Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few weeks, you've probably heard that we're in the midst of a flu epidemic in this country -- and we still have a couple months to go before the season peaks.
And in addition to the flu, there are a whole host of other nasty bugs floating around out there. Like many parents I know, I'm getting sick and tired of my kid bringing home all sorts of funky ailments from school.
Right before the Christmas break this year, I attended a holiday concert at my son's elementary school. And while I was sitting there trying to enjoy the music, I found myself being distracted, shocked, and appalled over how many kids were hacking up a lung, sneezing all over the place, and who looked flushed, feverish, and miserable.
And the only thought that kept running through my mind was, "What the hell is wrong with their parents? Why are they sending them to school sick?"
Yes, you heard me right. I'm judging parents who send their kids to school sick. And I'm not talking about kids who have allergies, or a little sniffle, or maybe a slight cough from a cold they just can't seem to shake.
I'm referring to the kids who are visibly (and audibly) sick -- with fevers, flu, or some sort of infection that obviously needs to be treated with antibiotics and a ton of rest.
Parents who send sick kids to school are the reason our healthy kids are getting sick -- and it's just not fair. And I honestly can't understand why they are sending their kids to school when they're sick, but I'm guessing it's because they're either selfish, lazy, or just plain careless. Or a combination of all three.
My son has been sick with every bug under the sun since the school year started in September, and I'm positive that school is to blame. He's had the stomach bug. He's had a sinus infection and horrible cough. And right after school let out for the holiday break, he was diagnosed with the flu. (And then of course, I caught the flu from him, which has taken me over a week to get over.)
And just this morning, he woke up a bit congested and sniffly, so I'm really not getting my hopes up about him remaining germ-free for the rest of the year. You know what else? I'm 100 percent confident that if I went over to his school right this second, I'd be greeted with the sounds of plenty of coughs, clearing-of-throats, and sneezes.
And it HAS to stop.
Parents, please, PLEASE stop sending your children to school when they are sick. You're making life unnecessarily miserable for the rest of us who do the right thing by keeping them home when they're ill -- even if it means having to scramble to rearrange our busy schedules.
Take them to the doctor. Let them rest and sleep on the couch all day. I don't care what you do -- just don't send them to school to infect my kid. (I'm begging you.)
How sick do you think is "too sick" to go to school?
Image via Elizabeth Albert/Flickr
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Comments 138
It enrages me when parents send their sick kids to school. I have a job and a life too, and I don't want to catch whatever nastiness your family has because you think your work/school/life is more important than mine.
It is beyond selfish behavior, and can be dangerous. When my son was in daycare at around 14 months old, a parent brought in her 11 month old the morning after a visit to the ER. The diagnosis? CROUP. I reamed my daycare for letting her do that (she had announced it on facebook, so they weren't aware of it), and immediately picked my kid up and took him to the pediatrician, where luckily she said we caught it super early and it was easy to treat.
If you send your kids to school sick, you are a selfish person begging for bad karma. I don't usually feel this strongly about other people's choices, but those choices directly affect me and my family's welfare, all because you wanted to get your nails done that day. Arg!
My son's daycare won't let a child stay if they are sick or get back in without a doctor's note. My son got sick and they brought it up with me. We took him to the pedi who diagnosed a (non-contagious) ear infection. He needed a note to get back in to daycare today.
I was just ranting about this myself today. If they are feverish, WAY overly snotty or hacking up a lung its probably best they stay home.
First off my children are still coughing from the flu they had 2 weeks ago but our doctor says they are NOT contagious anymore and are perfectly fine to attend school and no way in HELL I am keeping them home for over 2 weeks when the doc says they are NOT contagious. Second you are most contagious BEFORE you show symptoms.
I won't let my daughter go to school sick...but I don't judge other people. Do I hate it? Yes, but I don't know that family's circumstances are. If a parent doesn't have the leave and can't afford go leave without pay, if they have to work and don't have friends or family who can watch a child what are they do it? Kids get sick a lot and that can exhaust your leave. Again, I don't send my child to school sick but I can't imagine that a parent would do that to their kid unless they had no other option.
First, left over coughs and stuffiness is not "sick." I'm talking obviously feverish / vomiting / diarrhea. You know when your kid is sick or about to be.
Second, while I understand there are people that don't have sick leave, etc., I don't either! I do not get sick days from work (not exaggerating - if I'm out sick, I don't get paid), and it's just me and my husband where we live, with no family to help out. So just because you may be in that boat elicits no sympathy from me, because when my child is sick, I stay home with him. It's a sucky position, but what makes your situation more dire than mine? I don't think that just because I don't have the luxury of sick time that I should then get to inconvenience others who may also not have that luxury.