It never fails; we are healthy all summer and then AWANAs starts and a few days later the kids get sick. And then I get sick. And our routine and any hope of school goes out the window. I know public school kids are still sent to school when they're sick as long as they're not "too sick." Really? How is that a good thing? Aren't the kids more difficult to teach? Doesn't the lack of rest extend the sickness period? Oh, and you're exposing all the other kids to your sickness, too!Now, I don't consider myself a germaphobe. I consider myself to be a respectful, considerate parent. When I was attending Bible Study Fellowship they asked that you not bring a child if they had a runny nose or even a slight fever. The child may or may not have been contagious; they didn't want to risk infecting all the other children. Sometimes it felt like I was the only one who followed that rule. Do you know how many times I didn't take the kids because they had a runny nose? I was being respectful and considerate of the other children and their mothers who were going to have to deal with a sick child if mine infected them. But we'd get better, go again, and then get sick again because other parents weren't following the rules. (Yes, I know you can be contagious without those symptoms.)
I understand that it stinks for your child to miss out on an activity when they're not feeling too bad. I understand that it's not fair for siblings of the sick child, if they're not sick too, to miss out on the activity to keep the sick child home. So is it fair to spread the illness to the entire class? I missed out on a lot of Bible studies and my boys missed a lot of AWANA nights because I didn't want to risk getting your kid sick. Won't you please do the same for mine?
Generally, I agree. I *will* bring Nathaniel places if he has a runny nose, but only if it's clear, he has no other symptoms, and he's already up and moving - we often have runny noses 'round here for no good reason (I suspect some kind of allergies). I'll also bring him if he's seen the doctor, and has been cleared of contagiousness (like, he's been to the doctor, who says after 48h, he's no longer contagious kinds of things). But the number of kids I've seen brought places with hacking coughs, green runny noses, horrible sneezing, exhaustion, the works? It's more than a little surprising - especially when they say casually, "Oh, his/her sibling had this last week. She was fine after that, no sense bringing him/her to the doctor for it...." I get that if you know what it is and it's short lasting, you mightn't see the doctor for it. But DON'T EXPOSE MY KID TO IT!!! Seriously! This is a large part of why people who selectively vax get trouble - they're conscious enough to make their decision on vaccination... and then tromp their kids around while they're heavily contagious, exposing the general population to illness completely stupidly. x.x;; And then, when their sick arses spread 'round these diseases, they paint the others (who actually keep their kid home at the first sight of illness) with their snotty brush. o.o
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it's not just me who has this as a pet peeve.
DeleteI share your concern. I get the pressure that parents who both work (or single parents who have to work) are under - although this does not make it right. But AWANAs? Really????
ReplyDeleteHowever, even if every parent kept every kid at home at the first sign of illness, kids can still pass bugs to each other for two reasons. First, many illnesses have a contagious period BEFORE the onset of any symptoms (quite handy of you are am illness). Second, some kids have enough resistance to a particular illness that they never get sick. Our son harbored strep throat for months without symptoms - all the while infecting and reinfecting the rest of the family. These are the reasons why, as you noted in your post, kids without symptoms can and do infect others.
I hope and pray that the boys get better soon and that you and Lady Bug do not get sick.
Thank you, but it's too late. I've been sick since Saturday night and Lady Bug woke up today congested. :(
ReplyDeleteI'll pray that you all recover quickly.........
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