Sick Policy

Every year we go through this in my little mother's group. The 'friendly' reminders:

"If your child is sick, feverish, lethargic, seeping fluids-nasal or otherwise, please do not come to events. It is dangerous for our young babies and pregnant mothers to contract some of the illnesses floating around."

There seems to be 'some people' (I would call it one person in particular who is almost as anally retentive as I am) who complain about this issue fairly often since every single newsletter and meeting is punctuated by this reminder.

The last reminder included some added information...things like, 'if you suspect your child has possibly come in contact with any illness, but is not showing symptoms, please do not attend functions'.

(This is amusing since this would mean no one ever attends another event. Ever.)

I'm waiting for the next 'friendly' reminder outlining protocol for attending events: "If your child has ever been around any other child and may possibly be carrying any virus at all, please put your child in a plastic bubble, or consider liberally coating your child in Purell before attending one of our events."

Perhaps I only feel this way because my kids haven't gotten sick yet this year (knock on wood). Maybe I feel this way because I've never been able to muster up the strength to disinfect everything my children come in contact with. Maybe I just thought I'd build up my kid's immune systems so they don't catch every single virus they ever come in contact with from now until forever. Maybe I'm just one lazy half assed mother, but I know one thing for sure:

Kids Get Sick

They get sick if you put them in a bubble and spray them in the eyeballs with Lysol. They get sick if you send out notice after notice to your mother's club reminding them about keeping their germs away from your child. They get sick if you let them gnaw on the handle of the shopping cart and play in the nasty ball pit at the McDonald's Playland.

Kids get sick if you simply live your life.

It's the nature of the beast. Every single day your child comes in contact with illness, and either their little bodies fight it off, or they get another flu or cold or whatever. It happens if you attend your mother's club or Gymboree classes or you go to the grocery store. Sometimes kids are carrying germs and they don't show a single symptom and they play with other kids who pick up those same germs. Sometimes kids touch a door handle and someone has just sneezed into their hand and touched that same door handle and there is not a single fucking thing you can do about it.

No one is purposely getting your child sick...it's just that germs are around and you're around too. If you're that worried about staying healthy....stay home and never ever leave, because that is the only way you're going to avoid any and all germs.

Although, if your spouse works outside the home, you might need to ask him to move out....or at least send him a 'friendly reminder' about not bringing illness into the home.

"Dear Spouse, please help us protect the health and wellness of our young child and me, a pregnant mother. If you feel lethargic or have a fever or if there is any possibility whatsoever you have come in contact with any illness at all, please do not enter this home."

Comments

[Emily]

lmao...well said!

[Rebecca]

Simply brilliant!

[alyssa]

OMG! That is so silly! Don't these folks know that the only way to build an immune system is to...get sick? and dont most of these moms SAH? I mean, what? are they going to miss work and lose pay? if your kid gets sick, you just keep em home and take care of them! i mean, its one thing to bring a kid with the chicken pox around a pregnant woman. or to take a strep throat near a baby. obviously, that would be jackassery. but a cold? jeesh!

and how is it you can keep your kids healthy this long? its not fair!

alyssa

[Helene]

I'm with Alyssa on this one. Exposure breeds a stronger immune system and an overall healthier child.
When I first put my children in daycare, I would keep them out of school at the slightest cough or wheeze in attempt of sheltering other children from my kid's germs. But I soon learned my concern wasn't recipacated by other parents and even the teachers didn't advocate keeping out them out for a little cough or cold. Fever, diariaha - Yes, now that's another story. But a little cough or runny nose - never.

BTW: my kids have been exposed to almost everything and caught quite a few too - but they are healthy kids and stronger because of it.

[Sam]

I have a new word: jackassery. thank you, alyssa

I am new to reading your stuff and you are cracking me up, wherever the hell you are