View Full Version : Kids back at school, really worried!
I'm in Scotland and our schools went back last week partially. Today they are fully back and I am worried sick. My daughter is in S6 and while I trust her to be sensible it's the other kids that worry me. I dropped her off this morning and the school grounds were packed with large groups of children congregating. I feel that it's inevitable that my daughter will contract the virus and bring it home. I have health anxiety and I am terrified, I have convinced myself that if I get it I will die.
I don't know how to deal with this
Even more worried now that there has been confirmed cases in 2 schools in our town.
ankietyjoe
18-08-20, 11:48
I'm really not sure I will be sending mine back in September.
If there were confirmed cases I would 100% keep them home.
If I could I would but my daughter is in her last year of school and is studying for advanced highers, I can't force her to stay home. I think the schools have opened too soon.
I remember when our schools in England went back for some tears in July that I kept my daughter at home for the first 3 weeks and then sent her in. She’s in year 1 and obviously social distancing flew out the window after about a day for her little group.
I would keep an eye on the cases in your area and speak to the headteacher if you are concerned.
I have HA too and I was very anxious about my decision. My daughter thrived from being back at school though & I was ultimately pleased with my decision.
The statistics for children in schools are incredibly low. I know these are very scary times, but keep yourself armed with useful information and not gossip or scaremongering. Follow the rules at home - change clothes & wash hands when she gets in, wipe over frequently touched surfaces etc.
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This is all so stressful no matter what you do! I agree with Scass to keep an eye on cases and have a good talk with your daughter about what situation you would say she needs to stay home. My daughter is going into first grade and I've decided to homeschool her (the only other option is virtual school, so she'd not be going back anyway but I think I would have kept her home no matter what), but this past week I've just been bursting into tears at random times about how being away from other kids for so long is going to affect her in the long term. In some ways I almost wish I was forced to send her just so she'd be able to see her friends. She's only 6 years old, so she's been quarantined for 7% of her life! I hate all of this so much it makes me feel sick.
ankietyjoe
18-08-20, 17:10
The statistics for children in schools are incredibly low.
That's because most children haven't been back yet.
The combination of loosening the lockdown (which is already showing significant spikes in numbers) and kids going back to school is not sensible imo.
Isn't it compulsory now to send your child/children back to school in England? I empathise with all of you having to deal with this situation..It's so hard to know what is "best" if indeed there is a "best" option?
ankietyjoe
18-08-20, 18:58
I really don't care if it's compulsory or not. If I'm not comfortable with the situation, they're staying home.
Of course it's down to you, Joe. It was only a general enquiry because I'm thankfully out of the school loop now.
ankietyjoe
18-08-20, 19:52
My ire was aimed at the potential stupid decision making, not your information Pulisa :D
Here in California, we're starting public school virtually, although some private schools and charter schools who have more room are going back to class because they have the space to spread the children out. I don't know how feasible it is to keep kids apart. Even if they can spread out in class, what about the bathroom? Or hallways? Some states sent kids back to school, like Georgia, but they were overcrowded and lots of cases of CV broke out.
And as a teacher, I don't want to be the mask and social distancing police. I have enough to worry about in terms of the students, but will I be asked to enforce distancing and mask rules? What do I do to a child who refuses to wear a mask? What would I have to do to kids holding hands or kissing in the hallway?
Our district wants to go back into classrooms as soon as the stats are low enough numerically to do so, and I don't feel comfortable with that at all at this point.
I had to send my children back to school in June as I work at a school. I was nervous at the beginning but because I’m in the loop so to speak I saw first hand all the weekly risk assessments the schools had put in place and the extra cleaning we are doing, bubbles/social distancing etc Every detail has been thought through and was very impressed with the school my children go to and the school I work at. My youngest was not learning well at home and thrived being back and I just wanted to let you know the positive experience I have had. The lockdown and being away from school/routine/friends for too long can really effect children’s mental health.
ankietyjoe
19-08-20, 23:31
I had to send my children back to school in June as I work at a school. I was nervous at the beginning but because I’m in the loop so to speak I saw first hand all the weekly risk assessments the schools had put in place and the extra cleaning we are doing, bubbles/social distancing etc Every detail has been thought through and was very impressed with the school my children go to and the school I work at. My youngest was not learning well at home and thrived being back and I just wanted to let you know the positive experience I have had. The lockdown and being away from school/routine/friends for too long can really effect children’s mental health.
I feel confident that the school will be doing the right thing and following procedure, but my son is 12 now and his peers are in the same age group. What I'm seeing where I live is that there is a percentage of the population here that firmly believe in the the conspiracy theory view of the world and running out the pubs as soon as they possibly could. My issue is that a percentage of the pupils will NOT follow procedure, just as they're probably not following rules at home. Covid is contagious enough for the schools not to be able to manage this, and the numbers going back to school in September are far higher than those going back in June.
It must depend on the age of your child/children and what the circumstances are at each particular school..and also the area where you live. Such a difficult scenario to make an informed choice as to what to do for the best.
What do your children want to do, Joe? If they wanted to go back despite your concerns would you go along with their wishes?
ankietyjoe
20-08-20, 15:56
What do your children want to do, Joe? If they wanted to go back despite your concerns would you go along with their wishes?
My youngest is desperate to go back (he will be nearly 6 in September), but I feel more confident that his school can control children of that age. I cannot in good conscience keep him home for much longer.
My oldest would quit school now given the chance. He's never liked it and he's not academic. He's not stupid, there are some things he's very smart with, just not academically. I'm fine with that and we don't push his school work, we do encourage him to pursue his other interests though.
He's ambivalent about going back. He did miss his friends, but luckily his two main friends live in households that are doing things properly so we are socialising with them within the guidelines already. He also spends a lot of time online with them (not the same I know) so he has some of his social life back anyway. My youngest can't do the same thing.
But again, we have neighbours who were having friends and family around back in June. Complet fvcking ignorant a55holes. Totally entitled a55holes. And this is my issue, they had children in their house the same age as mine, and I assume going to local schools. These are the people that I worry about, like the world has to mould around their cast iron routines. I despise them.
I quite understand your anger. We can have all the rules and regulations but it's down to people to go along with them in the name of common decency and consideration for others less fortunate..You are always going to get the self-entitled tw*ts who are going to please themselves but they would be the very first to weep and wail should any of their precious circle of friends/family get ill.
I suppose it's all about how far you are prepared to go living with risk and knowing you have no control over others' behaviours. It's all unknown territory..Can parents be expected to take a risk if they are vulnerable themselves or have elderly parents themselves? It's so hard.
I quite understand your anger. We can have all the rules and regulations but it's down to people to go along with them in the name of common decency and consideration for others less fortunate..You are always going to get the self-entitled tw*ts who are going to please themselves but they would be the very first to weep and wail should any of their precious circle of friends/family get ill.
I suppose it's all about how far you are prepared to go living with risk and knowing you have no control over others' behaviours. It's all unknown territory..Can parents be expected to take a risk if they are vulnerable themselves or have elderly parents themselves? It's so hard.
Just like there's unfortunately a lot of people in the world who continue to commit crimes regardless of the serious consequences they have to face (imprisonment, fines, etc).
And those self-entitled idiots being amongst the first to moan and groan whenever any of their family/friends became seriously ill with the virus will be the ones playing the blame game and having digs at the govt, NHS, etc, when they (the idiot persons ignoring the ongoing risks) are probably just as much, if not more, to blame.
Dr Campbell has voiced his concern over the new school term in September and that it may become a major transmission driver. And the reliance on others to be responsible is something that bothers me too. There has been a group of children on our street that have been out playing together (from different families) since this all started. I can't blame the kids especially as they are getting no guidance from their parents.
One family in particular had a visit from several police officers with dogs recently and their children are now with social services. Its very sad, one little girl from that family used to follow me down our drive to ask me where I'd been. She and her sister were 'streetwise', almost like feral children, but they had to be? The parents were usually out of it on drugs. Its always the kids that suffer.
Dr Campbell has voiced his concern over the new school term in September and that it may become a major transmission driver. And the reliance on others to be responsible is something that bothers me too. There has been a group of children on our street that have been out playing together (from different families) since this all started. I can't blame the kids especially as they are getting no guidance from their parents.
One family in particular had a visit from several police officers with dogs recently and their children are now with social services. Its very sad, one little girl from that family used to follow me down our drive to ask me where I'd been. She and her sister were 'streetwise', almost like feral children, but they had to be? The parents were usually out of it on drugs. Its always the kids that suffer.
At least those kids are safe now they have been taken into care.
ankietyjoe
21-08-20, 17:48
What really does concern me is the mass stupidity of people in general as a consequence of confirmation bias on social media.
I have a friend (acquaintance really) on Facebook who I've been connected with for a couple of years (can't remember how). I know this guy has good family values from what he posts, he can spell, he's educated and is an electrical engineer.
A couple of weeks back however, he posted a convoluted article on Facebook about how Bill Gates is pushing vaccines in order to 'chip' the population to control and track them, and how THIS is proof that Covid is a global conspiracy to control all the people.
I mean....what the fvck. Where do you even begin with something like this? How has this man got to this stage in life where he publicly posts stuff like this?
And he's a 'normal' one. If this BS is in HIS head, what on earth is in the head of some of the mouth breathers I see picking their kids from the same school as mine go to.
What really does concern me is the mass stupidity of people in general as a consequence of confirmation bias on social media.
I have a friend (acquaintance really) on Facebook who I've been connected with for a couple of years (can't remember how). I know this guy has good family values from what he posts, he can spell, he's educated and is an electrical engineer.
A couple of weeks back however, he posted a convoluted article on Facebook about how Bill Gates is pushing vaccines in order to 'chip' the population to control and track them, and how THIS is proof that Covid is a global conspiracy to control all the people.
I mean....what the fvck. Where do you even begin with something like this? How has this man got to this stage in life where he publicly posts stuff like this?
And he's a 'normal' one. If this BS is in HIS head, what on earth is in the head of some of the mouth breathers I see picking their kids from the same school as mine go to.
One of the trade-offs of free expression I guess (re Bill Gates and social media). I certainly don't buy into all the garbage losers like him (and David Icke) are forever spewing out, and the powers that be seem to be doing naff all about them.
I personally think people like that pair of lunatics should be deprived of their liberties, after all they're taking liberties by brainwashing the gullible and vulnerable, and indeed milking this entire pandemic situation to fulfill their own corrupt-as-hell agendas.
And then we get others (even one or two on here whose names I shall not dare to mention) who even accuse the likes of Dr John Campbell of being corrupt and a proverbial 'know-it-all'.
ankietyjoe
21-08-20, 20:40
Generally speaking I find it annoying/unbelievable/weird etc etc, but in the face of Covid people are using this crap as an excuse to just ignore the rules and carry on as usual.
In other words "I can go to the pub because Bill Gates is a lizard".
And sadly, I'm barely exaggerating.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xOO9t5HWYs Dr Campbell presenting papers that state categorically children do spread covid and carry a high viral load. Symptoms appear virtually indistinguishable from the common cold in many cases.
How people don't know that kids are germ-bags is insane. I've watched kid leave hot Cheeto dust on their fingers until they've eaten the entire back so they can lick it off, pick their noses with the same fingers and then kiss their significant others with the same mouth and hold their hands in the hallways right after.
MyNameIsTerry
22-08-20, 04:58
How people don't know that kids are germ-bags is insane. I've watched kid leave hot Cheeto dust on their fingers until they've eaten the entire back so they can lick it off, pick their noses with the same fingers and then kiss their significant others with the same mouth and hold their hands in the hallways right after.
Some still do that as adults :winks:
Saw reports yesterday from Germany that a number of new cases have been uncovered in schools - but among the teachers and not the children.Kids are carriers and spreaders of all types of viruses and bacteria (I never go near them) but as long as you hose them down when they get home from school - make them wash their hands and change their clothes (which is incidentally what all parents did back in my youth as a matter of course) - then the risk of picking something up from them is minimal.
Saw reports yesterday from Germany that a number of new cases have been uncovered in schools - but among the teachers and not the children.Kids are carriers and spreaders of all types of viruses and bacteria (I never go near them) but as long as you hose them down when they get home from school - make them wash their hands and change their clothes (which is incidentally what all parents did back in my youth as a matter of course) - then the risk of picking something up from them is minimal.
The “I never go near them” really made me chuckle.
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Some still do that as adults :winks:
G-d bless your girlfriend, Terry!
Good luck on making over-12 year olds wear masks at school..
Good luck on making over-12 year olds wear masks at school..
Yeah, exactly P. That's why at this point, I think I will get more taught online. If we go back with no vaccine, all I'm going to end up doing is being the mask and social distance police woman.
You need to be the teacher figurehead, Vee and not, as you say , the CV police. When is term due to start..in whatever form?
We started online last week. We just finished week one. Our county is getting closer to moving off the state watch list, but for the zip code my school is located in, we have a high concentration of cases in our neighborhood. Everyone wants to go back to school; well all know kids learn best in-person and parents need a break, but I don't know how that's feasible. Here are schools are designed for maximum occupancy, every classroom filled. We don't have space to spread out, and our campus has 4 buildings: one for elementary, one for middle grades, one for high school, and one for music/multipurpose.
Very hard to factor in Covid then..How does online teaching rate in your opinion against classroom teaching? Do all students actually have internet access?
Yes, 99% have internet access now, but some of them have very slow connections. The students who have parents or older family members home while school is on attend class and do work at a higher rate, obviously. But attendance rates were pretty good the first week. The kids who have a difficult focusing/paying attention have a hard time because I'm not there to constantly annoy them to focus. Since I can't see their screen, I have no idea if what is on their computer is the work or if they're just sitting there playing games or on instagram during class. My classes of older students, pretty much 90% are turning in assignments. My one class of younger kids, I'm at about a 50% rate. The independence with online learning is just hard for them.
It's all about discipline really, I suppose? You would think that the parents of the younger students would make sure that they were accessing your online classes but who knows what the parents' priorities are or whether they rate education as being important?
Not an easy time to be a teacher in such difficult circumstances..In the UK the news is all about the return to school and the unpredictability of it all.New territory and all that..
venusbluejeans
24-08-20, 19:52
I work in a school and the amount of things that are going on behind the scenes is phenomenal to ensure the safety of the children. I have a 30-page risk assessment to read which covers every possible scenario and what we are doing to ensure children are as safe as possible.
Knowing what I do and what goes on behind the scenes I personally would be more than happy to send a child to school...
Every school is different but all schools should be following the guidelines from their LEA
I suppose it depends upon the health of other close family members though? The children will be safe enough but it's what they will be bringing home..
venusbluejeans
24-08-20, 21:27
I suppose it depends upon the health of other close family members though? The children will be safe enough but it's what they will be bringing home..
Let me see if I can explain a bit of what happens in schools from a school staff point of view.
Just to say I work in a primary school ....
Schools are going to have home testing kits to send home if any child has any symptoms at all.
Children are in what they call 'bubbles' and the have specific staff for those bubbles and they do not mingle with other bubbles at all... different classrooms, different play areas etc. Staff from each bubble do not intermingle (is that even a word? lol) either.
If any child is tested positive in a test then the whole bubble will then be off school for 2 weeks, staff included.
Different bins are used for different type of rubbish.... any tissues or anything which have been used to wipe a mouth, nose or anything like that is put into a lidded bin which is emptied twice a day.... the person doing that will be in full PPE mask, visor, apron and gloves. that rubbish will then be stored for 72 hours separate from anything else before being put into the wheelie bins.
Children eat in their bubbles and have the same lunchtime staff each day for their bubble.
The children wash their hands... as they arrive at school, before entering a classroom, whenever they leave a classroom, before lunch and after lunch, and obviously after toileting.
Hands are also washed if a child sneezes or coughs or hand sanitiser is used.... children are allowed to bring in personal hand sanitiser too. This is all supervised by staff
Hand sanitiser is available for use whenever needed each classroom has a hand sanitiser pump near the entrance door.
Each bubble will come and go from a different door each day and arrival and leaving are at different times for each bubble.
Each child has a named water bottle which is placed on their specific seat in the classroom
If possible all windows and doors to the classroom will be open.
Lunch and playtime will be outside unless wet weather.
Each bubble has designated play equipment and that equipment is placed in a box with Milton at the end of each day.
any equipment such as trikes etc that cannot be put in Milton then it is steam cleaned with handheld steam cleaners.
Each bubble has its own toilets which is used by no other bubble.
Parents will be asked to send their child in clean uniform daily if at all possible.
If a child has PE then they will be asked to come to school in their PE kit to avoid having to all change at the same time in the same place.
All tables will face the same way in the classroom so the children aren't facing each other while sitting at desks.
No contact sports in PE lessons
No whole school assemblies.
Each classroom has a cleaning checklist which staff within the bubble will carry out as well as the school cleaners doing their job in the evenings after school.... The checklist is completed before school, before lunch after lunch if the children eat inside and at last break.... this includes anti-baccing, door handles, sinks, taps, tables light switches and any other things that is a high touch area in the classroom.
Any work or anything to take home will be put into quarantine for 72 hours completely away from anything else in the classroom so they are not touched.
There are many more little things which have been put into place... too many to mention.
Thanks for this Venus, I experienced some of this when my daughter went back for the last few weeks of year 1 and was very impressed. Keep up the good work!
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MyNameIsTerry
24-08-20, 22:14
I work in a school and the amount of things that are going on behind the scenes is phenomenal to ensure the safety of the children. I have a 30-page risk assessment to read which covers every possible scenario and what we are doing to ensure children are as safe as possible.
Knowing what I do and what goes on behind the scenes I personally would be more than happy to send a child to school...
Every school is different but all schools should be following the guidelines from their LEA
30 pages sounds handy. So is it like the old Mel Smith sketch where he comes home to find his son has had a party and the house is trashed? He reaches for the Yellow Pages and whacks his son over the head with it :yesyes:
venusbluejeans
24-08-20, 22:20
30 pages sounds handy. So is it like the old Mel Smith sketch where he comes home to find his son has had a party and the house is trashed? He reaches for the Yellow Pages and whacks his son over the head with it :yesyes:
Well it is all on the computer..... so I would have to whack people over the head with the monitor :roflmao:
venusbluejeans
24-08-20, 22:23
Thanks for this Venus, I experienced some of this when my daughter went back for the last few weeks of year 1 and was very impressed. Keep up the good work!
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you are welcome Scass.... I find it interesting sometimes to know what goes on behind the scenes at places, so thought I would share things that some people wouldn't think would happen in schools.
Let me see if I can explain a bit of what happens in schools from a school staff point of view.
Just to say I work in a primary school ....
Schools are going to have home testing kits to send home if any child has any symptoms at all.
Children are in what they call 'bubbles' and the have specific staff for those bubbles and they do not mingle with other bubbles at all... different classrooms, different play areas etc. Staff from each bubble do not intermingle (is that even a word? lol) either.
If any child is tested positive in a test then the whole bubble will then be off school for 2 weeks, staff included.
Different bins are used for different type of rubbish.... any tissues or anything which have been used to wipe a mouth, nose or anything like that is put into a lidded bin which is emptied twice a day.... the person doing that will be in full PPE mask, visor, apron and gloves. that rubbish will then be stored for 72 hours separate from anything else before being put into the wheelie bins.
Children eat in their bubbles and have the same lunchtime staff each day for their bubble.
The children wash their hands... as they arrive at school, before entering a classroom, whenever they leave a classroom, before lunch and after lunch, and obviously after toileting.
Hands are also washed if a child sneezes or coughs or hand sanitiser is used.... children are allowed to bring in personal hand sanitiser too. This is all supervised by staff
Hand sanitiser is available for use whenever needed each classroom has a hand sanitiser pump near the entrance door.
Each bubble will come and go from a different door each day and arrival and leaving are at different times for each bubble.
Each child has a named water bottle which is placed on their specific seat in the classroom
If possible all windows and doors to the classroom will be open.
Lunch and playtime will be outside unless wet weather.
Each bubble has designated play equipment and that equipment is placed in a box with Milton at the end of each day.
any equipment such as trikes etc that cannot be put in Milton then it is steam cleaned with handheld steam cleaners.
Each bubble has its own toilets which is used by no other bubble.
Parents will be asked to send their child in clean uniform daily if at all possible.
If a child has PE then they will be asked to come to school in their PE kit to avoid having to all change at the same time in the same place.
All tables will face the same way in the classroom so the children aren't facing each other while sitting at desks.
No contact sports in PE lessons
No whole school assemblies.
Each classroom has a cleaning checklist which staff within the bubble will carry out as well as the school cleaners doing their job in the evenings after school.... The checklist is completed before school, before lunch after lunch if the children eat inside and at last break.... this includes anti-baccing, door handles, sinks, taps, tables light switches and any other things that is a high touch area in the classroom.
Any work or anything to take home will be put into quarantine for 72 hours completely away from anything else in the classroom so they are not touched.
There are many more little things which have been put into place... too many to mention.
You need to come run things over here, Em. Our districts have not really figured any of this stuff out yet. We don’t have enough bubble space essentially. The other problem is that we are mostly secondary and those students travel around campus.
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