Have you been asked to look after your grandchildren now the schools are closed?

Thank you Lara

Luckygirl unfortunately another thread has just been started which includes a side swipe at teachers.

Our daughter is a Yr2 teacher, whose husband has cancer. Throughout all his treatment she has worked, apart from his Oncologist appointments. Her school is having 70 essential worker’s children in from next week, and the staff are working on a rota. Her Head kindly said she need not come in while the school is shut, and work from home. She has a 9 year old off school. I was a Primary teacher and like her worked every evening and weekend on preparation. Teaching is nor an easy option.

I am a primary school governor. I can absolutely assure you that the head teacher and all the staff are working their tripe out to do the best for the children. It is a huge undertaking to create remote learning schedules and packs, and also to organise education in school for those children of key staff - the quantity of guidance and rules that are flowing their way is enormous and they are working very hard to meet all the requirements.

Please do not anyone stoop to criticising teachers. I am sure that ours is not the only school where the staff - teaching and admin - are giving it their all for the benefit of the children and also for the wider community.

Well said Tweedle 24. Look at the other thread where a few posters are speaking of teachers as though they're lazy, selfish, lacking commitment or skills. Shocking and divisive. Not what this country needs right now and also, totally untrue.

We would normally have our 2 x DGS's today however DD is working from home but goodness knows how she will manage to look after two young boys. I think she will have to try and 'work' when they are in bed. She will be totally exhausted but there is no other choice. She insists we are not doing any childcare and tbh she is right. No point putting ourselves at risk.

My next door neighbour is a foundation class teacher and quite high in the general hierarchy of the school. She brought me some shopping on her way home from work and I have never seen her look so exhausted.

She said it is purely the worry about what is going to happen to ‘her’ children. She will be going in to work next week.

Knocking the teachers is neither justified nor kind. They can do without the extra pressure of being vilified.

My dil is a nurse, my grandchildren are 1 & 2 years old. I normally look after them while she works, however my husband is on medication as he had heart attacks and stents 12 years ago, should I still look after the children? I feel so frustrated as I want to help somehow with anyone with problems caused by this dreadful virus.

morethan, what an awful time for you, so sorry.
After 18 years of looking after GC part-time, and doing school runs, it has now come to an abrupt halt.
DH is currently undergoing chemo and is very open to infection, so we are restricted in what we can do.
We really miss all the kids.

yes, lucky, i agree, i think it is a risk too far at this time to mix between different generations like that.

Yes; I echo that merlot. There are so many people high on the at risk group at the moment and my heart goes out to them.

morethan Thinking of you and your family at this difficult time.

I am still looking after my grandson full time as usual, and i will still continue to look after my elderly mother. That is a high risk strategy for your mother.

My children are all self isolating and their kids were kept at home from a few weeks ago. I was told that I won't be seeing them (except on Skype) for quite some time.

Back then, I thought they were over-reacting and being rather too cautious, but now I can see that they're quite right to protect everybody - including me!

No.
Fortunately, both sons/dils are able to work from home -in theory anyway, though in reality it will be very difficult to do at the same time as keeping the children occcupied.

We and one son's family are self isolating, and if we are all still healthy after 14 days, some contact between us, including some childcare, might be resumed then.

I will continue to be on call to look after my grandchildren and my terminally ill DiL. There is no option. I have asthma but otherwise I’m reasonably healthy. I hope we will all be ok.

We look after 3 dgc from two different sons. Both sons have said no more childcare.one d's can do some days working from home and it will be difficult for him as he coparents his 2year old.
The other son can manager to take one of his weekend days during the week and his wife jobshares so they can manage. Both sons plan on getting together and look to each others children also.

However dil is a nurse and is likely to have to do extra hours.

They ring every day to see if we need anything as we are both in the vulnerable categories. And FaceTime us to see the children.

My GS is in Y7 and his mum is a single parent. Her work will probably dry up for the time this lasts but she knows he can not come to us as my OH is 72. But the school have phoned her today to talk through her options and have said that if she needs to work for short periods to give them a little notice and they will take him into school.

I saw them both tonight for the last time until this is over and we have set up a video messaging on Whats Up to keep in touch and I can help with school work if needed. I will keep working from home so I can help with her bills if necessary. It's not ideal but we will get through this by pulling together.

gillybob I’m a supply teacher at a local primary school - the service we will be providing in school is not education. We will be working with mixed age groups and offering a range of activities to keep them busy. We will be phoning each child in our class on a weekly basis and setting work to be done at home.
I’m really proud of the teachers and teaching assistants at my school who are rising above the concerns that they might have for their own health and well being to ensure that the children we care for are supported at this difficult and frightening time.

Children going into schools will be cared for, but not educated in most cases. Our school won’t have the staff to teach lessons, so essentially we’ll be childminding.

Lara as I didn't hear the broadcast, could you let us know how it went, please?

Oh dear, my husband has just found out that he is classed as vulnerable after all, due to a heart problem. So, even though we are only early 60s and fit and active, our son has said he doesn't want us to take any chances by looking after the children and we agree. We are upset at not seeing them or our son and DIL for some time, and feel for them, as we do help out quite a bit, especially lately as DS's job has been very stressful. Fortunately, there have been only 3 diagnosed cases of the virus in our town, with no deaths, so do still feel quite safe; but I know that will change in the coming weeks. Don't know now what will be decided for our planned Mothers' Day meal at our house on Sunday, not sure if our other son will come, there maybe just be the two of us!

No my son is making other arrangements

If I remember correctly you are ‘only’ 58y gillybob so not quite in the vulnerable seniors group as some on here are. That makes a huge difference.

With that in mind, I think that you helping your adult children with childcare is admirable - especially considering how much else you have on your plate. In my mind you are indeed ‘Wonderwoman’ ?‍♀️ ‼️