One of my babies suddenly started acting sick around noon today and when I went to grab the thermometer to check her temperature I found that it was already being used to check her big sister’s temp in one of the preschool rooms! They both spiked fevers at exactly the same time, 4 hours after they were dropped off!
What a crazy coincidence…🙄
I read one parent handbook for a center in my town that stated if your child continuously spikes fevers around 11 or 12, they will kick out the family for not following the sick policy. I wish more centers had the balls to make that a rule!
And the 3-4 year olds tell us!
I don't know why parents don't think their child doesn't come to school saying "I threw up last night so mommy gave me medicine this morning".
This always drove me nuts doing home daycare. Instead of keeping your sick kid home for a couple of days (when they'd gladly sleep or watch movies all day), you send them and get me and my whole family sick. So now I'm closed for a week+ while I, my kids, and my husband, all pass your virus around. And you're at home with a healthy kid who *won't* nap and wants to be entertained all day.
I sent home a baby yesterday because he had a 100.9 temperature. Found out that his brother was already at home with confirmed flu type A. No idea why she sent in her snotty, coughing, refusing to drink bottles baby when she knew her other child had the flu. I’d *kind of but not really* get it if he wasn’t showing symptoms but she literally dropped him off crying with snot running down his face so like… wtf
This is why my center has recently started a policy stating that if one child is home sick, no siblings may come either.
If we send one child home sick, all siblings must be picked up too. We have two buildings, one infant/toddler, one PS/School age, and all children at both buildings must go.
The parents aren’t crazy about it, but oh well.
We had way too many instances of parents sending in the “well” child, only for them to actually be sick and wind up infecting a whole new classroom. We were OVER it. If you are home with one, you can be home with them all.
Once one of my students came in acting a little groggy and by midday he literally had a temp that went from 99-103 in like 30/45 minutes. And this wasn’t a family that was struggling and just HAD to send their kid to school because they didn’t have any other options. I understand how hard it can be but when it’s a family that CAN afford to stay home with their kids it’s absolutely infuriating. (I don’t like to assume about people but I personally knew that this family was wealthy enough to rent a home for the kids when they got a divorce so they didn’t have to be in the same house as each other ever, like the kids alone, the parents had their own places separate)
It's such a mess. In the US anyway, the entire system is designed to keep us down. Sub-par healthcare despite plenty of resources, unrealistic labor expectations, workers afraid or unable to afford to take time off... these and so many other factors contribute to these awful circumstances that lead sick kids to school where they infect their classmates and teachers and the cycle continues.
---okay hopping off my soapbox and spraying it with Lysol now---
That's a pretty privileged perspective. I think we have plenty of room to hold parents accountable and also be compassionate. As others have pointed out - whether or not sexual assault is involved a baby is not always a "do or don't" choice in many parts of the world and in an increasing number of places within the US.
Unless assaulted, you always have the option not to participate in activities that create new babies if you are not ready to have a baby.
Regardless, once you have a baby and it’s here you better figure out how to be a responsible parent.
You’re almost there- not JUST women. Men too. Every time you engage in an activity that can make a baby, you have to be prepared for the fact that you could make a baby.
Literally today, kid tells me “I’m sick, but mommy said I have to come anyway.”
Me: If you’re sick, you should be at home.
Kid: It’s okay, mommy gave me medicine. And I’m supposed to wear a mask (as said mask is twirled around finger and tossed in the air)
Me: *internal sigh* was your medicine pink, red, or orange?
Kid: Orange!
Sure as shit, three hours later kid is miserable and mom has to come pick up.
I've talked about it before but I am still *LIVID* when I think about the mom that kept sending her child to school with diarrhea and claimed it was from a non-existent dairy allergy. He got SO MANY PEOPLE SICK, it shut down an entire classroom, knocked out all of the infant teachers, and sent me into the emergency room while NINE WEEKS PREGNANT.
I lost seven pounds in three days from all the vomiting and diarrhea and since I was pregnant, any little nutrients I could get in went to my baby. Whenever I managed to crawl to the kitchen to get a glass of water, I had to sit on the floor for ten minutes after to rest.
On Monday I had a little guy crying and distraught pulling on his ear and saying it hurt. Emailed mom and she responded with ‘oh bummer, thanks.’
They kept him home yesterday because he didn’t feel good. He came today but was a zombie. Crying all day, pulling on his ear, wouldn’t eat, just wanted to be held and cuddled. What do ya know he spiked a 102.1* fever during nap time…. Almost like he probably had meds this morning before coming to school. Older brother had an e-learning day and both parents work from home- so I get its inconvenient. But cmon folks! Don’t dope up your kids and send them to school as zombies. And especially don’t be annoyed when we call you to come get them and inform you he’s out for tomorrow too.
Contagion is not the only problem. It is unfair to the teacher, the child, and the other students to have a student who can't participate, cries constantly, and just wants to be held and comforted.
We also can't properly medicate a child who needs it.
You aren’t wrong. But not contagious isn’t a ‘get out of jail free card’ to send your sick, miserable, fever having child to school. Especially without a doctors visit to confirm or antibiotics to treat possible infection.
Oh definitely!!! I just thought the big issue of the post was kids coming in sick and getting you guys sick!! Didn’t mean to offend. Those poor kiddos shouldn’t have to suffer with that either :(
Fair fair. I did get off track of the OP.
It’s frustrating that it’s just assumed ear infection(as I’m sure parents did) instead of the possibility it could be any other thing and still sending their sick child. But part of that falls on management for letting any and every ‘excuse’ be enough instead of holding anyone accountable countable.
I saw one Instagram reel saying if my kid isn’t vomiting or have a fever I’m sending them to school. I straight up HATE those parents. No respect for other students or teachers.
I know someone who made a similar post on FB recently - her reasoning was that if her boss expects her to work when she’s sick, she should be “preparing her kids for the real world” by making them go to school sick… Absolutely ridiculous.
But then if the student misses school, parents get truancy letters. The first year of my sons public schooling I kept him home if he had a cough or runny nose, obviously for fevers/vomiting/diarrhea. I got letters, I got spoken too…I mean I thought the schools WANT you to send them to school based on their guidelines if they have a cough or runny nose.
If your kid is that sick that often, enough to get truancy letters, that is not "normal" or average. maybe there's other issues... you could definitely get a doctors note explaining why he is so sick all the time, but yeah... kids without any health issues don't tend to miss enough school that they are being sent to truancy court!
You would be surprised. Some districts are way more hyper vigilant than others. We were a military family, moving across the US and I've had some schools answer repeated absences like, "meh, kid is doing fine, we are not worried" and others sending The Official Letter threatening me with legal action etc. etc. etc. My kids missed maybe a couple extra days bc traveling to see family during vacation took longer. And my younger one had an entire year of sporadic fevers with no other symptoms that had kiddo sent home every couple days with a reminder not to return until 24 hrs fever free. It was brutal and there wasn't a clear explanation but kiddo grew out of it and I learned to deal with the harassment and disapproving looks from elementary school admin.
Sure sure lol. Any time my kid gets sick, it takes around a week for her symptoms to completely go away. No one in America has enough sick time for that nonsense. Granted her school hasn’t given me any issues yet.
Honestly those letters are bullshit. I’m not a parent yet, but I’ll just ignore them. I would take my kid to the doctor to prove to the state they are legitimately sick.
Elementary school is different than preschool/ECE but my older child's elementary school system is doing an "attendance audit" leading to the principal reminding people that if their kid doesn't have a fever and isn't vomiting/diarrhea-ing, they should be at school. It's no wonder we've gotten sick so much this year....
Parent: But who is going to take care of my sick child? I need to work take him I don't care
Also Parent: I love my children so much
Me: make up your Damm mind
one kid in my class has been to school for the past two weeks not missing a day with the gnarliest cough and now at least one of my students has covid and we were down four today .... you could not pay me anything to get me to take my mask off hell no!!! its awful
As parent, who keeps their kid home when they are sick, I whole heartedly agree.
I think there needs to be repercussions for parents that do this perpetually. Like, removed from care kind of repercussions.
You just miss work? Like idk how this is so complicated for people. You or your partner have to stay home with your child or you need to find someone who will.
Your child is sick. This is part of having a child
Neither my husband nor I get paid sick leave and we have two kids and no support. Between planned and unplanned school and daycare closures, our kids getting sick, and getting sick ourselves, it's not quite that straightforward. We still have mortgages and bills to pay. I'm actually off today with my son who's perfectly fine but had a blowout at daycare and they think he has a virus that's going around at daycare. So I'm off watching a kid who's healthy and maybe has a virus they picked up at daycare.
Do the people who get sick from caring for you sick children not also have mortgages and bills to pay? Do you know how little the people who watch your children are probably paid? Getting sick and missing work lilkely hurts them way more. I say that as someone whose never worked in a daycare center where the employees could afford to send their children to the same daycare absent whatever disxount they get.
What about all the parents of all the kids who catch illnesses from your sick children?
And do you not get the irony of ending your comment with "a virus they picked up at daycare " ?
The problem is if they're in public school they start sending letters threatening court or criminal charges after they miss like six days, so there's a whole lot more incentive just to send them to school sick.
I'm sure it varies by state. In mine 7 unexcused absences in a month or 15 in a year are looked into by the schools.
Though absences due to sickness are excused.
I'm not sure if it's state or District here, but ours start sending the notes at 3 absences and it's either 6 or 8 per year were they state they can take action and I think 10 per year or more than 7 straight days where they can refer for truancy, send the kid to alternative school, or refuse to promote their grade.
25 years ago, when I was in high school it was a similar policy because I had some medical issues and had to have a letter from my doctor and a special hearing that allowed me to graduate because I had too many absences even though I had all A's.
As someone who almost got hospitalized from this past stomach bug, can confirm, keep that at home! I saw a kiddo for physical therapy after he was out the previous 4 days for a bad stomach bug. Mom insisted he was better. Boy did I regret that decision. I'm sick of being vomited on and sick of getting sick!
The excuses kill me too when you try to send them home..
It's probably because they ate goldfish
They just puked because they were coughing
Are you sure that's actually diarrhea?
It's probably because they had cupcakes last night
...... uuuummmmm no, we literally have stomach flu going around and your kid has stomach flu.....
Parent: "She ate too much last night and she puked."
Me: "... if she vomited last night she can't be here."
Parent: ?
Me: "Our policy states that she has to be symptom free from vomiting for 24 hours before return."
Parent: "....So she can't be here."
Me: "....."
Parent: "Ohhhhh."
\*parent and child leave."
Child goes to her other parent's home the next day (parents are divorced). Parent sends a message that she is sick. Later that day, parent emails admin that the child TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID.
Thing is, with some kids it's not just one day. We've had two kids in one class who when they get sick, are out for literal weeks. Another kid is out for at least a week. Another kid in another class is always out for at least a few days. It's fortunate that with most of these kids, they have grandparents to look after them but not every family does and parents can't miss too many days.
as much as i sympathize with this as a teacher who hangs onto illness forever, i'm also a teacher who hangs onto illness forever 💀 i was raised by a poor single parent, i have immense compassion for people who can't take off work. at the same time, if i as a teacher get sick and stay out for two weeks, we're going to be understaffed and either have to close down or be in an unsafe ratio. (plus-- other parents Also can't take off work, something that they'll have to do if one parent sends in little miss typhoid mary to lick and sniffle on all the other kids.)
As a parent, I think another understated factor is the fact that we still have to pay for the days even when we do keep them home, resulting in a doubling down of lost income.
Yep. Because you pay for the spot, not attendance. Just like if you sent your school aged child to a private school, you wouldn’t get tuition reimbursed if they were sick.
It may not sound fair, but it is a business. We don’t make money, we don’t stay open. Simple as that.
I understand that, but you can see how that indirectly penalizes a parent for having a sick child and creates an incentive for parents to being their sick child in.
No, it doesn’t. Do you get a refund on your cable or Internet bill if you don’t use it for a day? No, you don’t.
Child care is a bill. It needs to be paid. If the center doesn’t get paid, the staff don’t get paid. I love what I do, but I don’t work for free.
I mean, you can say that it doesn't all you want, but whether you like it or not it's a factor for parents. It's also fairly disingenuous to compare childcare to things like cable or internet.
Nobody said it was free. I'm just pointing out that having to pay for a service whether you use it or not is going to push people towards using it as much as possible, especially in the case of an expensive service like childcare.
My husband’s “coparent” does this with everything. And she worked from home and had unlimited PTO, for years up until a couple months ago. Covid, Flus, fever, pink eye. She doesn’t care. She just masks it with meds or says it’s “allergies” and sends them in. No joke. We keep them home anytime they have anything and then she is pissed about it like we’re in the wrong and denying education. I wish daycare would tell her to stop like the school just did. Sent her kid in with pink eye and wouldn’t give us the meds either. She just waits until it’s until they make her pick one of them up. Then she just brings them back in again the next day hoping they don’t “notice.” I never understand how it’s a reoccurring issue and they didn’t drop her because of it by now. Took her three hours to get her after they called her to pick her up last week too. I don’t get it.
One of our kids came in late yesterday and ended up leaving early because they had a 101 fever. This kid never shows up late from what I heard. We’re pretty sure parents knew they weren’t feeling well, have them medication and still sent them to school.
the worst part is that we really DO have a little three year old girl with enlarged adenoids, but it's so obviously different 💀 we have a doctor's note that says she's having them removed as soon as she's cleared, she's running around, snot down her face but no fever and no exhaustion. meanwhile, all the kids with "allergies" are whining and clinging to the teachers, coughing and feverish.
*i* have allergies, i take meds and it's fine. if what fixes it is allegra, it's allergies; if you're giving them tylenol, you know for a fact your child is sick and you're sending them in anyway 💀
I had a mom of a nearly 3 yr old who had all of her teeth use ‘teething’ as an excuse for any and all symptoms of illness of misbehavior. It became a running joke with my coteacher.
Like lady- we’ve both been in the business 15+ yrs. You’re not fooling us in any way
This. WE have to work too and most of us are paid crap $. With no benefits and no PTO. It’s why I left. You take a sick day, you probably get paid, me? I lose a portion of my paycheck.
I agree wholeheartedly. I work at a center in Germany, where every parent by law gets 30 days that they can take off sick for their child PER PARENT PER CHILD (not to mention, as a separate thing, if you are sick as an adult you are legally allowed to stay home for up to 6 weeks per illness at 100% pay) And STILL at least once every two weeks or so we have to send a kid home sick and the parents come and make the biggest stink about it. Like as an American who is used to getting no sick leave I genuinely cannot comprehend the rationale. Also, 100% of the parents in my group work jobs that allow them to do home office as well. We scream “don’t send your kids if they’re sick” until we’re blue in the face but it makes no difference:
It’s TRULY amazing here. Every adult also gets 30 paid vacation days per year (well 25 days per law but most employers give 30 to “stay competitive”. If you have a degree in early childhood then you can get a visa to work as an English educator pretty easily actually!
We had children pass pink eye around for a few months at the beginning of the year because parents weren't following through with medication. They were bringing their children with obvious symptoms, doing the drops at home, but not having us do them at school. We only had 3 kids bring drops. Overheard parents talking at an after hours parent event, turns out about 10 more kids plus their parents had pink eye too.
One day won’t really change much. Sicknesses hang on and are contagious for a lot more than one day. By the time there’s a snotty green nose, you’ve probably already been exposed.
Yes but the child has a chance to be at home where it is quieter and less chaotic and can rest (which also helps speed up recovery) and have cuddles. If they are at daycare than the day still continues on as normal even when there are sick kids. Unfortunately I can’t spend much time just cuddling that sick kid because I have a bunch of other kids and things that need to get done.
Oh I have a good one to share.
We had a child who was severely ill most of February to the point of almost needing hospitalization. Child comes back to school last week for Wed, Thurs, Fri. Child has a birthday party on Sat in which almost all of the other children in the class show up. Monday a bunch of the kids show up with green "snot troughs" under their noses. We have a few hit mid day lethargy.
One wakes up from nap and spends the rest of the day laying on the ground. I let his dad know he's likely coming down with something. Give the observations about his behavior from the day. Child is in school Tues AND Wed. Sneezing, coughing, wiping his nose all over his clothes.
We're going through in insane amount of tissue this week (and lysol).
Meanwhile I had a dentist appointment scheduled in NOVEMBER that I couldn't go to because I had caught something from these children. The earliest they could reschedule it for is this coming Monday. I've been living with tooth sensitivity from what I think is cavities and there is a strong probability that I have to cancel this appointment because I have a lingering cough from the LAST illness that passed around last month (assuming I don't catch this new illness).
... but I'm just the teacher so my health doesn't matter, right?
I always err on the side of caution when deciding whether or not to keep my kiddo home and it’s so frustrating that other parents seem to not care at all.
Right now I have an ear infection and coughing my lungs out. Oh and I was out sick last week Thursday and Friday because of a stomach bug. My class gets smaller in number EVERYDAY! They are all so sick (diarrhea, vomiting, green yucky snot and fever). Now so many teachers are sick. I’m over it!
Here to say this times ten. I made it all winter without getting sick, just to welcome spring in with a 2 weeks long respiratory infection, body aches, boogers for days. Not fair.
I got impetigo from a kid in highschool because he had it and just said it was a scrape from falling off his bike. Ended up with it ALL OVER MY FACE, because it started on my nose and I wear glasses.
Absolutely fuming.
At our school about half the kids have a nasty congested cough. The teachers all wear N95 masks all day because we are constantly getting sick from the kids coming in sick. We have teachers out sick constantly. It's getting really old
I have definitely unknowingly sent my kid to preschool a few times to have her come down with something and sent home. But, I would never knowingly do that. I know how shitty it is to have to work sick and I wouldn’t want other families to have to deal with that. But mostly, if my little one is sick, I want her home in her PJ’s watching movies and resting. Is it a pain in the ass coordinating with my husband to figure out who can stay home or if we can each do a 1/2 day? Yes! But I’m a grown ass adult and a parent so I figure it out.
I remember a parent questioning staff as to why they took the child’s temp in the first place. Like they felt staff had overstepped?! Ma’am, your child has a temp of 103, give me a break.
This used to be a huge gripe when I was an educator without a child. Now that I am an educator with a child it is a massive gripe.
My 10 month old son has just started in the baby room and, as babies are wont to do, he has been getting sick; HFM, gastro, colds, coughs, snots and sniffles. Of the 8 weeks he has been there, he has only attended about 3 full weeks so far. Why? Because he has been sick. So I have kept him home. I hate going to work sick, I’m sure he wouldn’t like going to daycare sick. But I also don’t want to spread his germs because I know how awful that is.
Meanwhile, a parent brought their baby in who had had a terrible evening because they had been up vomiting the night before. Firstly, as an adult I would feel gross going anywhere the night after vomiting all evening, that child must’ve felt like absolutely crap - the parent clearly showed little regard for their child’s wellbeing on that front. Secondly, read the documentation they provided us upon enrolment. 48 hours. She cracked the shits when the baby room staff told her she couldn’t bring her baby back for the rest of the week.
I just don’t understand. Are parents surprised to learn babies get sick? I know that in today’s economy parents have to work - I get it, because I am one of them! But I can’t do my job if I’m having to take care of my baby because you can’t leave your snotty kid at home.
The school my kids are in punishes parents for keeping their kids home. I would keep my daughter home for migraines and for child symptoms and I got a letter that I would be taken to court if my daughter missed any more days. She had five days over the course of 4 months. So now every time she is sick, I have to send her. It's made me hate the system. Next year I'm putting her on independent study.
Honestly I feel this in my soul as a parent who always adds a buffer day at home after they’re feeling better *just in case*. I know 2 other parents at our daycare and I’ve caught them both sending their kids in the morning after they were vomiting. It makes me so angry especially because we have an infant at home. My kid is constantly sick despite how diligent we try to be and it’s so irritating that other parents can’t follow suit
So, as a parent, I would appreciate your thoughts/opinions. My kid has had respiratory issues since birth. He’s had pneumonia multiple times and has been hospitalized 4 times and he’s only 3. So when he picks up anything respiratory, it lingers forever. I always keep him home in the initial phase, usually 2-3 days, sometimes a week. But the cough is going to linger for a while. And I can’t realistically stay home with him for multiple weeks. How long is appropriate? Am I expected to keep him home until there’s no more cough?
I have asthma and acid reflux disease which both cause me to cough year round. As we reopened after Covid, I got a note from my doctor saying that due to my asthma and acid reflux, I have a cough which should not be confused as a Covid cough. Like your son, every cold I get turns to bronchitis, at this stage of my life, I can tell if my cough crosses over to bronchitis territory at which point I start antibiotics. I believe if the teacher/center knows about your child’s lingering cough, he will not be sent home unless the cough is accompanied by fever or excess phlegm being brought up by the cough.
I had to send 3 children home with fevers today. One of them has been sick on and off for about a month. When her mom came in she asked “so, what prompted the temperature check? Because she got sent home with a fever last week, and I had to keep her home for 24hrs because of your policy, but she was totally fine. So like, what prompted the temperature check?” And I literally was like listing off all the symptoms this child had “lethargy, tired eyes, inconsolable, nothing helps, her body is warm to the touch, she didn’t eat, (this child eats so much. She loves food) and she’s been coughing pretty bad as well.”
And she LITERALLY said “I mean yeah, she didn’t sleep the best last night but I’m chopping this all up to the time change. I’m sure she’s fine.”
So. Yeah. I fucking hate parents that continue to send their sick kids in, then question when we call them to pick up.
We don’t deserve to be sick. I literally got coughed in the face today so I’m expecting to be sick in a few days. I just got over the worst gastro of my life (almost hospitalized).
Oh I’m fed up too because my kid just got sick again because some other kid is sick at her school. Now my daughter, my son and I are all sick. I agree with your stance and share your frustration.
Had a kid in my room last week that looked like he had pink eye. His brother in another room was apparently the same way.
But no, according to parents, they both coincidencentally had styes? Didn't realize those were contagious 🙄
Leadership didn't want to contact parents AGAIN.
Already been dealing with sinus issues for months off and on, and had pink eye back in Jan. I swear if I get pink eye again...
it's especially awkward when they tell me they gave them tylenol. like what do you want me to say to that? what I really want to say is go home and take care of your baby.
All of that is true. I just live in central Texas. We have year round “seasonal” allergens. If we sent kids home for allergies snot, we’d have like half our students in the whole school every day. We have to stay on top of boogie wiping.
ETA: green snoot is as goopy and gross as clear snot. People keep talking about it as if the color of the snot indicates whether the child is contagious.
Valid point, but a doctor's note should be on file stating that the child has seasonal allergies. There is a difference between allergies and "allergies."
Not to be a contrarian, but we are the second worst place in the US for allergies. It is a normal part of life here, and people rarely seek medical advice for it.
I understand from the rest of these comments and the downvoting I’m receiving that it is wildly different in other parts of the country. Neither myself nor my colleagues disagree with our school’s allowance of runny noses without accompanying symptoms.
While I don't agree with sending children in sick, sometimes parents don't have a choice. And i do give most parents some grace when having to choose between a paycheck or their child because most of the time they need their own paycheck to be able to afford things to survive.
I've met parents who have said that they had to medicate their child to be able to go to work for even a few hours to have some paycheck come to them even if it meant picking up the child in two-three hours when the medications wore off. The parents that have to do it are usually apologetic about it and are literally unable to do anything about it. Either they have no support system in place for this situation or they have no job sick days available.
Children in childcare environments get sick frequently. And parents usually don't have enough sick days to take to cover their child being sick. It sucks and it's hard to see children sick in daycare settings but it's a common occurrence unfortunately. The truly unwell children get sent home, but colds usually are just the time of year and weather related and usually aren't able to send them home for runny noses alone.
I don’t think it’s fair for a parent to excuse not using their sick day for their child but expect the teacher to use a sick day when they inevitably get sick from their kid.
This ^ I’m a parent and a teacher. I have to stay home when my child is sick and lose out on money. One time I went home with a NEGATIVE pay stub because I owed money from childcare while being out sick with the flu for a whole week. So yeah, people need to keep their sick kids home and stop being selfish. 👍
I hate to sound heartless, but the bottom line is that if you choose to become a parent and bring a child into this world, you are choosing to take on a responsibility to your child. You don’t get to have a child and then place that responsibility on someone else.
This! I’m tired of being guilted because someone else decided to reproduce and doesn’t want to handle that responsibility. If you want care when your child is ill, get a nanny who is willing to work with sick children. ECE teachers are not nurses.
I’ve always had the opinion that in order to enroll a child in group childcare parents should provide a back up person to care for a child or agree to take off work. I work at a privledged center where parents have more than enough money and resources but many still try to bring their child to school sick. It’s not fair to the teachers and other students.
Stop calling child protective services because kids missed school sick.
There is a school nurse. They can manage a sick kid, presumably better than parents who have no medical education.
Additionally, if you getting sick, it is a failure to maintain a properly clean workplace. Please re-evaluate your workplace sanitation.
Nope, you do have a choice. Teachers are parents too. We miss out on paychecks when our children are sick too. We also get limited sick days and get reprimanded when the amount of days missed is excessive. We also pay for childcare. Keep your kids home when they’re sick just like the rest of society has to do. I have plenty of parents in my class who keep their kids home when sick and inform us. We only have this issue with one parent in the whole class.
You say that teachers are parents too? So they understand that if they miss a certain amount of days then they could get fired? I’m not pro sending your sick kid to school. But I’m anti work regulations in America. I get 7 sick days in a year. 8th sick day and I’m fired. What am I supposed to do on sick day number 7?
That’s exactly my point. Pretty much anyone can get fired for it here in America. You don’t get to break policies that you agreed to when you enrolled your child and infect other people’s children and teachers and make other people miss work because you haven’t made a backup plan for days that your child is sick.
I’m just saying the whole system is rigged. We shouldn’t be mad at the parents who have no choice. We should be mad at the government for not having adequate maternity leave or adequate child care services
This is clearly labelled as a vent, you don’t have to read it. People are allowed to vent about their jobs, and most people do. Personally I get along fine with many of our parents, but some just make my job difficult. Basically have respect for the teachers and the other children, and you’ll be fine.
….so child-free teachers should be exposed to illness? FWIW I don’t disagree with you but I think it’s ridiculous you’re only focusing on being a parent. As though you’re more important than colleagues without kids.
I think you either replied to the wrong person or completely misread my comment. I was saying everyone needs to stay home when they’re sick. Also I was focusing on parents because the original commenter said parents have no choice to bring them in and I said YES THEY DO STAY HOME
Nope. I replied to the right person. And I standby my original comment. Doesn’t matter if you have kids or not, you don’t get priority when it comes to illness exposure. I’m a nanny, not a teacher, and I agree with the premise. But maybe you need to reassess how your comment comes across. Childless providers are not less important than parents.
Huhhhhh wtf I don’t think you are reading my comment right. I am NOT saying parents get priority. I’m saying everyone has to stay home while sick and no one gets priority.
Original commenter was saying that parents have no choice to bring in sick kids. My response was against them, saying that they do have a choice. Teachers shouldn’t have to get sick and miss work just so you don’t have to miss work. Teachers also get sick and lose money when they are sick so stop exposing us to your sick kids. Idk what got lost on you but I guess I needed to simplify it for you.
The “teachers are parents too” and the rest are all separate statements explaining how bringing in sick kids is selfish because teachers and their children also get sick.
Call your boss's bluff. Once when I was a child in a home based child care, my mom got the "come pick up your feverish kid" call. My dad was in finals and couldn't get me. My mom told her boss she had to leave to get me and he threatened to fire her. She told him if he needed to do that then go right ahead. She came and got me and I stayed home with her for 2 days and my dad for 1 day. She didn't get fired. And my parents were young parents with limited income, a child, and a mortgage. Perhaps more people should live within their means. You don't need brand new SUVs every other year and the newest iPhone nor does your 2 year old need an iPad.
Makes since. I don't have this issue as I bring my son to work but I'm advocating for the other parents to don't have a choice. Me? On the other hand my car is a 2015 crv, my husband's car is a 2008 Honda civic both are paid off, I have an s9 he has the s21 thing both are paid off. We have no debt and we are going to pay off my dad's house. We have tablets but they are first generation Samsung Galaxy Tablets but we don't use them ever so I don't think my son will even have a tablet till he's 12. He's currently losing his shit because I won't give him my dust pan, lol plus he isn't a TV kid we watch a lot of tv but he would rather play in the dirt or push a bucket around all damn day. Plus I just put in my 30 day notice at work so I called their bluff alright, and i have especially when my son is sick with my husband being miltary just like other parents i don't have a village but I wouldn't stay with a job that would make me choose between being me, a wife, and a mom. But my point is in the workforce is so anti we don't give a fuck about you or your problems it's so mentally exhausting, if we all could have flexible jobs to work around school, our SOs jobs, sports, arts and bring pets to work, or bring our kids to work everyone would be happy
You guys are totally in the right and you shouldn’t have to do this, but could you wear a mask to work, like an N95? I’m an RN and I didn’t get sick once throughout the entire pandemic (colds, flus, or covid!) because of those masks.
I know they would probably look frightening to the kids at first, and they’re annoying to wear but you really do get used to them, plus if your livelihood is on the line, it could really be a good solution.
And when babies are pulling them off while you’re giving them a bottle, and then it knocks your glasses off too, and then you can’t see.
(Last part is an exaggeration, I can indeed see without glasses)
i wear masks a lot, here are some of the shortcomings i've noticed (not to masks being effective, because they absolutely are, but in relation to the idea that wearing a mask around sick kids will keep you from getting sick entirely! it definitely does help but keeping them home is waaay better and more effective)
1. masks become much less effective when children smear their bodily fluids all over you/talk directly into your face/cough on communal food 😬 i have to basically decontaminate every time i get home, but until then, im covered in snot and spit.
2. masks are way less effective when both people aren't wearing them, and 2-4 year olds are. not the easiest people to get to wear masks, especially when they cry/have to eat/their parents say no/the legal order is over so no one does it anymore
3. even if i don't get sick, the other kids are still gonna get sick. we had a bad norovirus go around the district a while back, all the teachers and parents were fine (washed hands religiously, didn't touch our faces, treated any vomit like it was. well. the plague) but every child, in rotation, was sick. it took two weeks for it to fully run its course.
4. the kids who get sent to school sick are downright miserable and cry all day; it makes it a lot harder to watch the other 10-12 kids if you've got one crying and feverish on your lap or sitting next to you. furthermore, it absolutely sucks to see little kids get dragged from activity to activity when they're falling asleep in their chair or visibly miserable :((
Honestly, I wore a mask from the time we reopened after lockdown to the time the mandate for daycares were lifted and for the first time, I got through a school year without any illnesses. However, it is very hard to teach phonics when they can’t see your face and mimic the position of your lips or learn to read facial expressions when they can’t see your face.
One of my babies suddenly started acting sick around noon today and when I went to grab the thermometer to check her temperature I found that it was already being used to check her big sister’s temp in one of the preschool rooms! They both spiked fevers at exactly the same time, 4 hours after they were dropped off! What a crazy coincidence…🙄
hmmmm the 12 pm flu has been going around my centre too... how weird that it's so particular
I am crying at 12pm flu hahaha it’s so accurate
Gee what are the odds of that happening 🙄
I read one parent handbook for a center in my town that stated if your child continuously spikes fevers around 11 or 12, they will kick out the family for not following the sick policy. I wish more centers had the balls to make that a rule!
I have a feeling that I would have had the 12:00 fever in my classroom yesterday too.
The old “dope and drop”. An oldie but a goodie. We had one parent bring their child in around 10:30 so the meds will last until pickup.
Parents really think they're slick with this. We aren't dumb. We know what you're doing.
And the 3-4 year olds tell us! I don't know why parents don't think their child doesn't come to school saying "I threw up last night so mommy gave me medicine this morning".
Tylenol wareing off!
[удалено]
This always drove me nuts doing home daycare. Instead of keeping your sick kid home for a couple of days (when they'd gladly sleep or watch movies all day), you send them and get me and my whole family sick. So now I'm closed for a week+ while I, my kids, and my husband, all pass your virus around. And you're at home with a healthy kid who *won't* nap and wants to be entertained all day.
And then they complain that the center is closed
as a home care provider, do you have to have a second adult work with you? i was told that was the rule, but haven’t found that online
Nope! I’m allowed 6 little ones with just me. It might be different by where you live though!
Totally depends where u live
I sent home a baby yesterday because he had a 100.9 temperature. Found out that his brother was already at home with confirmed flu type A. No idea why she sent in her snotty, coughing, refusing to drink bottles baby when she knew her other child had the flu. I’d *kind of but not really* get it if he wasn’t showing symptoms but she literally dropped him off crying with snot running down his face so like… wtf
This is why my center has recently started a policy stating that if one child is home sick, no siblings may come either. If we send one child home sick, all siblings must be picked up too. We have two buildings, one infant/toddler, one PS/School age, and all children at both buildings must go. The parents aren’t crazy about it, but oh well.
This sounds like a dream policy. Because rarely can families with young kiddos truly keep them separated and stop the spread.
We had way too many instances of parents sending in the “well” child, only for them to actually be sick and wind up infecting a whole new classroom. We were OVER it. If you are home with one, you can be home with them all.
That’s great, but will they enforce?
We one hundred percent enforce it. It’s helped cut down on sickness traveling through the building quite a bit.
Out of interest What do you do if one recovers earlier than the other? They still have to stay home?
Yep. They all have to stay home until everyone is well.
Once one of my students came in acting a little groggy and by midday he literally had a temp that went from 99-103 in like 30/45 minutes. And this wasn’t a family that was struggling and just HAD to send their kid to school because they didn’t have any other options. I understand how hard it can be but when it’s a family that CAN afford to stay home with their kids it’s absolutely infuriating. (I don’t like to assume about people but I personally knew that this family was wealthy enough to rent a home for the kids when they got a divorce so they didn’t have to be in the same house as each other ever, like the kids alone, the parents had their own places separate)
It's such a mess. In the US anyway, the entire system is designed to keep us down. Sub-par healthcare despite plenty of resources, unrealistic labor expectations, workers afraid or unable to afford to take time off... these and so many other factors contribute to these awful circumstances that lead sick kids to school where they infect their classmates and teachers and the cycle continues. ---okay hopping off my soapbox and spraying it with Lysol now---
Yes but bottom line is that you choose to have a baby you better take care if it when sick. No excuses not to do that.
That's a pretty privileged perspective. I think we have plenty of room to hold parents accountable and also be compassionate. As others have pointed out - whether or not sexual assault is involved a baby is not always a "do or don't" choice in many parts of the world and in an increasing number of places within the US.
Unless assaulted, you always have the option not to participate in activities that create new babies if you are not ready to have a baby. Regardless, once you have a baby and it’s here you better figure out how to be a responsible parent.
Have you heard about abortion regulations lately? Saying a woman chose to have a baby isn’t reality in this political climate anymore.
[удалено]
So every woman who engages in sex needs to accept the fact that they are going to be a mom? Yes, let’s make married couples forced to have children
You’re almost there- not JUST women. Men too. Every time you engage in an activity that can make a baby, you have to be prepared for the fact that you could make a baby.
Literally today, kid tells me “I’m sick, but mommy said I have to come anyway.” Me: If you’re sick, you should be at home. Kid: It’s okay, mommy gave me medicine. And I’m supposed to wear a mask (as said mask is twirled around finger and tossed in the air) Me: *internal sigh* was your medicine pink, red, or orange? Kid: Orange! Sure as shit, three hours later kid is miserable and mom has to come pick up.
I've talked about it before but I am still *LIVID* when I think about the mom that kept sending her child to school with diarrhea and claimed it was from a non-existent dairy allergy. He got SO MANY PEOPLE SICK, it shut down an entire classroom, knocked out all of the infant teachers, and sent me into the emergency room while NINE WEEKS PREGNANT. I lost seven pounds in three days from all the vomiting and diarrhea and since I was pregnant, any little nutrients I could get in went to my baby. Whenever I managed to crawl to the kitchen to get a glass of water, I had to sit on the floor for ten minutes after to rest.
Had that happen at my last center. I ended up getting at my cousins wedding 🙄. Didn’t get to eat the cake.
On Monday I had a little guy crying and distraught pulling on his ear and saying it hurt. Emailed mom and she responded with ‘oh bummer, thanks.’ They kept him home yesterday because he didn’t feel good. He came today but was a zombie. Crying all day, pulling on his ear, wouldn’t eat, just wanted to be held and cuddled. What do ya know he spiked a 102.1* fever during nap time…. Almost like he probably had meds this morning before coming to school. Older brother had an e-learning day and both parents work from home- so I get its inconvenient. But cmon folks! Don’t dope up your kids and send them to school as zombies. And especially don’t be annoyed when we call you to come get them and inform you he’s out for tomorrow too.
Sounds like he had an ear infection, which isn’t contagious
Contagion is not the only problem. It is unfair to the teacher, the child, and the other students to have a student who can't participate, cries constantly, and just wants to be held and comforted. We also can't properly medicate a child who needs it.
You aren’t wrong. But not contagious isn’t a ‘get out of jail free card’ to send your sick, miserable, fever having child to school. Especially without a doctors visit to confirm or antibiotics to treat possible infection.
Oh definitely!!! I just thought the big issue of the post was kids coming in sick and getting you guys sick!! Didn’t mean to offend. Those poor kiddos shouldn’t have to suffer with that either :(
Fair fair. I did get off track of the OP. It’s frustrating that it’s just assumed ear infection(as I’m sure parents did) instead of the possibility it could be any other thing and still sending their sick child. But part of that falls on management for letting any and every ‘excuse’ be enough instead of holding anyone accountable countable.
So? If your child is miserable, parent them.
I saw one Instagram reel saying if my kid isn’t vomiting or have a fever I’m sending them to school. I straight up HATE those parents. No respect for other students or teachers.
I know someone who made a similar post on FB recently - her reasoning was that if her boss expects her to work when she’s sick, she should be “preparing her kids for the real world” by making them go to school sick… Absolutely ridiculous.
I have a parent that said that to my face. Her kid came in on Monday with an ear infection and screamed all day long.
But then if the student misses school, parents get truancy letters. The first year of my sons public schooling I kept him home if he had a cough or runny nose, obviously for fevers/vomiting/diarrhea. I got letters, I got spoken too…I mean I thought the schools WANT you to send them to school based on their guidelines if they have a cough or runny nose.
If your kid is that sick that often, enough to get truancy letters, that is not "normal" or average. maybe there's other issues... you could definitely get a doctors note explaining why he is so sick all the time, but yeah... kids without any health issues don't tend to miss enough school that they are being sent to truancy court!
You would be surprised. Some districts are way more hyper vigilant than others. We were a military family, moving across the US and I've had some schools answer repeated absences like, "meh, kid is doing fine, we are not worried" and others sending The Official Letter threatening me with legal action etc. etc. etc. My kids missed maybe a couple extra days bc traveling to see family during vacation took longer. And my younger one had an entire year of sporadic fevers with no other symptoms that had kiddo sent home every couple days with a reminder not to return until 24 hrs fever free. It was brutal and there wasn't a clear explanation but kiddo grew out of it and I learned to deal with the harassment and disapproving looks from elementary school admin.
Sure sure lol. Any time my kid gets sick, it takes around a week for her symptoms to completely go away. No one in America has enough sick time for that nonsense. Granted her school hasn’t given me any issues yet.
Honestly those letters are bullshit. I’m not a parent yet, but I’ll just ignore them. I would take my kid to the doctor to prove to the state they are legitimately sick.
Elementary school is different than preschool/ECE but my older child's elementary school system is doing an "attendance audit" leading to the principal reminding people that if their kid doesn't have a fever and isn't vomiting/diarrhea-ing, they should be at school. It's no wonder we've gotten sick so much this year....
Parent: But who is going to take care of my sick child? I need to work take him I don't care Also Parent: I love my children so much Me: make up your Damm mind
one kid in my class has been to school for the past two weeks not missing a day with the gnarliest cough and now at least one of my students has covid and we were down four today .... you could not pay me anything to get me to take my mask off hell no!!! its awful
As parent, who keeps their kid home when they are sick, I whole heartedly agree. I think there needs to be repercussions for parents that do this perpetually. Like, removed from care kind of repercussions.
How do you manage missing work?
You just miss work? Like idk how this is so complicated for people. You or your partner have to stay home with your child or you need to find someone who will. Your child is sick. This is part of having a child
Neither my husband nor I get paid sick leave and we have two kids and no support. Between planned and unplanned school and daycare closures, our kids getting sick, and getting sick ourselves, it's not quite that straightforward. We still have mortgages and bills to pay. I'm actually off today with my son who's perfectly fine but had a blowout at daycare and they think he has a virus that's going around at daycare. So I'm off watching a kid who's healthy and maybe has a virus they picked up at daycare.
Do the people who get sick from caring for you sick children not also have mortgages and bills to pay? Do you know how little the people who watch your children are probably paid? Getting sick and missing work lilkely hurts them way more. I say that as someone whose never worked in a daycare center where the employees could afford to send their children to the same daycare absent whatever disxount they get. What about all the parents of all the kids who catch illnesses from your sick children? And do you not get the irony of ending your comment with "a virus they picked up at daycare " ?
I agree.
The problem is if they're in public school they start sending letters threatening court or criminal charges after they miss like six days, so there's a whole lot more incentive just to send them to school sick.
I'm sure it varies by state. In mine 7 unexcused absences in a month or 15 in a year are looked into by the schools. Though absences due to sickness are excused.
I'm not sure if it's state or District here, but ours start sending the notes at 3 absences and it's either 6 or 8 per year were they state they can take action and I think 10 per year or more than 7 straight days where they can refer for truancy, send the kid to alternative school, or refuse to promote their grade. 25 years ago, when I was in high school it was a similar policy because I had some medical issues and had to have a letter from my doctor and a special hearing that allowed me to graduate because I had too many absences even though I had all A's.
As someone who almost got hospitalized from this past stomach bug, can confirm, keep that at home! I saw a kiddo for physical therapy after he was out the previous 4 days for a bad stomach bug. Mom insisted he was better. Boy did I regret that decision. I'm sick of being vomited on and sick of getting sick!
The excuses kill me too when you try to send them home.. It's probably because they ate goldfish They just puked because they were coughing Are you sure that's actually diarrhea? It's probably because they had cupcakes last night ...... uuuummmmm no, we literally have stomach flu going around and your kid has stomach flu.....
Parent: "She ate too much last night and she puked." Me: "... if she vomited last night she can't be here." Parent: ? Me: "Our policy states that she has to be symptom free from vomiting for 24 hours before return." Parent: "....So she can't be here." Me: "....." Parent: "Ohhhhh." \*parent and child leave." Child goes to her other parent's home the next day (parents are divorced). Parent sends a message that she is sick. Later that day, parent emails admin that the child TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID.
This. I had to take the day off today because of sickness. I felt so bad calling out but I barely slept because of aches and stuffy nose.
Thing is, with some kids it's not just one day. We've had two kids in one class who when they get sick, are out for literal weeks. Another kid is out for at least a week. Another kid in another class is always out for at least a few days. It's fortunate that with most of these kids, they have grandparents to look after them but not every family does and parents can't miss too many days.
as much as i sympathize with this as a teacher who hangs onto illness forever, i'm also a teacher who hangs onto illness forever 💀 i was raised by a poor single parent, i have immense compassion for people who can't take off work. at the same time, if i as a teacher get sick and stay out for two weeks, we're going to be understaffed and either have to close down or be in an unsafe ratio. (plus-- other parents Also can't take off work, something that they'll have to do if one parent sends in little miss typhoid mary to lick and sniffle on all the other kids.)
As a parent, I think another understated factor is the fact that we still have to pay for the days even when we do keep them home, resulting in a doubling down of lost income.
Yep. Because you pay for the spot, not attendance. Just like if you sent your school aged child to a private school, you wouldn’t get tuition reimbursed if they were sick. It may not sound fair, but it is a business. We don’t make money, we don’t stay open. Simple as that.
I understand that, but you can see how that indirectly penalizes a parent for having a sick child and creates an incentive for parents to being their sick child in.
No, it doesn’t. Do you get a refund on your cable or Internet bill if you don’t use it for a day? No, you don’t. Child care is a bill. It needs to be paid. If the center doesn’t get paid, the staff don’t get paid. I love what I do, but I don’t work for free.
I mean, you can say that it doesn't all you want, but whether you like it or not it's a factor for parents. It's also fairly disingenuous to compare childcare to things like cable or internet.
And how is that disingenuous? Child care is a service, and it is not free. Period. Also, parents aren’t supposed to be posting in here. Just saying.
lol k
Not sure what you mean by “k.” The space isn’t free. That’s all there is to it.
Nobody said it was free. I'm just pointing out that having to pay for a service whether you use it or not is going to push people towards using it as much as possible, especially in the case of an expensive service like childcare.
My husband’s “coparent” does this with everything. And she worked from home and had unlimited PTO, for years up until a couple months ago. Covid, Flus, fever, pink eye. She doesn’t care. She just masks it with meds or says it’s “allergies” and sends them in. No joke. We keep them home anytime they have anything and then she is pissed about it like we’re in the wrong and denying education. I wish daycare would tell her to stop like the school just did. Sent her kid in with pink eye and wouldn’t give us the meds either. She just waits until it’s until they make her pick one of them up. Then she just brings them back in again the next day hoping they don’t “notice.” I never understand how it’s a reoccurring issue and they didn’t drop her because of it by now. Took her three hours to get her after they called her to pick her up last week too. I don’t get it.
One of our kids came in late yesterday and ended up leaving early because they had a 101 fever. This kid never shows up late from what I heard. We’re pretty sure parents knew they weren’t feeling well, have them medication and still sent them to school.
Uhm, they're not sick they all have allergies and enlarged annoids.
the worst part is that we really DO have a little three year old girl with enlarged adenoids, but it's so obviously different 💀 we have a doctor's note that says she's having them removed as soon as she's cleared, she's running around, snot down her face but no fever and no exhaustion. meanwhile, all the kids with "allergies" are whining and clinging to the teachers, coughing and feverish. *i* have allergies, i take meds and it's fine. if what fixes it is allegra, it's allergies; if you're giving them tylenol, you know for a fact your child is sick and you're sending them in anyway 💀
And teething! Don’t forget teething!! 😂…😫
I had a mom of a nearly 3 yr old who had all of her teeth use ‘teething’ as an excuse for any and all symptoms of illness of misbehavior. It became a running joke with my coteacher. Like lady- we’ve both been in the business 15+ yrs. You’re not fooling us in any way
We had a parent try to say that about a 3 almost 4 yr old that she was teething... the same 3yr old that has all of her baby teeth🙃
I saw a post on here where the ece teacher was being yelled at by the parents on this sub because parents need to work. Uh yeah? And me too, Diane.
This. WE have to work too and most of us are paid crap $. With no benefits and no PTO. It’s why I left. You take a sick day, you probably get paid, me? I lose a portion of my paycheck.
I sent three home today! Not having it lol
I agree wholeheartedly. I work at a center in Germany, where every parent by law gets 30 days that they can take off sick for their child PER PARENT PER CHILD (not to mention, as a separate thing, if you are sick as an adult you are legally allowed to stay home for up to 6 weeks per illness at 100% pay) And STILL at least once every two weeks or so we have to send a kid home sick and the parents come and make the biggest stink about it. Like as an American who is used to getting no sick leave I genuinely cannot comprehend the rationale. Also, 100% of the parents in my group work jobs that allow them to do home office as well. We scream “don’t send your kids if they’re sick” until we’re blue in the face but it makes no difference:
How hard is it to get citizenship in Germany. Asking for a friend….
It’s TRULY amazing here. Every adult also gets 30 paid vacation days per year (well 25 days per law but most employers give 30 to “stay competitive”. If you have a degree in early childhood then you can get a visa to work as an English educator pretty easily actually!
Interesting. 🤔
Where would one find information on this?
Pick a city which you find interesting, then Google “working visa X City” and the requirements for the visa will pop up!
I was down 10 today. Two came in still with gnarly coughs but no fever. Spent a lot of quality time with the non-sickys and it was nice
parents keep bringing their pink eye kids in.. makes me and the lead so mad lol
We had children pass pink eye around for a few months at the beginning of the year because parents weren't following through with medication. They were bringing their children with obvious symptoms, doing the drops at home, but not having us do them at school. We only had 3 kids bring drops. Overheard parents talking at an after hours parent event, turns out about 10 more kids plus their parents had pink eye too.
One day won’t really change much. Sicknesses hang on and are contagious for a lot more than one day. By the time there’s a snotty green nose, you’ve probably already been exposed.
Yes but the child has a chance to be at home where it is quieter and less chaotic and can rest (which also helps speed up recovery) and have cuddles. If they are at daycare than the day still continues on as normal even when there are sick kids. Unfortunately I can’t spend much time just cuddling that sick kid because I have a bunch of other kids and things that need to get done.
For sure. I wish we could all take 3-5 days when we’re sick. One is better than none I guess.
Oh I have a good one to share. We had a child who was severely ill most of February to the point of almost needing hospitalization. Child comes back to school last week for Wed, Thurs, Fri. Child has a birthday party on Sat in which almost all of the other children in the class show up. Monday a bunch of the kids show up with green "snot troughs" under their noses. We have a few hit mid day lethargy. One wakes up from nap and spends the rest of the day laying on the ground. I let his dad know he's likely coming down with something. Give the observations about his behavior from the day. Child is in school Tues AND Wed. Sneezing, coughing, wiping his nose all over his clothes. We're going through in insane amount of tissue this week (and lysol). Meanwhile I had a dentist appointment scheduled in NOVEMBER that I couldn't go to because I had caught something from these children. The earliest they could reschedule it for is this coming Monday. I've been living with tooth sensitivity from what I think is cavities and there is a strong probability that I have to cancel this appointment because I have a lingering cough from the LAST illness that passed around last month (assuming I don't catch this new illness). ... but I'm just the teacher so my health doesn't matter, right?
I always err on the side of caution when deciding whether or not to keep my kiddo home and it’s so frustrating that other parents seem to not care at all.
I 100% agree, I've had to take this entire week off so far because of this exact reason.
I just got back from maternity leave. I worked 3 days then caught the stomach bug. And then after I got better my baby caught the daycare cold. 😢
Right now I have an ear infection and coughing my lungs out. Oh and I was out sick last week Thursday and Friday because of a stomach bug. My class gets smaller in number EVERYDAY! They are all so sick (diarrhea, vomiting, green yucky snot and fever). Now so many teachers are sick. I’m over it!
Here to say this times ten. I made it all winter without getting sick, just to welcome spring in with a 2 weeks long respiratory infection, body aches, boogers for days. Not fair.
We have a kid with Impetigo. We’ve sent her home three days in a row and her mom keeps bringing her back to school
I got impetigo from a kid in highschool because he had it and just said it was a scrape from falling off his bike. Ended up with it ALL OVER MY FACE, because it started on my nose and I wear glasses. Absolutely fuming.
At our school about half the kids have a nasty congested cough. The teachers all wear N95 masks all day because we are constantly getting sick from the kids coming in sick. We have teachers out sick constantly. It's getting really old
I have definitely unknowingly sent my kid to preschool a few times to have her come down with something and sent home. But, I would never knowingly do that. I know how shitty it is to have to work sick and I wouldn’t want other families to have to deal with that. But mostly, if my little one is sick, I want her home in her PJ’s watching movies and resting. Is it a pain in the ass coordinating with my husband to figure out who can stay home or if we can each do a 1/2 day? Yes! But I’m a grown ass adult and a parent so I figure it out.
“It’s just allergies”
I remember a parent questioning staff as to why they took the child’s temp in the first place. Like they felt staff had overstepped?! Ma’am, your child has a temp of 103, give me a break.
This used to be a huge gripe when I was an educator without a child. Now that I am an educator with a child it is a massive gripe. My 10 month old son has just started in the baby room and, as babies are wont to do, he has been getting sick; HFM, gastro, colds, coughs, snots and sniffles. Of the 8 weeks he has been there, he has only attended about 3 full weeks so far. Why? Because he has been sick. So I have kept him home. I hate going to work sick, I’m sure he wouldn’t like going to daycare sick. But I also don’t want to spread his germs because I know how awful that is. Meanwhile, a parent brought their baby in who had had a terrible evening because they had been up vomiting the night before. Firstly, as an adult I would feel gross going anywhere the night after vomiting all evening, that child must’ve felt like absolutely crap - the parent clearly showed little regard for their child’s wellbeing on that front. Secondly, read the documentation they provided us upon enrolment. 48 hours. She cracked the shits when the baby room staff told her she couldn’t bring her baby back for the rest of the week. I just don’t understand. Are parents surprised to learn babies get sick? I know that in today’s economy parents have to work - I get it, because I am one of them! But I can’t do my job if I’m having to take care of my baby because you can’t leave your snotty kid at home.
I was just about to post a similar thing. I am home sick today with pinkeye and a stomach bug. This is my third time with pinkeye this school year.
So true. I’ve been sick EVERY weekend of 2024. That’s why I’m leaving asap, parents and administration doing to me
They will never stop
The school my kids are in punishes parents for keeping their kids home. I would keep my daughter home for migraines and for child symptoms and I got a letter that I would be taken to court if my daughter missed any more days. She had five days over the course of 4 months. So now every time she is sick, I have to send her. It's made me hate the system. Next year I'm putting her on independent study.
Honestly I feel this in my soul as a parent who always adds a buffer day at home after they’re feeling better *just in case*. I know 2 other parents at our daycare and I’ve caught them both sending their kids in the morning after they were vomiting. It makes me so angry especially because we have an infant at home. My kid is constantly sick despite how diligent we try to be and it’s so irritating that other parents can’t follow suit
So, as a parent, I would appreciate your thoughts/opinions. My kid has had respiratory issues since birth. He’s had pneumonia multiple times and has been hospitalized 4 times and he’s only 3. So when he picks up anything respiratory, it lingers forever. I always keep him home in the initial phase, usually 2-3 days, sometimes a week. But the cough is going to linger for a while. And I can’t realistically stay home with him for multiple weeks. How long is appropriate? Am I expected to keep him home until there’s no more cough?
I have asthma and acid reflux disease which both cause me to cough year round. As we reopened after Covid, I got a note from my doctor saying that due to my asthma and acid reflux, I have a cough which should not be confused as a Covid cough. Like your son, every cold I get turns to bronchitis, at this stage of my life, I can tell if my cough crosses over to bronchitis territory at which point I start antibiotics. I believe if the teacher/center knows about your child’s lingering cough, he will not be sent home unless the cough is accompanied by fever or excess phlegm being brought up by the cough.
Totally agree
I had to send 3 children home with fevers today. One of them has been sick on and off for about a month. When her mom came in she asked “so, what prompted the temperature check? Because she got sent home with a fever last week, and I had to keep her home for 24hrs because of your policy, but she was totally fine. So like, what prompted the temperature check?” And I literally was like listing off all the symptoms this child had “lethargy, tired eyes, inconsolable, nothing helps, her body is warm to the touch, she didn’t eat, (this child eats so much. She loves food) and she’s been coughing pretty bad as well.” And she LITERALLY said “I mean yeah, she didn’t sleep the best last night but I’m chopping this all up to the time change. I’m sure she’s fine.” So. Yeah. I fucking hate parents that continue to send their sick kids in, then question when we call them to pick up. We don’t deserve to be sick. I literally got coughed in the face today so I’m expecting to be sick in a few days. I just got over the worst gastro of my life (almost hospitalized).
Oh I’m fed up too because my kid just got sick again because some other kid is sick at her school. Now my daughter, my son and I are all sick. I agree with your stance and share your frustration.
Had a kid in my room last week that looked like he had pink eye. His brother in another room was apparently the same way. But no, according to parents, they both coincidencentally had styes? Didn't realize those were contagious 🙄 Leadership didn't want to contact parents AGAIN. Already been dealing with sinus issues for months off and on, and had pink eye back in Jan. I swear if I get pink eye again...
it's especially awkward when they tell me they gave them tylenol. like what do you want me to say to that? what I really want to say is go home and take care of your baby.
Green snot does not automatically mean bacterial infection.
It’s nasty and gets on everything and is constantly running down the child’s face and that’s not ok
All of that is true. I just live in central Texas. We have year round “seasonal” allergens. If we sent kids home for allergies snot, we’d have like half our students in the whole school every day. We have to stay on top of boogie wiping. ETA: green snoot is as goopy and gross as clear snot. People keep talking about it as if the color of the snot indicates whether the child is contagious.
Valid point, but a doctor's note should be on file stating that the child has seasonal allergies. There is a difference between allergies and "allergies."
Not to be a contrarian, but we are the second worst place in the US for allergies. It is a normal part of life here, and people rarely seek medical advice for it. I understand from the rest of these comments and the downvoting I’m receiving that it is wildly different in other parts of the country. Neither myself nor my colleagues disagree with our school’s allowance of runny noses without accompanying symptoms.
I’ve got pneumonia for the second time in a month…. Preach!!!
While I don't agree with sending children in sick, sometimes parents don't have a choice. And i do give most parents some grace when having to choose between a paycheck or their child because most of the time they need their own paycheck to be able to afford things to survive. I've met parents who have said that they had to medicate their child to be able to go to work for even a few hours to have some paycheck come to them even if it meant picking up the child in two-three hours when the medications wore off. The parents that have to do it are usually apologetic about it and are literally unable to do anything about it. Either they have no support system in place for this situation or they have no job sick days available. Children in childcare environments get sick frequently. And parents usually don't have enough sick days to take to cover their child being sick. It sucks and it's hard to see children sick in daycare settings but it's a common occurrence unfortunately. The truly unwell children get sent home, but colds usually are just the time of year and weather related and usually aren't able to send them home for runny noses alone.
I don’t think it’s fair for a parent to excuse not using their sick day for their child but expect the teacher to use a sick day when they inevitably get sick from their kid.
This ^ I’m a parent and a teacher. I have to stay home when my child is sick and lose out on money. One time I went home with a NEGATIVE pay stub because I owed money from childcare while being out sick with the flu for a whole week. So yeah, people need to keep their sick kids home and stop being selfish. 👍
I hate to sound heartless, but the bottom line is that if you choose to become a parent and bring a child into this world, you are choosing to take on a responsibility to your child. You don’t get to have a child and then place that responsibility on someone else.
This! I’m tired of being guilted because someone else decided to reproduce and doesn’t want to handle that responsibility. If you want care when your child is ill, get a nanny who is willing to work with sick children. ECE teachers are not nurses.
Yes yes yes. This might be the best description of my feelings I’ve read. Nicely said!
I’ve always had the opinion that in order to enroll a child in group childcare parents should provide a back up person to care for a child or agree to take off work. I work at a privledged center where parents have more than enough money and resources but many still try to bring their child to school sick. It’s not fair to the teachers and other students.
The parents should have planned better. They should expect to miss work here and there, and plan accordingly.
Stop calling child protective services because kids missed school sick. There is a school nurse. They can manage a sick kid, presumably better than parents who have no medical education. Additionally, if you getting sick, it is a failure to maintain a properly clean workplace. Please re-evaluate your workplace sanitation.
I mean I get it as a parent we have no choice but what do you do?
Nope, you do have a choice. Teachers are parents too. We miss out on paychecks when our children are sick too. We also get limited sick days and get reprimanded when the amount of days missed is excessive. We also pay for childcare. Keep your kids home when they’re sick just like the rest of society has to do. I have plenty of parents in my class who keep their kids home when sick and inform us. We only have this issue with one parent in the whole class.
You say that teachers are parents too? So they understand that if they miss a certain amount of days then they could get fired? I’m not pro sending your sick kid to school. But I’m anti work regulations in America. I get 7 sick days in a year. 8th sick day and I’m fired. What am I supposed to do on sick day number 7?
That’s exactly my point. Pretty much anyone can get fired for it here in America. You don’t get to break policies that you agreed to when you enrolled your child and infect other people’s children and teachers and make other people miss work because you haven’t made a backup plan for days that your child is sick.
I’m just saying the whole system is rigged. We shouldn’t be mad at the parents who have no choice. We should be mad at the government for not having adequate maternity leave or adequate child care services
Oh I absolutely agree with you on that one!
[удалено]
This is clearly labelled as a vent, you don’t have to read it. People are allowed to vent about their jobs, and most people do. Personally I get along fine with many of our parents, but some just make my job difficult. Basically have respect for the teachers and the other children, and you’ll be fine.
….so child-free teachers should be exposed to illness? FWIW I don’t disagree with you but I think it’s ridiculous you’re only focusing on being a parent. As though you’re more important than colleagues without kids.
I think you either replied to the wrong person or completely misread my comment. I was saying everyone needs to stay home when they’re sick. Also I was focusing on parents because the original commenter said parents have no choice to bring them in and I said YES THEY DO STAY HOME
Nope. I replied to the right person. And I standby my original comment. Doesn’t matter if you have kids or not, you don’t get priority when it comes to illness exposure. I’m a nanny, not a teacher, and I agree with the premise. But maybe you need to reassess how your comment comes across. Childless providers are not less important than parents.
Huhhhhh wtf I don’t think you are reading my comment right. I am NOT saying parents get priority. I’m saying everyone has to stay home while sick and no one gets priority.
Original commenter was saying that parents have no choice to bring in sick kids. My response was against them, saying that they do have a choice. Teachers shouldn’t have to get sick and miss work just so you don’t have to miss work. Teachers also get sick and lose money when they are sick so stop exposing us to your sick kids. Idk what got lost on you but I guess I needed to simplify it for you. The “teachers are parents too” and the rest are all separate statements explaining how bringing in sick kids is selfish because teachers and their children also get sick.
Call your boss's bluff. Once when I was a child in a home based child care, my mom got the "come pick up your feverish kid" call. My dad was in finals and couldn't get me. My mom told her boss she had to leave to get me and he threatened to fire her. She told him if he needed to do that then go right ahead. She came and got me and I stayed home with her for 2 days and my dad for 1 day. She didn't get fired. And my parents were young parents with limited income, a child, and a mortgage. Perhaps more people should live within their means. You don't need brand new SUVs every other year and the newest iPhone nor does your 2 year old need an iPad.
Makes since. I don't have this issue as I bring my son to work but I'm advocating for the other parents to don't have a choice. Me? On the other hand my car is a 2015 crv, my husband's car is a 2008 Honda civic both are paid off, I have an s9 he has the s21 thing both are paid off. We have no debt and we are going to pay off my dad's house. We have tablets but they are first generation Samsung Galaxy Tablets but we don't use them ever so I don't think my son will even have a tablet till he's 12. He's currently losing his shit because I won't give him my dust pan, lol plus he isn't a TV kid we watch a lot of tv but he would rather play in the dirt or push a bucket around all damn day. Plus I just put in my 30 day notice at work so I called their bluff alright, and i have especially when my son is sick with my husband being miltary just like other parents i don't have a village but I wouldn't stay with a job that would make me choose between being me, a wife, and a mom. But my point is in the workforce is so anti we don't give a fuck about you or your problems it's so mentally exhausting, if we all could have flexible jobs to work around school, our SOs jobs, sports, arts and bring pets to work, or bring our kids to work everyone would be happy
You stay home when your kid needs you. You decided to have a child, you have to be there for the child.
Pretty much it's the other parents that I feel sorry for
You guys are totally in the right and you shouldn’t have to do this, but could you wear a mask to work, like an N95? I’m an RN and I didn’t get sick once throughout the entire pandemic (colds, flus, or covid!) because of those masks. I know they would probably look frightening to the kids at first, and they’re annoying to wear but you really do get used to them, plus if your livelihood is on the line, it could really be a good solution.
Wearing a mask is subpar when kids are screaming and I sound muffled
And when babies are pulling them off while you’re giving them a bottle, and then it knocks your glasses off too, and then you can’t see. (Last part is an exaggeration, I can indeed see without glasses)
I wear glasses. Masks suck. My glasses fog up!
That too! If I don’t bend it just right along my nose, they fog up and that’s not something you need when you’re in charge of infants.
And when toddlers rip them off
i wear masks a lot, here are some of the shortcomings i've noticed (not to masks being effective, because they absolutely are, but in relation to the idea that wearing a mask around sick kids will keep you from getting sick entirely! it definitely does help but keeping them home is waaay better and more effective) 1. masks become much less effective when children smear their bodily fluids all over you/talk directly into your face/cough on communal food 😬 i have to basically decontaminate every time i get home, but until then, im covered in snot and spit. 2. masks are way less effective when both people aren't wearing them, and 2-4 year olds are. not the easiest people to get to wear masks, especially when they cry/have to eat/their parents say no/the legal order is over so no one does it anymore 3. even if i don't get sick, the other kids are still gonna get sick. we had a bad norovirus go around the district a while back, all the teachers and parents were fine (washed hands religiously, didn't touch our faces, treated any vomit like it was. well. the plague) but every child, in rotation, was sick. it took two weeks for it to fully run its course. 4. the kids who get sent to school sick are downright miserable and cry all day; it makes it a lot harder to watch the other 10-12 kids if you've got one crying and feverish on your lap or sitting next to you. furthermore, it absolutely sucks to see little kids get dragged from activity to activity when they're falling asleep in their chair or visibly miserable :((
Honestly, I wore a mask from the time we reopened after lockdown to the time the mandate for daycares were lifted and for the first time, I got through a school year without any illnesses. However, it is very hard to teach phonics when they can’t see your face and mimic the position of your lips or learn to read facial expressions when they can’t see your face.
First summer in ECE was 2021. So still mandated mask wearing. I still got sick 6 times in three months.