day full time in September which works if I can be convinced it is safe. 

pinkshoes

maman said:

I can't understand the reasoning behind today's announcement. The social distancing measures for schools and colleges and nurseries are the least for any public setting. So we need to be safe at work, in the shops, in the pub or restaurant but in schools it doesn't matter. Children have been infected in Leicester. What are the priorities? What's the peculiar science that's guiding this? 🤔

You CANNOT socially distance kids. It doesn't work and is against human nature. 

My twins are back at nursery 2 days a week. They are in a small bubble of children but you cannot get 4 year olds to social distance. Instead, they have excellent hand washing facilities in place and care is taken to check a child isn't ill before they're allowed in the building. 

I work in a secondary school and we have up to 100 kids a day in. They are in several "bubbles" e.g. a couple of Y10 tutor groups being taught lessons, then completely separate to them are they key worker and vulnerable kids (about 40 of them split into 4 groups). They work 2 metres apart on computers, but when going in and out of buildings it is so hard to keep them apart.

BUT... parents need to work, the economy needs to keep running. It is about taking precautions. In shops you get random people in and out all day, who then go into other random shops. The contact numbers multiply quickly. At least in schools it is just small "bubbles" of kids. 

I would much rather have my child go to school in a bubble than visit shops. 

Fireflyaway

I think pinkshoes is correct. You can't properly socially distance kids. For me, no social distancing measures are enough to 100% secure your kids from catching corona. Even with the best of intentions it's impossible. They will be in one room together, they will touch things, breath into the air etc. They will go home to family who have been to the supermarket, work and on public transport who may be contagious but not know it. Having said this, I'm planning for my child to return to school in September. Too long away from friends and routine is also a risk to mental wellbeing. If my child was immune compromised or had an underlying health issue then I wouldn't because I don't think the precautions are robust enough, but as it stands I think the risk to emotional well-being is greater than the risk of catching corona in my child's case.

Drawingaline

My year 10 boy is back one day a week, my year 6 boy four and a half days. My 8yr old is not back and may not be able to be accommodated in September due to his echp and full time one to one care. I am incredibly concerned that three years of help, including two full terms in a behaviour unit will have been undone. He doesn't engage with any of the homeschooling work, husband is working 10hr days from home and I am back to work three days a week outside the home. He will be going in September if it is possible, and I have faith in the school to make the right decision for him.

But my poor year 11 girl. I am becoming more and more concerned about her mental health. She has missed out on so so much, is bored out of her brain, can't find a part time job, (she is hopefully going to start some volunteer work soon) and if the sixth form college doesn't open up properly I don't know what we will do! I worry about her future prospects and how all of this will impact her going forward into her 20's.

So yes all of mine will be back to school in September, weighing up their mental health, against the measures that will be in place against covid it's an easy decision for me.

maman

I listened to Gavin Williamson and the Public Health person tonight and it was obvious that they believed that teachers could get children to social distance quite well at school but that parents would not control (their word not mine) them out of school. Unfortunately the physical size of classrooms is what will stop schools social distancing with class size bubbles. Other countries have used a 'blended' shift system to keep children safe while returning to education. 

Kim_kim

My daughter hasn’t sent my grandchildren back (nearly 6 & nearly 9).
The nearly 6 could have gone back, she’s too worried and she says it’s been proved unsafe in Leicester schools.  

SootySweep1

Yes I would, presuming no health issues.
I feel that the damage being done in other ways exceeds the risks from COVID.
Jen