Kids get sick a lot. Especially toddlers. They are exploring, putting things in their mouths all the time, sometimes they even like to lick things like shopping carts. It's terribly challenging to keep a kid from catching something. But there is something we as parents can do to prevent other kids from getting sick. You know, help another parent avoid a week of sleepless night, Stage 4 clingers, and crusty booger snot stains all over everything in the house. And that's to keep your kid cooped up in the house for the entirety of the sickness, and even however long after they may still be contagious.
And yet it's something so many parents don't do. Because that's damn near impossible. But the worse offense is actually letting your sick child play with other kids. Why, parents, why?!
It's clear we can't keep our kids quarantined for every little illness. I've taken my kids food shopping with me when they had colds. Yes, runny noses and all. There are just times where I have to do something and have no one to watch the kids. So they must come along. Of course if they had Chicken Pox or something extremely worrisome I wouldn't expose them to the outside world ... or rather expose the outside world to them. But for the times they are only a little bit of sick, they have been out and about with me. This is why I am now vigilant about cleaning off the part of the grocery cart where kids sit. I bet you'll be more careful now, too, if you weren't already.
One of the worse offenses a parent can make against another parent and perhaps even more than putting down their parenting style is letting your viral little hotbed of disease play in the sandbox with the other kids, or visit the children's museum or the library or actually set up a playdate and spent time coughing, sneezing, and drooling the germs all over the place virtually guaranteeing the other kids will get sick, too. Might as well just bring the tainted lollipops so we at least get a little serving of candy with your plague.
Put down my parenting style all you want -- I can ignore you. Pass us whatever's going around because you're letting your knowingly sick kid play with others is not something anyone can ignore. Like I mentioned it's basically a sentence of sleepless nights, Stage 4 clingers, and boogers boogers boogers everywhere.
It happens, though. I know. I can't get angry. I'm not. There have been times I was in complete denial my child was sick -- boogers and fever and unexplained tears and all. And that's because of how awful it can be when our little loves are not feeling well. I may have even been guilty of spreading our sick to undeserving playdates. So for the times we have oops! accidentally done such a thing, the only way to make up for the crime is *drum roll* offer to babysit so those parents get a deserved night out. Or make them your best banana bread. Or both.
Have you let your kid play with other kids at the playground or elsewhere even when your child is sick? Does that make a bad mom or dad?
Image via Pink Poppy Photography/Flickr
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Comments 135
I run an in home daycare and many times a child would be sick, but the time we realized all the kids had been exposed. It was normal stuff like colds. But at that point I would just continue to watch the kids (as long as they weren't so miserable they just wanted mom or to home.) Most of the parents couldn't afford to take off and like I said all the other kids were already exposed. The parents were really grateful. Especially the single mom whose two year old I watch now.
When a daycare child had lice, however I wouldn't allow them back until it was gone.
I would like to say, thanks for bringing your sick kid to daycare so mine can get sick. who is going to pay me for taking time off and i dont get paid?
My sister had a cold and while being away for a week together I came down with a cold also. As did her son and 2 of my children. We all presented with different symptoms and for different lengths of time. I'm convinced that we had at least 2 kinds of colds. And 4 of our family members, exposed to the same sick people didn't even have a runny nose.
I had an immune deficiant baby. I wanted to make T-shirts for her that said, "Your cold can land me in the hospital," so I totally understand it when parents are vigilant about other kids' runny noses. I try to let parents know whenever I suppose my child may be showing the first warning signs of an illness, and I usually call parents if they've already been exposed to my little one who has just turned up sick, just to let them know. I know I appreciate it when others do that for me. That way I can load my kid up on probiotics and vitamins and such, so we're prepared for the stinky little virus. My daughter, now 2, is no longer immune deficient, but once you've gone through something like that, you realize how even just a "minor cold" can turn into another kid's serious condition. Parents, please be aware of your little ones and do whatever to can to minimize germ sharing.
Gena Bell, you are a lazy and ignorant parent for exposing other children to your kids sicknesses. You have no idea what another family is going through. Your attitude that all kids get sick and "oh well" is crazy. Just because you are too lazy to stay home and take care of your sick child doesn't mean that other kids should be exposed to them. How obnoxious for YOU to decide what another family should put up with. My son is two and he is NEVER sick, because I feed him right and don't let him be around sick kids. You need to get over your high and might self!
Andrea, what a load of B.S. Both my husband and I were rarely sick as children and now in our 40's we are still rarely sick. If what you said holds true, then shouldn't we be sick all the time now since we were not as children. Kids need to stay home when they are sick so they can get better and not expose themselves to other people. Not just sick children, but the elderly, someone going through Chemo..you have no idea what another person is going through, keep your sick kids HOME. It isn't up to you or anyone else to build another child's "immune system", so get over it.
I keep my child at home , feeding her gatoraide popsicles and chicken soup ... it is the times she goes to school to learn and always comes home sick about 3 times a year!