| Good evening It’s been a tough time for parents over the past 15 months or so. Apart from all the health and financial worries which have affected us all, unless they are key workers they have also had to cope with having their children at home for much of that time ... and even worse homeschooling them. The vast majority deserve a huge pat on the back for making it through. But just when parents thought things were getting back to normal, the dreaded school bubble has led to a host of closures and thousands of children across the country being forced to self-isolate because someone in their class has tested positive. The health reasons for this are understandable ... but the effect on the education of these youngsters is massive and will likely play out over the next 20 years. Yes, children are robust and can usually bounce back from most things, but this year has been one like no other. It’s time to loosen the strings on school bubbles and allow children to get on with the learning which will sustain the country in years to come. Until next time, take care, Gillian Drop me a line at gillian.parkinson@jpimedia.co.uk with your views and please subscribe to support sustainable local journalism in your community. Click here to view our offers. Here are some of today's top stories ... | 
