Schools and Concerns

mirrorwall14

Hi folks,

I’m posting as a parent not a teacher here (I’m second level). Our lad is going into senior infants and so there is no pod or social distancing being applied to him at all. There will be 29 in his class. My mum is immunocompromised and both grandparents on the other side are over 70. I’m wondering about visiting once schools are open. Do we do it? Do we just call it and say no during school term? One set are three hours away so not ideal for trips unless we stay over. Outside visits only when the weather holds? He won’t wear a mask for me and he is still 5.

I’m very torn on it. He missed them so much but it’s a huge jump in the contacts for our family, he would only have had play dates individually with three off his classmates this summer. No summer camps or anything like that. We wear our masks and practice social distancing so it’s a huge change

What are other parents thoughts? Particularly those with at risk grandparents?

Dravokivich

You've really got it 2 fold. The environment your son is going to be in, and the environment you yourself are going to be in.

It's going to be a bit tricky for everyone to figure this out, until schools are able to digest the guidelines published earlier in the week.

Thinking of the pod things, it's going to be a bit odd. My son goes to creche for afterschool. They've arranged Pods based on the kids who get on with each other. It seems more practical. But there's a kid from his school in a different class, in the pod, and another 2 kids from different neighbouring schools in that pod too. And when the school term returns, they'll be kids who didn't use the creche over the summer, who'd be split amongst those 3 schools and a fourth.

Can't blame the creche for that. Or anyone in fact. but there's a lot more that needs to be considered with kids, then some other people seem to acknowledge. Kids are webbed between so many different things these days.

mirrorwall14

Yeah I just didn’t want to turn this into teacher stuff tbh. I’m already resigned to probably not seeing my mum for the next few months as I’ll be seeing 300+ students a week in poorly ventilated and not properly socially distanced rooms. I’m hoping diligent hand washing by me and changing etc before I pick up the boys might be enough to allow them to at least garden visit their grandparents with my husband (he works from home).

Are there any nurses/docs here parents? How are you managing? Do you visit?

Dravokivich

Wouldn't have seen it as that. I just meant to recognise both of you have exposure to a greater number of people than most of us. And generally speaking, kids do now, more so than 30 years ago when we would have been kids.

Lizardlegz

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

Yeah I just didn’t want to turn this into teacher stuff tbh. I’m already resigned to probably not seeing my mum for the next few months as I’ll be seeing 300+ students a week in poorly ventilated and not properly socially distanced rooms. I’m hoping diligent hand washing by me and changing etc before I pick up the boys might be enough to allow them to at least garden visit their grandparents with my husband (he works from home).

Are there any nurses/docs here parents? How are you managing? Do you visit?

I work in healthcare and I’m also pregnant on my forth child. I’m still working in the hospital which is obviously a high risk environment. My mum is also over 70 and gets bad pneumonia during the winter.

I’ve kept the children home with me since Covid. As I’m high risk and immunocompromised myself I worked from home out of the clinical side of things when the virus was at its worst.

I’ve returned to clinical since June. I think this is just a way of life now to be honest. I think we just have to get on with things albeit carefully otherwise what life will we have? I’m still visiting my mum every day or every second day. We are not social distancing. But I am very careful when out or at work. It’s never going to be 100% safe but what life will be leading otherwise? I think we just need to get on with things and use our common sense and the protections that are available to us when mixing outside our close circle.

My littlest is starting Monte in September, and my other 2 primary. Yes I’m concerned... very concerned but I think it’s just something we need to deal with and get on with our lives.

I’m very concerned for the coming winter so we will just wait and see if there is a resurgence then and re evaluate.

Neyite

It's beginning to get concerning all right.



I think I'll continue to keep him away from the vulnerable in our family. It sucks but the risk just isn't worth it. Our extended family is extra cautious but that's because a sibling's in law caught it and was lucky to survive.

shesty

Senior infant mum here too, and 1 ECCE also.I will keep an eye on numbers but stick to meeting them outdoors if possible for as long as we can, and otherwise maybe steer clear.It's a big concern, but an equal concern is their education (well mainly the SI) and I feel I do have to prioritise her education while the schools are open.

Millem

My son is going into senior infants and my other son will be in Monte ECCE. The older one has 5 weeks of outdoor summer camps all outdoors. The younger one did 2 weeks of Monte when it reopened week 1 and week 2 of July.
We have play dates etc in the house (small group of the same kids) and share lifts for summer camps.
I am also heavily pregnant.
Up until 2 weeks I have been visiting my parents but stopped due to be heavily pregnant the drive was too much. Both parents are 70 and my Dad would have a number of underlying health conditions. We generally would stay in the garden and kids wouldn’t hug or kiss the Grandparents.
The way I see it is our mental health is more important. I felt the lock down really affected my older boy.
Don’t get me wrong we wash our hands etc.
I wouldn’t bring them to playgrounds etc I am only happy for them to go into controlled environments.
We did go to the zoo but left ASAP as I didn’t feel comfortable with the lack of social distancing.

byhookorbycrook

The “pod” thing is a complete PR spin . It’s basically the table system that has been in use for years .
There are no extra teachers at primary level . No social distancing in classes of 30 or more and a “ plan” that ignores airborne transmission.

mirrorwall14

Yeah. I’m in lockdown now so our last trip home for the summer is gone and tbh I think given where I am that’s the last visit to the west for the foreseeable. I’d never forgive myself if I passed something on. We’ll look into booking a hotel around Christmas so we can do a properly socially distanced visit rather than staying like we usually would

lazygal

Maybe I'm too laid back. I've no concerns. They need to go back to school. We'll see how it goes for the first while. Mine are first and second class. I'll send them in with their own hand sanitiser and we'll avoid the grandparents until things settle down. But we have to live with risk for now.

fits

I think it all has to be viewed in context of what is going on in community. I wouldn’t have major concerns right now but if numbers increase locally to me I’ll withdraw from visiting grandparents. One grandparent is on dialysis.

Schools have to be prioritised above everything else. By nature they will be riskier but we have to mitigate risks in other settings to allow them to return.

fits

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

There are no extra teachers at primary level . No social distancing in classes of 30 or more and a “ plan” that ignores airborne transmission.

What would you suggest?

eviltwin

I’ve kind of giving up worrying about it. What will be will be. It’s better if kids get back into education ASAP but it’s a balancing act. I see the logic of those who want them back and those concerned. So I don’t know where that leaves us long term.

Digs

eviltwin wrote: »

I’ve kind of giving up worrying about it. What will be will be. It’s better if kids get back into education ASAP but it’s a balancing act. I see the logic of those who want them back and those concerned. So I don’t know where that leaves us long term.

Totally agree. I haven’t the energy to be worrying about it either. I have to hope they’ll get back in some capacity and will do everything I’m asked/comply 100% to get them there. I have one going into Rang 1 and other second yr of ECCE and whatever about me they desperately need to get back.

ETA: I’m not for 1 second dismissing those that are worried, I just personally have no control over what happens so have to go with it (bar consistently washing hands, social distancing, wearing masks etc in terms of control).

Neyite

It's relatively easy to keep kids away from at-risk groups when they aren't in their family home though. Different story if they have a sibling or parent that's in an at-risk category.

RocketRaccoon

We are in a bit of a sh1te situation. Our daughter is going into first class but my MIL is her minder so we don't know what to do. She's the sort of child who gets a cold every other week during school so I can't see any chance of her not bringing this home too.

mmmflan

It is hard to balance it all up, and hard not to worry about it.

Mine are going into Sr. Inf. and ECCE and we live with my immunocompromised parents. I want to have confidence in if community transmission is under control then schools should be safe, but with the recent events I'm honestly freaking out. But my kids are freaking out being at home too!!!!

Theboinkmaster

RocketRaccoon wrote: »

We are in a bit of a sh1te situation. Our daughter is going into first class but my MIL is her minder so we don't know what to do. She's the sort of child who gets a cold every other week during school so I can't see any chance of her not bringing this home too.

- if your MIL is healthy then crack on
- if your MIL has issues then you may need alternative childcare

CV-19 not going anywhere in next 12 months and kids need to go back to school.

Theboinkmaster

mmmflan wrote: »

It is hard to balance it all up, and hard not to worry about it.

Mine are going into Sr. Inf. and ECCE and we live with my immunocompromised parents. I want to have confidence in if community transmission is under control then schools should be safe, but with the recent events I'm honestly freaking out. But my kids are freaking out being at home too!!!!

you may have to consider moving away from parents, as situation doesn't sound sustainable for next 12 months unless your parents accept the risk.

schools will never be "safe" in that situation, will always be some risk.

eviltwin

Anyone know if the Dept of Ed will impose fines on parents who don’t send their kids to school?

wirelessdude01

eviltwin wrote: »

Anyone know if the Dept of Ed will impose fines on parents who don’t send their kids to school?

Contact the department and ask if you want to know. We aren't England where fines can and are imposed.

Dravokivich

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

you may have to consider moving away from parents, as situation doesn't sound sustainable for next 12 months unless your parents accept the risk.

schools will never be "safe" in that situation, will always be some risk.

Your suggestion is a bit of an over simplification of the issue that lead to them living with their parents. My son and I live with my folks, because I can't afford not to. I'd be assuming they were in the same situation.

eviltwin wrote: »

Anyone know if the Dept of Ed will impose fines on parents who don’t send their kids to school?

There's already a process in place for assessing children that have missed 20+ days. I'd expect if anything is to be done, it'll be through that.

SusanC10

I am concerned about sending both of our Kids back. One in 5th and 1 in Secondary.
We have had no word from the Secondary but got some emails from Primary. 1 Bubble is the 2 5th Classes.
I don't have any confidence in this notion of Pods or Bubbles as there will be Kids on the Bus, Kids going to different Creches, activities etc after school. Mixing away.

We have been conservative. Husband WFH and I am SAHM. Kids are back playing GAA but that is it. No play dates etc. We have visited one family friends and stayed outside.

My Mum is the only Grandparent left. She is elderly with an underlying health condition and lives 3.5 hours drive away from us. My sister with special needs and more than 1 health condition lives with her.
We are there now and will come back next week. We have spent a significant amount of time this Summer there since the restrictions lifted.
Once we are back home, I don't know when we will come again. Will have to see how things go.

Theboinkmaster

Dravokivich wrote: »

Your suggestion is a bit of an over simplification of the issue that lead to them living with their parents. My son and I live with my folks, because I can't afford not to. I'd be assuming they were in the same situation.

I disagree - it's simple choice: don't send kids to school and keep parents safe or do send them to school and risk parents. or find alternative like moving out so you can send kids to school AND keep parents safe. Maybe there are other alternatives....

lazygal

If anyone can't send their children to school because of a living situation then they're going to have to homeschool or find new living arrangements.

Dravokivich

lazygal wrote: »

If anyone can't send their children to school because of a living situation then they're going to have to homeschool or find new living arrangements.

Neither of those are as easy to achieve as they are to say.

lazygal

Dravokivich wrote: »

Neither of those are as easy to achieve as they are to say.

Facts are not easy.
If your child won't be able to attend school based on your current situation those are your options.

Dravokivich

lazygal wrote: »

Facts are not easy.
If your child won't be able to attend school based on your current situation those are your options.

You don't seem to grasp that neither of them are actually options?

lazygal

Dravokivich wrote: »

You don't seem to grasp that neither of them are actually options?

What options do you want?

Dravokivich

lazygal wrote: »

What options do you want?

I wasn't asking anyone to provide options. It just seemed a bit insensitive to completely dismiss the difficult situation some find themselves in. And petty comments like, deal with it, or move out, completely miss the mark.