Grandparents and childcare

All the government ministers reasons are sound on paper but who in their right minds would risk any harm coming to themselves, their children or grandchildren. Every case is unique. I retired early to provide childcare to GD. Not seen her since March as both parents WFH but both now have to return this month. GD never been to a nursery so what options does that leave us with regards to childcare? If I was still working I would have been at a far greater risk of catching the virus. I was paid a small daily sum for looking after GD in lieu of loss of previous salary but never registered as a nanny or childminder. Your thoughts???

I think the Gov'ts thinking on this issue is that, in general, most grandparents are older than childminders or nannies and therefore more at risk of dying or needing hospitalisation if they catch the virus. Also if households start mingling for childcare, that might be the tip of the iceburg and other family members might think well if granny can visit why can't sisters brothers etc and may cause an explosion of virus.

So sorry to hear about your daughter Goldmist. Such a difficult time for you and your family.

I hope your daughter will soon start to feel better and respond well to her treatment.

I’m sure it’s already a comfort to her to have her lovely Mum looking after her little ones while she regains her strength.

Best wishes to you and your family ??

My DD was diagnosed with breast cancer in March. She as DG1 of 5yrs & twin babies of 5 months. She's having chemo & has had a very bad reaction to it, having to be hospitalised. My employer has agreed to furlough me for "childcare reasons", I have self isolated & travel the 10 miles to her house daily to care for the children, SIL wasn't coping & they needed me- I'm 63 with no underlying health conditions, they call me nanny anyway, so I'll take that as my job title now!

I can see why people are talking about it being ok to have paid childcare if they can afford it. The point being made here by the Government is that grandparents are generally at an age when they should be protected from infection. I don’t understand why people can’t see this. We all know that childcare is expensive but this comes from a desire to continue to allow older people to remain safe.

My DD2 and DGS2 (2) moved in with us at the beginning so we could do childcare. Her childminder is only taking key workers children and though DD2 is a nurse childminder said he would be safer with us which he is but she works full time and it is exhausting and have to share basic housework (me and DH) as he is wild!
DD1 is a teacher and having to work from home as well as look after DGS1 (6) and DGD (3). We would normally look after them twice a week but not currently allowed to travel 17 miles to where they live and are not part of her household. It is what it is but if the children in Scotland do go back to school (unlikely before August) she might have to stay off. DGD has never been to nursery - was due to start during lockdown - and not the time to start now.

Gransnet should be compulsory reading for government ministers, then perhaps they would understand some of the issues.

I don't think the people making these decisions live in the real world. They don't rely on family for support but pay for it. Therefore they have thought about the necessity of allowing cleaners and nannies but not about allowing family members access to support. This is such a strain on peoples' mental health as well as impractical. Once they started sending people back to work they should have allowed access to a small number of people at the same time.

Also, am five years off my retirement age , so if I hadn’t stopped working early to look after my grandson I would be expected to be working in a class full of 5yr olds. If that would be considered ok , why would it be considered unwise as an ‘ older’ person to mix with just one?

The simple reason for the anomalies is finance, pure and simple. Childminders and nannies are paid , therefore valuable to the economy. Then Government in their infinite wisdom # deeply sarcastic! , do not view childminding grandparents to be as valuable- more fool them as they will soon come to see the extent of the number of working parents who will not be able to return to work until we are allowed to offer help again.

I'm prepared to be slammed by a lot of you, having looked after my grandkids aged 10 & 7, several days a week since they were babies, I still do it. Both parents are full-time key workers & I don't know how they would manage without me. I'm 69, in good health & travel by one car door-to-door. We stick to their house & garden & are very careful re hand-washing & cleaning. My SIL took 3 weeks furlough at Easter but had to return to work making NHS equipment. DD works at a GP surgery. I'm sure we're being as careful as we can be. I'm more worried about the children returning to school & mixing with other people outside the home.

Polnan....I don't think political comments are necessary.

3nanny6 I was answering the original posters question no other..

Your dd can go back to work by hiring professional childcare in June.

Good idea sardinia. I'm nan anyway, I can just add "ny" and make it official!

imo

this Government, well all MP`s and those that "serve us" (duh)
have not the slightest idea what life is like down here..

even the well of "peasants" amongst us,,, life is so different to the ... o.k. I`ll call them the "elite" for now..

they have no idea.... some come and spend a week, or less
and with the homeless. .. one night sleeping rough..

insulting... o.k. rant over.

Replying to Esmeralda and all that agreed the grandparents are much better placed and safer than ‘unknown’ people to look after grandchildren.
My daughter is on maternity leave ( from teaching) and goes back in July, she also has a 2 year old that I have looked after from birth.
It has been very difficult for me to be separated from her.
I am hoping my daughter will allow me to go back to looking after both girls. I am a healthy 65 year old and have an abundance of common sense!
My daughter will worry if things aren’t sanctioned by the government, but I don’t know what else she can do, her husband works from home and needs to be undisturbed!
Very difficult with a 4 month old and a 2 year old!
I shall become the nanny and cleaner all rolled into one.
I shall ask for hugs and kisses as my ‘wages’ !

Similar situation here, my son was about to start a new job when lock down began, and has been told this week he will be returning to work in the 1st June.

Mum has never stopped working so dad has been looking after children, when he goes back to work who is supposed to look after them?

Nursery isn't an option as they couldn't afford it before they certainly can not afford it now, son has had no wages for 2 months.

I know i shouldn't but i will have to have them. Needs must as they say.

I’m very anxious about this whole “bubble” business. We have 2 daughters and a son living nearby and normally do I day of childcare per week for each household. The 3 households and ourselves comprise 13 people. The other grandparents are unable to do childcare for various reasons. We foresee a problem as we won’t be able to help everyone out and cannot prioritise one family over another without causing immense problems. In addition there’s another daughter in a household of 4 who lives about 20 miles away. She doesn’t need us to do childcare but we would like to be able to see her and her children. What a dilemma!

Just asking simple question Theoddbird: I know you say that the older someone is the more complications they will get. I understand that grand-parents are sometimes a bit older (not all of them just some) I am talking about having a nannie/grand-parent step into the role of helping a vulnerable adult with children in the home setting who is struggling to cope and that vulnerable adult should be allowed to have help and it is discriminatory and cruel not to allow that in fact it is almost verging on criminality.

The older you get the more complications from the virus and the worse it will be. This is the reason grandparents are not allowed to do the childcare. Teachers, childminder's etc are usually younger. I can see the sense with this. Also people are only being asked to return to work if possible. It was mentioned that not having childcare was a reason to stay home and people should discuss this with employers.

It’s going to cause real problems if I can’t help out with my grandchildren when they go back to school. My former SIL is working from home at the moment and is doing the bulk of the childcare. My daughter works part-time as a nurse. What a dilemma we all find ourselves in.

They didn't think it through. Reading some of the comments above, I believe all of you should do what you think is best and safest for you and your families and ignore any so-called "advice" from our shambolic Government. You are not irresponsible people, flouting the social distancing/gathering rules. You are best at knowing how to keep everyone safe.

I'm a childminder, 63 this week, and have been working all along for keyworkers' children. We do doorstep drop off and pick up, only the child crosses the threshold. Lots of handwashing, especially on arrival.

4allweknow your neighbour is not following any advice I've seen if she's having the parents in for a cuppa!

Teachers do indeed qualify for a keyworker childcare place.
From June 1st we have been asked to be ready to welcome all children back, keyworkers or not, if they need to come.

Only my opinion but a young, healthy grandparent is a safer option for a child than any care setting, purely because of the more limited exposure to other people.

Ask Boris !