Lockdown (And Beyond) Hatchlings

[Squirrel]

Is that per primary-age child for a week, Kleio? If so the quantity looks reasonable to me; jacket potato and beans two days, soup and toast two days, cheese sandwich one day, plus a yoghurt/fruit/cake and salad (?), and extra bread. I hope you get some choice?

[Kleio]

No choice.

What I’m angry about is the fact that our loca food banks have said that increasingly they are having families who can’t afford gas and electric. This means they have to provide food parcels that don’t require cooking or cold storage. It breaks my heart people are getting to this but it’s how it is.

Having children at home increases how much electric you use (charging devices, lights on, extra meals), gas (heating) and the things like toilet roll, hand soap, water for flushing etc. So many associated costs!

I can scrape by and I’m a good, inventive cook so I do ok. Mum is home all the time so I’m used to the extra costs from her.

But this? If it’s a stop gap because the funding hasn’t come through then fine but If this is out of the £15 per child where is the rest of the money?

£15 a week can pay for ALL meals for a child and then mean the household budget is left to spend on the above extra costs. This cost, what £4?

The catering company provided a menu. They recommend the beans are used over 4 days. The tin says use within 2.

[viggy]

This is going to enrage some of you, so I’m sorry. But Chunk has been crying tonight saying he doesn’t want to go to school now, but I know he’s enjoyed it and I know it’s best for him. I feel extra dreadful now.

N was really upset on Wednesday evening as her best friend who was also in with her last lockdown wasn't in and she was also on her own in her after school bubble. I think they're as over all this as we are

Yep, I think it's hard for them whether they have a place in school or not. BM's anxiety is through the roof right now - starting with me breaking my ankle at the start of December, there have been various rubbish things happen that have chipped away at her resilience, and lockdown/home schooling is the turd on top of the pile.

My one comfort is that she bounced back quickly once she was back at school in August, so hopefully she'll do the same again - we just need to get through this next wee bit.

[Marth]

No choice.

What I’m angry about is the fact that our loca food banks have said that increasingly they are having families who can’t afford gas and electric. This means they have to provide food parcels that don’t require cooking or cold storage. It breaks my heart people are getting to this but it’s how it is.

Having children at home increases how much electric you use (charging devices, lights on, extra meals), gas (heating) and the things like toilet roll, hand soap, water for flushing etc. So many associated costs!

I can scrape by and I’m a good, inventive cook so I do ok. Mum is home all the time so I’m used to the extra costs from her.

But this? If it’s a stop gap because the funding hasn’t come through then fine but If this is out of the £15 per child where is the rest of the money?

£15 a week can pay for ALL meals for a child and then mean the household budget is left to spend on the above extra costs. This cost, what £4?

The catering company provided a menu. They recommend the beans are used over 4 days. The tin says use within 2.

My work council is providing money, which is better I think. Food banks can be used on top of that. They will also provide crisis payments for heating and some energy providers will provide the Warm Home Discount to people of working age with children. I've had quite a few clients using foodbanks but can't put money on their prepayment meters. No one should be in this position though.

If your mum is now living with you, she should hopefully get the winter fuel payment.

I've really noticed the extra costs of having 3 adult sized humans at home all the time. My last utility bill was huge, but I really hate being cold, and SB1 isn't working and getting the 25 rate of UC.

[viggy]

But this? If it’s a stop gap because the funding hasn’t come through then fine but If this is out of the £15 per child where is the rest of the money?

£15 a week can pay for ALL meals for a child and then mean the household budget is left to spend on the above extra costs. This cost, what £4?

Not quite the same, but when my work organised thousands of packs of art supplies for families during the first lockdown, nearly half our budget had to go on the (wo)manpower needed for purchasing, putting together the packs, distributing them etc. They could have saved so much time and money just giving the cash directly to families again, but its a massively political point they're making by only giving out physical food.

[Kleio]

I’ll manage fine Marth but I know lots who won’t.

It’s also the ridiculousness of saying keep the beans from Monday to Thursday but the tin says 2 days Max.

[viggy]

Just the amount of loo roll the two of us get through being at home all the time is astounding

[Marth]

I’ll manage fine Marth but I know lots who won’t.

It’s also the ridiculousness of saying keep the beans from Monday to Thursday but the tin says 2 days Max.

Yes, that would only work if there were two children at least and they could use one can at a time.

They should just increase child tax credits or the child element in UC by £15 pw per child. It's a pain for councils to administrate.

[Loralei]

The implication of giving food rather than money is so offensive. Vouchers at least meant someone who was creative with budgeting could put them towards some of the family shop as well, freeing up their own money for things like heating or clothes. It's so obviously to appease the Daily Mail readers who think the tax that's squeezed out of them is going to pay for drugs and booze None of my children are fussy eaters but all of them would refuse to eat something there; school dinners always provides a choice of three or more things so it's not an equivalent.

Berty and TD can keep their school place for now, as can the children of my childcare buddy. It's all kicking off on the Y6 WhatsApp

[Squirrel]

That’s awful, I agree people should be given the money and giving food with no choice is bound to lead to waste. And it’s so very clearly not £15 worth!

[Squirrel]

It's all kicking off on the Y6 WhatsApp

Why?

[Marth]

The implication of giving food rather than money is so offensive. Vouchers at least meant someone who was creative with budgeting could put them towards some of the family shop as well, freeing up their own money for things like heating or clothes. It's so obviously to appease the Daily Mail readers who think the tax that's squeezed out of them is going to pay for drugs and booze None of my children are fussy eaters but at least one of them would refuse to eat something there; school dinners always provides a choice of three or more things so it's not an equivalent.

In better news, Berty and TD have a school place for now, as do the children of my childcare buddy. It's all kicking off on the Y6 WhatsApp

I'm really pleased B and TD have a place, Lora. I hated to think of your defering your place.

I think how school lunch provision is administrated is council led. I'm pretty sure my work council is just giving the money again.

My council is doing the following and say:

"Schools are encouraged to be flexible in how they deliver free school meals, providing families with the most appropriate option for their child. Schools may offer any of the following:

On site food provision for children attending school during lockdown;
Packed lunches or hot box takeaways to be collected from the child’s school or another local school
Food vouchers which can be emailed to parents for use at local supermarkets;
Weekly food hampers which may be picked up from the child’s school or another local school"

[Loralei]

It's all kicking off on the Y6 WhatsApp

Why?

Because some people haven't got a place. One of the mums said she had to hand her notice in as she can't get any more time off.

[Marth]

It's all kicking off on the Y6 WhatsApp

Why?

Because some people haven't got a place. One of the mums said she had to hand her notice in as she can't get any more time off.

Oh god. This fucking government

[Flora Poste]

Our Yr 5 WhatsApp kicked off today as well. Someone complained that one of the video lessons was poor quality and uninspiring, then another Mum who also happens to be a primary teacher in another school went on a massive rant about how hard it was to do it all and we should be grateful for anything we get then left the group. Both have a point, but neither covered themselves in glory.

[smalex]

By contrast, our school have said they had some late applications so its now nearly 50% of kids going in. They've rearranged the bubbles so the kids going in get their teacher in their classroom with their classmates, which the head announced over the assembly we were meant to join (i didn't, my frienddid and both her kids started crying becausethey feel like the only kids not going). Some people have complained and the school say its out of their hands apparently. Which I don't understand if other schools are limiting numbers. Doesn't seem like there is any consistent policy.

[Dáire]

The schools should have the power to say no, long before 50% - perhaps some are more confident than others in the face of parental ire. Job protection is the role of the government, not a school. Schools can't be giving places to half the kids no matter how valid the reason and still claiming to be closed. Teachers will still be at risk, as will the wider community. The government are the ones who can come up with a solution, but the burden shouldn't be on schools.

[smalex]

Absolutely. Parents also shouldn't be told they're KW and then refused a space because that leaves them in an awful position. I know I'm a broken record about this but it's ridiculous

[Squirrel]

Because some people haven't got a place. One of the mums said she had to hand her notice in as she can't get any more time off.

Oh god. Everything is beyond awful now.

[Squirrel]

Our Yr 5 WhatsApp kicked off today as well. Someone complained that one of the video lessons was poor quality and uninspiring, then another Mum who also happens to be a primary teacher in another school went on a massive rant about how hard it was to do it all and we should be grateful for anything we get then left the group. Both have a point, but neither covered themselves in glory.

This is heartbreaking all round. I feel like everything that’s happening is creating rifts left right and centre, it’s worse than Brexit in that regard.

My children are at school part time (I feel like I need to point out that it’s for SEN reasons, not key worker) and it’s going badly. C came out in a foul mood today and G is hating it, is extremely anxious and I had a message from school letting me know that he’d wet himself.

I feel like my main learning point from last time was that even though they did zero work, they managed to catch up. Although G needed some of the extra sessions funded by govt. But apart from that they’ve been okay academically and obviously loads are in the same boat. So I’m hoping that if we can muddle through and take care of mental health, that will be enough.

I don’t know what my point is. I’m waffling. Everyone is going through some kind of shit and it’s all absolutely horrible.