If your kids are sick.....keep them at home PLEASE

coasterqueen wrote: OMG! I am about ready to go insane and start asking myself am I just a freak or what?

Besides the parents who keep sending their kids to our daycare sick when they should just keep them at home so they aren't RUDE.........why doesn't everyone do this? Seriously!

My sister finally signed up for a library card and gave it to us. We'd sign up for one but we live outside city limits and the cost for a yearly card is outrageous so she did it and gave me hers. Anyways, I had Kylie all pumped up about going to the library on Saturday for story time and check out some books and videos. We get there 1/2 hour before story time to pick out books and to play in their play area. While we are playing 2 different sets of families come up and their kids are playing and I notice that they are all HACKING and OOZING snot everywhere! Uh, hello!!!!!! So I whispered to Kylie to just go over to another area and play by herself because I didn't want her getting sick. Some of the kids kept coming up to Megan and I was like "uh, she's asleep can you leave her alone...move away from the baby!"

So after about 20 minutes and the kids kept following Kylie and oozing snot everywhere I told Kylie we were leaving and we'd do our own story time at home. She was actually fine with it, thank goodness. I mean, story time is in a tiny enclosed room, no way was were going to sit in there and just beg sick bugs to get us.

THEN.......we went to church this morning. There wasn't anyone in the nursery and Kylie didn't want to sit in church so I stayed in there and listened while she was playing. All of sudden the nursery attendant came piling in with her 4 kids and every single one of them was oozing snot and hacking including the mother! HELLO!!!!! I took Kylie aside and explained that they had colds and we needed to just play by ourself. Course Kylie goes "why do you all have colds?". Yeah I know I shouldn't have said that to her but I didn't want to leave church but I don't want her sick too. So then the mother said "yeah, we are all trying to get over colds in our house". UM, why on earth are you at church then spreading your sickness???? I so wanted to say that. So of course I made Kylie wash her hands often and wouldn't let Megan anywhere near those kids.

Last Sunday Kylie had a cough, nothing huge, but I kept her home from church and AWAY from crowds (i.e. no shopping, or anything). Why can't others do this? I mean God will understand if you don't come to church. Library storytime will be there next week! You can go shopping next weekend....GEESH!!!!!!

I just don't understand people! I swear if my kids get friggin' sick I'm going to hunt these people down I tell you! I mean, I know they are going to get sick but why on earth do people have to go parading around in public with sick kids or sick themselves?

Ok, I just had to vent!

JAYMESMOM replied: I know what you mean. I try to keep the kids home when they are sick. Including myself. I have picked up bronchitis and pink eye within 3 days. None from my family so it had to be while we were out running errands this week. It is so frustrating!!!!

gr33n3y3z replied: LOL
Sorry just hearing you say that is making me laugh but not at you I can just see your face typing this.

I myself should have been out all week from work and I still should not be going back to work tomorrow but i have to I dont have a choice in the matter


I hope the kids dont get sick

Maddie&EthansMom replied: Oh girl do I know what you mean!!! I HATE when I see sick kids in public. Ethan has a cold now...sneezing like mad. We will be home all week...no gym until he is better (which I'm sure is where he caught it ) But, he will be well soon. I know if more people would keep their kids home they wouldn't stay sick so long, kwim? They need their down time and need time to get WELL.

six_kids_at_28 replied: I know what you mean!!! The occasional common cold doesn't bother me, since I know my kids will get it anyways but when it is pink eye, or something highly contagious like that

TeagansMom609 replied: If I kept Teagan out of school for every cold she got, I would be a stay at home mom. Unfortunatly, colds aren't a reason to keep a kid out of school or the public. Pink eye, flu, chicken pox, etc., yes, but a common cold? No. The chances of your child getting a cold just from being in public is high.

C&K*s Mommie replied: I agree with Teagensmom, getting a cold anywhere in public is easy- unfortunately. With or without someone hacking or sneezing around you. The cold has a timeframe to keep and it will run its course regardless. I once heard that by the time you "feel" sick with a cold, your body has been fighting it for several days and those are just the physical symptoms that will end in a matter of days. I do not know why people that have obviously sick kids come out in public, but I do know that I keep the exposure down for my girls since their body is weak from having to fight the colds. That usually means staying out of the germ ridden public for a day or two.

coasterqueen replied: Well I for one think NOT going to church, or to story time or well let's see just out shopping with your sick kids because you want to is obsurd. If you can't stay home while they are sick. I'm talking about the times when it's not really necessary to take them out. I really don't like the idea of some kids snot oozing all over my child. Maybe I'm strange, but well....I'll just be strange .

As far as daycare that's why I'm in a home sitter environment so there isn't as much sickness and had hoped my sitter would have parents who would see that they should keep their kids home when they are sick. I, for one, do keep them home when they are sick whether it's myself or Dh who does. I'm very fortunate that my kids aren't sick that often, though. I'm thankful for that every day.

TeagansMom609 replied: So if Teagans nose is running we should not leave the house and stay inside until it stops? Say a week or so? If people stayed inside, (adults and children) when they had a cold the streets would be empty. Germs are everywhere, all the time, theres nothing you can do about it. Your child will get sick no matter if they are in contact with kids or adults who have a cold. I think the only way that you could help avoid your child from the common cold would be to quarantine them, and have them wear latex gloves, bubble wrap, and face masks. LOL

Sometimes Teagan has a cold with a runny nose for weeks, and so does half of the other kids at her daycare. Am I going to take an extended leave from work to stay home with her because her nose is running? Heck no, we would be living in a box. Its just not realistic to keep your kids out of daycare or school for the common cold that people are going to get regardless of where they are or who they are around.

coasterqueen replied:
You know I'm not going to respond to this any longer. I made this thread as a vent. Nothing more. Like I stated earlier I'm very thankful that when my girls get sick it's not for long. And yes we have kept them home a whole week before for coughing/runny nose, sneezing, etc. My husband and I feel it's our responsibility to be at home with them when they are sick, US taking care of them during that time. It's the least we can do since we can't be home with them every day. But this is OUR choices, no one elses. Our sitter is very thankful for that and I do and so does my sitter wish the other parents had the same thinking Dh and I do.

I am a single parent for at least 100 days, maybe 130 as Dh is telling me, but if my kids get sick I personally would take a whole week off, if I feel it's the right thing to do, even though I know it's no pay or whatever the stress may bring with it.

Like I said, this is MY (Karen's) choices, not yours. Don't feel you need to defend yours .

MommyToAshley replied: Ughh, I know what you mean Karen. When I dropped Ashley off at preschool, one of the kids in her class obviously had a cold and had a runny, crusty nose. Ashley has only been sick twice since she was born (knock on wood) and I am thankful she didn't catch it. But, I'm like you and would have kept Ashley home if she was sick.

coasterqueen replied:
That's great she hasn't been sick much. Mine have been sick a bit more, but not too much more.

I think I'm even more paranoid these days because I AM home alone and don't have Dh to take off to help me. Ya know? Who wants to deal with sick cranky kids all alone? And to have to take off work right now, well it would all be on me. So I guess I'm a bit more paranoid than I used to, but I will still be the way I was, I guess.

MommyToAshley replied:
You can put me on the over-protective side as well. We do the same as you and have taught Ashley to wash her hands often. And, I try to avoid letting her play with kids that are sick. So, maybe that is why she hasn't been sick or maybe she is blessed with a good immune system. Anyways, it doesn't hurt to practice good hygiene and avoid being around kids that are sick if it isn't necessary.

mckayleesmom replied: If you let your kids go to places like daycare sick...then they just pass it back and forth to each other causing you to miss alot more work in the end. At least tha is how I see it. If you keep them home until they are better, then the health of all the daycare kids is better. Its a never ending cycle if you don't wait till they are better. Yes they are going to get colds and sick from other places too, but in confined areas like daycares...they catch it faster and just keep getting it back because they arn't allowed to get better at home. Alot of daycares won't let you drop your kids off if they have runny noses or signs of a cold or illness.

MM'sMama replied: ITA. I get so mad when people do that. Know one wants to have to deal with a cranky sick kid like you said. And I know for me Brice gets more cranky and upset and can't handle it if I HAVE to and mean HAVE to take him out. Who wants to deal with that. So I try my hardest just to keep him home I wish others would too.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: Sorry to hear... i fele your pain.

if it makes you feel ANY better... by time snot comes arouns, you're not contagious anymore...but it's still gross.

ediep replied: I agree 100%

Jason always gets sick when another kid in his class comes to school with a cold. ALWAYS! He has had 3 colds since he started 2 months ago. I am sure its because he hasn't been to a daycare setting and preschool is his first time in a public place with other kids for a long time.

Its easy for me to say because I don't WOH, so if Jay isn't feeling great we just stay home. Preschool isn't such a big deal to miss a day or 2 here and there.

anyway, hope the girls don't catch the colds

kimberley replied: grrr that is rude! vent away because i know i would too! one thing i did like about the boys' daycare was that they made the parents come get the kids if they were sick. when you have 1 worker to 5 kids, you cannot afford to play florence nightengale to one kid. sending lots of ~~~stay healthy~~~ vibes to your house.

ammommy replied: That is frustrating, but we follow the rules of the schools and daycares when determining whether to go out. No fever, vomitting, or diarreah for a solid 24 hours and no feeling "out of sorts". Other than that, we go out. The kids both sinus infections constantly so if we stayed in everytime someone had a runny nose, we'd never go out in public. Now, green snot? We play in the back yard.

Kaitlin'smom replied: I agree if you have the choise to keep them home when sick please do, its gross to see a kid with a snotty nose espically when the parent does not care to wipe it. Now missing work for a smiple CLEAR runny nose is not always nessary, but if its congestion then take the time to get them well. Examples like Karen said shopping, story time or even chuch come one you dont HAVE to do that when they are sick. Thankfully Kait has not been sick much at all, I also chose in home care for that reason, i am sure she might pick up more cold and such when she starts pre school.

TANNER'S MOM replied: Oh I agree. It drives me crazy too. Now there is a difference in a small cold or allergies then the green snot ozzing from everywhere.

My kids are older and I have taught them to be respectful even when they cough. But they are kids. But when they were smaller we didnt' do go out unless we had too. But that was our choice!

PrairieMom replied: I know that it is impossible for life to just stop for some snot and a cough. We still go out, but I avoid letting him do things like play at the play land in the mall, or go to story time where there are other kids. We do still go to the grocery store and all that.

punkeemunkee'smom replied: ITA!!! It irritates me to no end when we are in a playgroup or at Dance class and I hear a child hacking away or a parent say they had a fever all day yesterday/all night lastnight but I gave them some insert medication here and they seem ok now...Yep until my child comes down with it in 3-4 days! If more people would stay out of public for a couple days when they/their children are sick-the "common cold" may not be so common! JMO!

A&A'smommy replied: OMG I SOOO know what you mean I absolutly HATE that we had ONE sick at the beggining of bible school by the end of the week EVERY single one of them except that kid had runny noses and Alyssa got REALLY sick I hope they don't catch those colds!!!

DansMom replied:
I fall in this camp, and because of Daniel's allergic rhinitis, he is rarely sneeze-free. People assume he has a cold when he starts rubbing his eyes and sneezing and coughing and looking droopy, when what's really happening is that he's reacting to the copious goldfish cheese dust and milk chocolate that other kids have deposited on everything in sight (my own little mini-vent about handwashing here ) I can't always tell he has a cold until it progresses further.

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
Allergies are something completely different! We have so many allergins in the air that sneezing and watery eyes can be common-we stay home on day 1 though just to make sure it is not the flu or cold coming on!

jcc64 replied:

Tracy... That kind of sounds like a good name for a new jam band.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied:
You ladies make me laugh!

ITA with you Karen! I would have to admit it being one of the reasons I chose to SAH. Now I'm not saying there is anything wrong with daycare, please don't think that, but I would have to say my friends with kids in daycare are much more sick than Wil. My friend has changed daycares like four times in the past year because she noticed there wasn't enough handwashing or too many sick kids were allowed in. I feel fortunate to be able to stay home with him if he is sick. Now Wil still pickups colds of course from grocery carts and play areas, or we do playgroups, but I keep him home if he is sick. It's like what Bri said, in confined areas, it's a never ending cycle. One gives it to another to only give it back. I'm not looking forward to when Wil goes off to school!

Can you have a talk with the church director? They should set down some rules although I guess they welcome everyone at church, right?

My2Beauties replied: Yeah Hanna has a lot of allergies so her nose runs quite often but it's always clear, I would never let her go to a group of kids with a green runny nose or a cough! I had this vent a couple of weeks ago, my cousin has 5 kids, two of which have b'days in October, so the first or second weekend in Oct I can't remember which she had a party for them and 3 of the 5 were really sick. I got there and immediately said Oh Great Hanna is going to get sick, guess what - she did, 3 days later!