Research Shows Parents Want Schools to Reopen but Have Mixed Feelings

New research with parents on the topic of schools reopening this month shows that they have mixed feelings about the kids going back to school amid the latest Covid surge. We carried out research asking parents to share their views on schools going back, not surprisingly, there are a lot of mixed feelings.

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Our research asked parents to share their views on whether or not schools should reopen as well as what their main concerns were around reopening of primary and secondary schools. The online survey was run on www.mykidstime.com 21/12/21-31/12/21 with 409 total responses from Irish parents.

What Parents Think About Schools Reopening

Parents were asked “Do you think that schools should reopen in January?” 40% said yes, with 26% saying yes but with reservations, and a further 24% saying no.

Among the worries that parents cited were:

Safety concerns
Parents and kids struggling with homeschooling
Kids not yet being vaccinated
Mental health
Importance of education and a routine for kids
Living with COVID
Parents needing to work

It’s definitely been a ‘hot topic’ with parents about whether or not schools should reopen. Balancing work with education is always tricky never mind in non-pandemic times, and the feedback we are getting from parents shows a mix of views. Parents who want schools to reopen because they feel education and routine are important were still saying so under caution. Only 13% of parents feel that it’s time we learned to live with COVID.

Research Highlights

Do you think that schools should reopen in January?

Yes, all schools should reopen 40.1%
I have reservations, but feel they all should 25.8%
No, I don’t think they should reopen 24.1%
Only secondary schools should reopen 6.3%
Depends on the numbers 1.8%
Other 1.3%
Undecided 0.5%
Only primary schools should reopen 0.3%

Main concerns that parents had:

Education and routine important 28%
Wait until cases down or kids vaccinated 21%
Nervous or scared 19%
As long as it’s safe 15%
Life has to go on 13%
Other 3%

Here is a flavour of what parents told us:

Safety concerns

“I know kids need to be in school for socialising and proper learning but safety first. The numbers are crazy and they say January will be worse. I work in a hospital and we are stretched as is, I dread to think what another covid surge will do. Protect lives, support the hospitals, close the schools.”

“I feel they should open but if numbers are high maybe online learning would be best for all. It’s hard to say two weeks in advance what way things will be. It’s worrying for sure. I took my children out of school early for Christmas as I was afraid of the school cases.”

“Safety of children should come before anything, all these new restrictions prove there is serious risk. To protect the vulnerable we have to take measures in the short term . This won’t be forever and everyone must play their part, every life matters.”

Parents and kids struggling with homeschooling

“My 11 year old can’t cope with homeschooling so he needs so badly for the school to reopen in January. He’s in 6th class and this is a very important year for him before he starts secondary school next September.”

“COVID has destroyed enough of our lives. The children should be able to be around friends. Small kids are not able to do online learning & some don’t even have broadband. Our broadband only worked 20% of the time last time they shut.”

“I 100% think that schools should open in January. But I do think that if people need to keep their kids at home, then more support should be put in place to facilitate those that need to homeschool.”

Kids not yet vaccinated

“Schools should be the last thing to close in this country BUT I believe not enough is being done to protect our children. The children’s vaccine has been approved but we’ve no info on how or when it will be rolled out. Classrooms are not adequately ventilated, teachers should be one of the first groups to be offered boosters and not enough is being done for contact tracing in school / creche / classroom settings.”

“I think COVID is spreading too fast in the community to risk reopening just yet. In a few weeks people will have had their boosters and the kids will have had they’re vaccines so we would all be a lot safer.”

Mental health

“I think kids will struggle without the normality of school especially in the long dark evenings. Last year’s January lockdown caused a lot of anxiety around school and I feel kids will struggle again.”

“I feel that the schools should reopen as the children have missed out on enough as it is. From seeing family to play dates with friends, they have borne the brunt of restrictions. They need to be in school to mix with other children and have some kind of normalcy.”

“I’m very very anxious about sending them to school but they have missed so much schooling already and I think their mental health has suffered enough😢.”

Routine

“Children’s routine, socially and emotionally as well as for their mental health. They need it. But if parents want to keep them home this should be allowed too.”

“Children, like us, all need their routines, it’s even more important for them really. They need normal days, normal learning & play. We would be doing them a disservice by closing the schools again. We have no idea what damage all of this is doing to them. They need to be in school.”

Importance of education

“Children need their education and as we have seen COVID is not going anywhere fast. I think it is more important to continue education and work and shut down socialising to help fight increasing numbers.”

“I think they should open. Education is extremely important as are the other aspects of school to children. Keep wearing masks. Hopefully children’s vaccines will be here soon too.”

Living with COVID

“My son is in Leaving Cert so I want the schools to reopen. Also there are going to be variants for years so we just have to learn to live with COVID. The Omicron variant is mild so it may be better for people to catch that than previous strains.”

“Definitely should open, kids need social skills, routine, friends and school. This COVID can’t dictate our lives nor that of a child. We need to adapt and learn to live with it safely. Children have a lot more to lose.”

“The kids’ lives have been turned upside down in the past two years and for some children, school is the only interaction they get. It’s time we live alongside the virus and for a new strategy, especially in school.”

Parents needing to work

“For the sake of my work I think they should open so that I can continue to juggle home & work but deep down I’m very worried about my sons being there.”

“I think they should reopen as parents have work and children are getting vaccinated / wearing masks now.”

Other quotes

“I’m undecided about whether schools should open or not in January. I have concerns about the variant numbers as well as the daily Covid cases and am definitely hearing about more people catching COVID than before. Whatever happens I hope the approach taken is a cautious one as keeping people alive is the most important thing.”

“I’m nervous, but I think it is better for mental health that the schools reopen. Children are mostly only affected mildly by COVID and all the visiting with family members will be over.
They should have closed the schools Friday, December 17th for Christmas to give pupils and teachers a week before Christmas to ensure they were safe to visit family around Christmas Day.”

Media coverage of these insights

“Covid restrictions won’t be cut for teachers, Norma Foley says as union warns 15pc of staff could be off as schools return”, Irish Independent

“Parents want schools to reopen but have mixed feelings”, Westmeath Examiner

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If you’ve found this article useful, download our free insights reports to see what parents are saying about other aspects of family life.

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Research Shows Parents Want Schools to Reopen but Have Mixed Feelings