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So today was the first day back at daycare for my 3.5 year old. Drop off was a disaster. He cried so hard and the teacher had to peel him off of me. Hopefully his day got better but it was so hard to see him so upset!

Our kids are supposed to start on the 13th, but the closer it gets the more torn I am. My older son's daycare is in a school. We still don't have the policies they've put into place to ensure safety. We've been told that they've only got about 8 kids going - 2 he knows, the rest he doesn't. It also won't be any of his usual teachers, and the school doesn't have air conditioning. He doesn't want to go.

My younger son very badly wants to go back, but enrollment at his school is also way down and the kids he's excited about seeing won't be there. His daycare does have air conditoning (it's 100 degrees today, so this is a factor) and we've seen their policies and I feel ok about them.

We don't really /have/ to send them back - our jobs have been pretty flexible, and while it's getting increasingly complicated to do the half time work half time parenting it's feasible. I feel like a terrible parent becuase we don't have to send them back but we are, especially when so many other kids are staying home. I also feel so bad about sending my older son to an unfamiliar situation - he's a lot more sensitive and shy and I don't know how well he'll handle it. Also I really enjoy having them home and getting to spend so much time with them! I just don't know what to do. I think technically I can still change my mind and say we're not sending them, but my little guy would be disappointed, he keeps asking when he gets to go back (further complicating that situation is that he'll be done there at the end of the summer either way when he starts school, so if he doesn't go back now he won't get a chance to see the people again at all). I won't send one but not the other. I probaby /could/ send my older son to the daycare with my younger son. I don't know what to do!

@erinbaderin: You weren't asking for advice so for whatever this is worth - I wouldn't send them if you have any hesitation and if it's not completely necessary. This is something I've processed with my daughter about sending her to camp. I generally trusted the camp setup (mostly outside, small groups, etc.) but something kept making me hesitant. And then I kept thinking that if I don't have to do it, especially with cases going up, then I probably shouldn't. And there was an article in the Atlantic just the other day that was talking about the idea of "just because you can, doesn't mean you should." It sounds to me like there aren't enough benefits to outweigh the hesitation you're feeling, so wanted to add my unsoliciited 2 cents

@erinbaderin: Our LO's school is scheduled to reopen on the 13th as well. We just got the email today asking us to state our intent re: re-enrolling. I was conflicted, because I am a teacher and DH works part time, so we could keep LO home if necessary. However, we decided to send her back (3 days/week, which was our planned summer schedule) for several reasons: a) LO NEEDS the social interaction with her peers - this is the primary reason we have her enrolled in preschool, b) with unknown circumstances when school opens in the fall, I need some uninterrupted planning time to be ready to meet the needs of my students, and c) it seems not unlikely that schools will close again at some point, so we want to take advantage while we can, for her sake and for ours.

Based on recent advice I have been reading from epidemiologists, sending LO to a preschool where reasonable precautions are being taken doesn't seem more risky to me than other activities we have been doing, so I think the benefits are worth it. It is also helpful to remember that we can change our minds at any time.

@MrsSRS: @lady baltimore: @Mrs. Carrot: I went back and forth on this to the point that I made myself physically ill, so that was fun times, but ultimately decided to keep them home. I’m really not so worried about COVID for them, but I realized that if I was putting them in daycare to try to get them back to a normal life and seeing their friends, but their friends wouldn’t be there and it really wasn’t going to be “normal”, what was the point of taking the associated risk? So it looks like they’re home for the summer. I’m still a bit conflicted about it - it would have been so much easier to have them out of the house, and I’m so sad my little guy doesn’t get to go back to a daycare that we really loved, but the pros outweigh the cons. I really appreciate the points of view here!

@Mrs. Carrot: I'm so jealous that you already got the actual options from your school district and were able to choose! I'm not anticipating hearing anything for a few more weeks and it's driving me crazy not to be able to plan.

So, I just wanted to pop in here again and give a small update. We received a notice last night that one of the teachers (in the infant room; only my 4 year old goes to daycare) tested positive for Covid-19. The last day the teacher was on campus was 6/29. They closed the infant room for a week out of caution. So....that happened. As I stated before the teachers have been wearing masks since May, so, hopefully no one else gets it. Luckily the teachers are not "floating" during this time either.

My youngest went back on Monday which is the first day they were open since shutting down in March. They can have 7 kids in the class, but there’s only 3 due to summer vacations and some will not be returning. It’s a centre and they have a good protocol but I’m feeling SO guilty.

We are in Ontario Canada and in a major city (not Toronto) that has had some days of no cases but maybe 5-10 over the past couple weeks. Masks are mandatory as of Monday here too. So our risk is lower. I just feel so guilty that many parents are not sending their kids and becoming stay at home parents. I work outside the home and DW works at home for now but it’s impossible for her to work if I’m not there to take care of them. My older son is at home with her but easier to care for him than an almost two year old, and we have our in laws helping with him. We will probably just do 3 days a week some of the weeks over the summer. I’m dreading school in the fall as we don’t have a set plan yet but probably will be hybrid.

I can’t work from home and I know the choice is right and he’s having a great time. It’s SO much easier when I know he’s in care and the constant juggling act is somewhat reduced. Financially it allows me to work. But I just can’t shake the guilt factor...maybe it will be better in a couple weeks.

@catgirl: we typically start the last week of August but rumor has it we might start after Labor Day this year (the superintendent is asking the school board to approve it) so that teachers/schools can have more time to prep.

Just found out that a child/teacher testes positive for covid. In the letter it said "child/teacher" do I take that to mean that both a child and a teacher tested positive?

They are also refusing to say what room the child was in to "protect confidentiality." I wish they would let us know what room so we could know if our child has had direct exposure. Ugh.

Our preschool has decided not to reopen yet and to reassess in Sept rightfully so but still . AZ sucks sometimes.

@Mrs. Carrot: Did Betsy comment on a local FB group?! I think I may live in the same area as you.

@winter_wonder: Our school is actually the opposite of what they’ve been telling us. Yesterday they sent to emails saying that a parent was exposed to someone who had it and they said which class the kids were in. Not that anyone at the center had it, or family members had it, but a parent was around someone how did. They also required those kids not to come back till they’d been cleared.

@Mrs. Carrot: ah, ok, I am in the same district! Though my kids are not old enough for public school yet. But I have some friends who do feel like they’re in a tough position with the idea of half and half distance learning and in-school. I really don’t even know what can be done, though, seems like I hear new things every day that make me waver back and forth

We hired a nanny and won’t return until at least September 2021 when I hope dd (3 then) can enroll in preschool. Risk and unknowns and complications with work too great for us. This isn’t what I wanted to do but it felt like the best of all options.