Hi all, I was wondering what everyone's opinions are on children returning to school. I know children in England have already started returning, but here in Wales schools are opening back up the end of the month. It seems quite ironic to me that the decision to reopen schools here was made on the same day my consultant rang to say they are upping my medication! So from tomorrow I am going up to 20mg of MTX, but my question is: how safe will it be to send my 7 year old back to school? I know they said they won't fine people for not sending their children, but I don't want him to miss out on seeing his teacher and his friends.
I feel like I am being selfish and thinking how it may affect me with my suppressed immune system! I really don't know what to do for the best
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candyangel
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I think it's not mandatory to send your children back and shielding is a good reason not too if you dont feel safe.
My daughter is a teacher and has been in every day teaching nhs kids . But now from tomorrow they are allowed masks and gloves but not since March ? Cant see much science in it , go with what you feel is right for you and them. But they say it's safe, it will be different for the kids . If you know any of the other parents ask them too x
All my children are grown up now but they have decisions to make for their children. They are (mostly) healthy but all are very concerned about them returning to school. One has said that their's would not be going back yet as they consider the risk of a second wave too high. They are lucky that working from home is hard but doable. It's an absolute nightmare especially when you add RD and increased meds. It can only be a personal choice but, in your position, I don't think I would.
It's such a personal decision, but whilst MTX does suppress you a little that's all it is, a little, relatively. I think perhaps of more concern is you've to weigh up the welfare of your little boy, if he is missing the schooling, his friends & the interaction. Also the other side, if you live in an area which has a higher incidence of infection, as I do. So, if I was in your position, even though I’m only on 17.5mg MTX & low dose steroids (plus other meds not taken into account) I would have to think long & hard, maybe even seek advice.
As many have said, I think this is a decision that has to be carefully thought through. And importantly, is up to the individual / parent to make.
There should be no shaming of parents who deem it unsafe to send their children back.
Of course their are significant losses to children not being in school- educationally and socially and these can have far reaching consequences.
However, I think there is a lot to be done to mitigate this and personally, I’d rather work harder as a parent ensuring these gaps are minimised, than send them to a place that potentially places them at risk.
It is a further concern that I am in the high risk category and my children have to travel to school and hour each way on public transport.
As I said, it’s a very personal and individual decision but on balance, I want to know that the R number is lower than it is now ( 0.7-0.9) and feel confident that the reopening of schools alongside the easing of lockdown measures do not impact negatively on my child’s health. I also worry about the increased footfall over the past week, the protests and large gatherings and the impact of this , which won’t be known for the next 2-3 weeks.
I will not be returning my children to school on the 11 August.
This worries me too. My daughter is in year 12 and is desperate to return. I have been shielding since March. She’s been so patient and she is sensible. I think I may let her but I’m not really happy about it...
I’m really quite relieved that my daughters school are only opening for year 6. It’s impossible for them to social distance adequately and have any more children there (apart from key workers ). I’ve been going round in circles worrying what to do but as she’s year 5 currently , il postpone the worry until later . It’s difficult to balance feeling utterly selfish and try to be a good parent in this situation .
I work in a school and I haven’t returned yet. I want to see how it works before I expose myself. I honestly don’t see how this will work. In my school ( like many) the children are taught in bubbles depending on the size of the class there will be only 5-8 children per bubble often not with their class teacher(TA) and they may not be able to be with their friends.. these are not interchangeable. Lunch will be eaten in the class room breaks staggered as are start and finish times . One parent only to drop off and pick up you cannot ask other parents. Which will eventually mean no full time school for any child when all years go back. Doubt your child will miss much. It’s really not easy
My grandaughters have been to school throughout the lockdown. My daughter and her husband are both key workers and they have no choice. Last Monday when more children attended they both have been put in ' bubbles ' not with friends either. They were very upset on the first day as the new routine was very strange for them...as other children were. This is very hard for children , unable to catch up with friends, social distancing, and as you say it's not easy for them. Not sure how much teaching is done. I admire all the teachers who are having to cope with this, they are heroes.
I would definitely not let mine go back. Children are very resilient and won't lose out. Once it is safe and they can go back, it will only be hours before they have forgotten all about these few months. I know there are so many different circumstances and some children need to be back because their parents aren't capable or willing to do school work with them or they are at risk etc but assuming children don't fall into these categories, home is best. The R rate is still far too high and not safe. My granddaughter will not be going back but my son and daughter in law are both capable of teaching her at home. It also depends on who else is in the household and if there is anyone shielding. x Good luck with your decision. X
I made the hard decision not to let my toddler return to nursery (only child and really benefits from group play). Even though I'm not in the shilding group my Mother and in-law are and I would not feel comfortable visiting (when allowed). I'm lucky and can work from home.
My husband is currently recovering from virus and thankfully neither myself or daughter have caught it. Therefore I don't wish to test my luck again.
I’m shielding and have decided not to let my three year old return to preschool or my 1 year old start with her childminder. I am keeping them both at home, unfortunately come September they will both have to go and we will have to deal with whatever comes our way as my 3 year old starts school and so she has to go. I’m
currently on furlough and will probably be working full time (hopefully from home) by then. It’s a really difficult decision to make but I’m hoping by September the R rate will be much lower so the risk is far smaller
My daughter is a teacher of secondary children. Her daughter in Reception returned last Monday and although she has a different teacher and was not with her friends in a bubble of 8 children, she is enjoying being there and has settled well. Her son class 4 is starting today and going tomorrow as my daughter has to return to her school on the 15th June (not sure which days yet).
She has said that schools will not return to anywhere near like 'normal' until January 2021. Up until then children will only attend school for 2 - 3 days a week if the majority return in September 2020. Hard decisions for everyone. Take Care.
I work in school and have been back for a week already. We are lucky to be a small village school with 1/2 form intake with only 15 children in each year group. We have YR, Y1 and Y6 in In 3 pods of 15 as well as key workers children in a 4th pod. It’s going really well. The y1 and Y6 are doing exceptionally well at social distancing and all are having staggered breaks, lunches and home times. Even the YR are doing better than we thought with social distancing. Hands are being washed between 8 and 10 times daily and we all feel safe. No PPE is being worn unless we do any 1st aid or personal care. Certainly for my Y6 children, the opportunity is being grasped to cover some really important subject areas and styles of learning to ease the transition to secondary school. It is really important to them to have these last few weeks together given that they then splinter to different schools. My Y1 colleague tells me that her children have had a week consolidating previous learning and are moving to new subjects this week. All in all, I feel we are lucky and are all able to go that extra mile for our children (but I appreciate not all can). It is hard and it is different but for me at least, I feel safe and I feel that I am doing all I can for our lovely pupils. If you’re undecided, make sure you talk to your schools to see exactly what they are doing, or keep them off just for the first week so you can see for yourself how it’s going to work. Good luck!
you do know that Scotland's schools would normally be closing for the summer holidays in a couple of weeks time, hence the decision to wait until August when they'd normally return after the summer break.
Have a nephew moving 4th to 5th year just now and they're being worked hard at home as of last week, which is when they would normally have returned from exams and step up a year.
I've just had a notification on my phone from The Independent saying plans to have English primary school children back back before their summer holidays have been abandoned
don't know if you've noticed today's news that England's primary schools won't now be back before their summer holidays which is much later than Scotland's. Don't know why the change of plan but they have rowed back a bit
I didn't know the detail just that it had changed.
Why are you so keen to see preschool and P1 children back sooner than August in Scotland? I'm interested because I have one of each ( my 2 grandsons) and with both their parents as frontline a&e doctors (mum has been on maternity leave but is due back in a few months) they're not desperate to see kids back yet as their kids already get enough risk from both parents without extending their bubble further. They obviously appreciate that school is being missed with all that entails.
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