Childcare - I just want to say....

It's a ridiculous decision to even think about sending the children to school before an imminent lockdown. Attending in fits and starts like this is far worse than not sending them at all, especially in areas of tier 4.

my feelings exactly! We are bubbling with our DD and family as I provide childcare, but we have been very careful and really limit time spent indoors. Christmas dinner was eaten in an open barn in full ski kit! If they go back to school we have no control over who they mix with and that puts us at risk - its not an easy one. I would prefer schools to remain closed.

And not even waiting to see result of Christmas gatherings - less than two weeks !!

my feelings exactly! We are bubbling with our DD and family as I provide childcare, but we have been very careful and really limit time spent indoors. Christmas dinner was eaten in an open barn in full ski kit! If they go back to school we have no control over who they mix with and that puts us at risk - its not an easy one. I would prefer schools to remain closed.

I am bubbled with one of my DDs but have not availed myself of this as the children have been in school and mixing with cousins and other friends. So it is too risky.

I was there in the summer more though as we were outside a lot.

I'm going to have to take the risk I'm afraid. DS is back at work tomorrow and DIL is back as a key worker on Tuesday so I'll be doing after school childcare from then. If I don't, they can't work. I've been hoping and praying all day that Boris would come to his senses and close schools for primary children.

Thanks for the replies - glad I'm not the only one - although sorry some of you are in very difficult positions.
I just see this government sending them back for a few days, then closing, without realising the effect this will have on 'informal childcare'.
Good luck everyone!

I may have come to this too late, but as an old guy who went through school closure in 1939 because there were no air raid shelters ready at that time followed by changing school due to air attack all can add to this chat is my education suffered badly and when I left school in order get where I wanted to go in my job I had give up a lot of free time time to go to night school. Got there in the end.
I would just though like to ask you ladies and you are ladies from observations in the main. Why do you want to called Nan, are you not proud to be Grandma or Granney which by practice and tradition givesyou status? Just my curiousity my Gran was one of the most important persons in my life and after all this is called Gransnet!!

Just would like confirmation here please. We childcare for our two DGD's, now that we are in lockdown can we still do this? We do it under the 'informal' category collecting and delivering them at their front door. I gather this is still acceptable - not quite sure. I think it is.

Jackthelad in my case I’m called Nan because that’s what I called my beloved Nan, and so Im proud to be called the same as her .( And I actually find Grandma a bit too formal ) ?

How does being called Granny or Grandma give you status???!!!

Don’t want status I’m nana and the kids have always called me that adding my name after it.I’m happy with that.

DGD's other gran already had grandchildren, and so a name. Hence I've a different name.
I had a Gran and a Nan in 1950s

Somehow, I don't think that being called Granny Blue Head does much for my status or street cred, but it's what the GC call me anyway. I've been called worse!

Going off topic.... but it's just family tradition usually to choose what you are called. My family were always nanny or nanna; others gran / grandma; and because I grew up after the war, in an area with lots of 'immigrants' there were Italian, Polish, Czech variations as well.
I didn't think much about it until my very good friend was expecting her first child, and we were in conversation with her mother, who announced haughtily ' Nanny is either a goat or a person employed to care for children. I am neither'. She said this just after my own beloved nanny died, and I felt quite upset! But then I realised there was a slight class distinction, which may be what jackthelad means!

Anyway - huge thanks to all you grandparents keeping this show on the road, whatever you are called!

Jackthelad status is not in a name, even if you wanted it to be.
I am a grandmother but my children and grandchildren call me by my first name. I call them by their first names too. We are happy this way.

Chewbacca

Somehow, I don't think that being called Granny Blue Head does much for my status or street cred, but it's what the GC call me anyway. I've been called worse!

I love that name!

I had a Nan and a Nanna. My daughter has a Nanna and a Grandma.

Berylsgranny: You need to check the rules on the gov.uk website. As I understand it, you can form a childcare bubble for the purpose of 'informal' childcare, but only with one other household and must not mix bubbles. For many that is fine, but a lot of us nans / grans care for children in more than one household, so have to choose which one needs us more.
Also, you can only mix for the purposes of childcare, which can include staying overnight, but not socialising.

PaperMonster it came about because of my one and only attempt to dye my own hair during the last lock down. Never again! It took weeks to grown out but, by then, Granny Blue Hair was well and truly stuck!