Flying the sock

Richard and I looked after Frieda today, for the last time until the Covid figures and the lockdown restrictions improve (and who knows when that might be). We had agreed to do our 'childcare bubble' day today, rather than letting Jack and Marianna down at the last minute. Frieda was in a very sunny mood and we had many happy games - some with toys, some just with whatever household stuff came to hand, including the laundry.  Frieda and I also spent a great deal of time crawling around the floor, pushing diggers and other assorted vehicles and making appropriate 'brmm brmm' noises. It was a good workout for both of us.

But from today we are all agreed, as a family, that  Richard and I  will opt out of all bubble arrangements.   This means that the pressures on Jack, Marianna, Josh and Ruth will be heavy. But we can't see a way to look after the little ones within manageable risk levels, given the new variant and the rapid rise in infections.   We are very fortunate in still being able to meet outdoors, within the defined limitations;  we'll make the most of that.

Marianna, Josh and Ruth are all key workers. So Eben will be able to continue at school at least part-time. Frieda will keep her two days per week at nursery, and Luca will join her there ... all this, however, being conditional on both school and nursery remaining free of Covid cases and having enough staff on hand to cope.

Marianna was beside herself this afternoon, when I took Frieda back home.  She and her special school colleagues had been told by email, at 3 pm., that they had until 5 p.m. to create and submit detailed plans for working through lockdown. The plans were to include not only how to manage and deliver teaching (online and in person), but also how to carry out cleaning and other non-teaching duties.  Marianna works part-time and this was not one of her working days. So it's far from clear how she was meant to liaise with the team she leads.
Needless to say all this has gone straight to the trade union and a stressful dispute is developing.  Her headteacher is new and inexperienced. At this rate, it's quite hard to see how the said headteacher is going to survive in the job long enough to get much more experience.
Also needless to say, if the government had not taken such a stupid and high-handed approach in Nov and Dec, all of this could have been avoided.
It is heart-breaking. The costs are so high.