Ree has a cold. I kept her home from school on Monday and Tuesday because she had a low-grade fever, and then last night she got a bloody nose that just wouldn’t stop (our girls always get bloody noses when they have colds) and today she woke up congested, feeling crappy, and still feverish. So school today is just not in the cards either...
Sister Ro was NOT digging the solo school experience at first. So now we’ve added a special treat just for her that has restored the zip to her skip. The brave scholar gets to have dinner at Pasta Pomodoro (her fave) with daddy tonight.
Ro is being such a good sister, bringing kleenex, blankets, etc. This morning she just wanted to be close to Ree, who was watching a movie, so she opened the recliners, propped them up with a footstool, and made a bed right near her sister. Little honey.
Alrighty, I’m off to take temperatures, refresh sippies of herbal tea, and snuggle before getting Ro ready for kindergarten.
PS: Do you keep your kids home from school at the first sign of a low-grade fever, or keep them home only if/when a full-blown illness shows up?
Posts
As a former elementary teacher I beg you to keep your kids home if they are sick. Kids who come to school sick make other kids sick and an entire school year can be spent trading illnesses at school and in families.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes for a healthy family!
Another former school teacher here:
ReplyDeletePlease keep children home when they are sick. I always (inwardly)groan when our local school gives out the "perfect attendance" awards...In my mind, I am thinking "oh yes...thank you so much _______'s parents for sending your child to school every day, regardless of illness, and giving my child several colds, fevers, etc etc.
xgdaumb
I too am an elementary school teacher and yes PLEASE keep them home. Not only do they infect the other kids, but they can't concentrate and do not do their best work. It is best to have them stay home and return to school when they are health and HAPPY
ReplyDeleteoops...I typed the security code in the wrong spot...hence the cryptic "xgdaumb" at the end of my comment!
ReplyDeleteROFL Sorry!!!
Poor sweetie! Hope she's feeling better and that Ro doesn't catch it too.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to read the responses from the teachers as I haven't faced this yet. Good to know for future use.
Hugs to your sweet Ree.
Poor Ree and sweet Ro! So sweet to see her want to be close to her sis.
ReplyDeleteEven with a low grade fever, I keep the girls home. I know that their teachers do NOT appreciate kids coming to school with even slight symptoms.
Hi, I'm right there with you. We kept Li Na home today too. It appears we keeping passing our germs back to one another. Dad is sick too. Who knew we would have more colds. Anyway, Li Na is watching Bell and then Ariel. And, well, me, I'm just the "mom"...I need this... hope they have a speedy recovery.
ReplyDeleteSweet girls. Our boys comfort and need to be close the exact same way. Love that twin bond. I keep them home at the first sign of sickness. I get to thinking about all the times they were sick as babies and did not have mama close to snuggle.. and then I can't think of sending them off.
ReplyDeleteJust a daycare student here, but I look at several factors? What is the low grade fever from? My dd is currently battling this due to teething and allergies (according to ped) and seems to otherwise feel good (full of spunk) so I sent her on. Kids have low grade fevers all the time, so if that is the only symptom, and it's below our daycare's 100 degree threshold, I give her motrin and send her on her way. If she had other symptoms that indicated it was more than teething and was acting like she felt bad, I would keep her home. Both DH and I have to work so I try not to keep her home if she otherwise seems ok. If I didn't I would end up at home more than not.
ReplyDeleteYes!! Definitely keep them home. I can't stand when my kids are sent to school with their classmates sitting there with fevers and coughing up a lung. I always keep mine at home when they are starting with a fever, etc., even if it seems mild. :)
ReplyDeleteAlso, I couldn't help but notice your comment about Ro not digging the solo school experience. Do you think perhaps it would be better to separate them? That's why we separated our twins in school, because they needed to learn to be by themselves. We didn't realize how co-dependent they were until we separated them.
I SAH so if my kids have fevers [over 100] or are sick [sore throat, lethargic] I keep them home. Honestly, I feel for parents who WOH. There are only so many days you can take off from work before it starts affecting your "performance" and your co-workers. And some people have jobs where they just can not take off of work unless someone is seriously dying. I'm not joking because this would be my husband who has NEVER taken a sick day because it would screw everything and everybody else up.
ReplyDeleteIf your kid doesn't have a fever, a communicable disease [strep, pink eye or whooping cough], isn't puking/diarrhea, or lethargic I say send them to school. Seriously if we kept kids home every time they had a runny nose or cough, they would NEVER be in school. Exposure to germs and viruses [AND not eating antibiotics like they are candy] help our bodies to build antibodies.
Like I said if your kid is really sick, keep them home. If they just have a runny nose, who cares? And coughs can linger for up to 6 weeks.
And attendance awards are lame, the districts out here don't give out those things.
I struggle with this question too. My Twisters hardly ever feel sick even with a runny nose and coughing but on occasion when they have been lethargic and unusually still and quiet they've always had a temperature way above 100 - keep them home obviously. But if they only have a runny nose and are bouncing around as usual, I send them to school with a box of tissues. This has been on the advice of their teacher and, previously, their preschool teachers.
ReplyDeleteI am a Kindergarten TA and kids will tell us that they do not feel good and my mom gave me medicine and sent me to school..then a few days later they are not there or the people who sit around them. Soooo my 2 cents is keep them home.
ReplyDeleteFeel better soon, Ree! Hugs. And Ro, what a sweet sister you are to Ree!
ReplyDeleteLove,
Aunt Jane
Sweet . . .
ReplyDeleteWho crocheted the gorgeous yellow afghan?
Poor sick REE!!! Hope she is in the feeling her chipper self soon.
ReplyDeleteI agree as a new teacher... Keep your kids at home if the are sick.
Hugs
Lisa
As a high school teacher at a very high achieving, competitive school I always implore my students to stay home when they are not well. I don't want to get sick, I don't want germs spread, and it gives your body the time it needs to heal quicker. I agree with all the other teachers, please stay home, rest, get well and then come back when you are all better.
ReplyDeletechristina
There is absolutely no excuse ever for sending a sick kid to school or daycare. If you are a parent with a job you need to have a plan for a sick kid. If you can't do that you can't handle having a job and a kid, so either make a plan, or give one of them up.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, a fever from teething or lingering mild cold symptoms are not "sick", and decisions there could sensibly be based on parental availability.
:( Sorry to hear you have snotty bugs in your house! We have them here too! (cept siblings aren't quite as accommodating as they are in your house!!!)
ReplyDeletePS... I'm stunned at how many teachers read your blog! ;)
ReplyDeleteAs a nurse, please keep them home at the first sign of a fever. Their immune system is weak at that point and they are contagious. Cute but still contagious....hee hee.
ReplyDeleteYes, you need to keep your feverish children at home as they absolutely spread those germs everywhere...especially in elementary school. I, too, am not a fan of the "perfect attendance" award as my daughter is always able to peg the "perfect attendance" kid who sat next to her sneezing, coughing, etc. You know, the kid who passed the cold on to her. She's quite the tattletale! Also, she is a level 9 gymnast and so we've spent many years in the gym-keep them home from there too...as they wipe their sweaty little heads and running noses all over the bars, beam, mats etc. It's a germfest.
ReplyDeletePatti
Another teacher weighing in..... keep 'em home at the first sign.
ReplyDeleteNow as a parent.... keep 'em home. A kid in Lily's class was sent to school sick several days in a row. I didn't know this of course. Found out after the fact that mom had dosed him in the morning before droppin him off. Once school caught on, they called her to pick him up and not bring him back until he was well and fever free. Well, guess who got sick? My poor Lily Bug was sick as a dog, sicker than she's ever been, and when I took her to urgent care because she couldn't wait until Monday morning, there were TWO other kids from her class there! And this is after the teachers completely bleached and cleaned the room and toys when they found out what that kid's mom did. I'm still cursing that woman.
Ed code says that they must be home with a fever, and that they must be fever-free for 24 hours before returning to school. It's all in an effort to keep contagious illnesses from spreading to the school population. I am always amazed at how many kids come to school feeling poorly, and when I ask them if they told their parents before coming to school, they say yes. :P
ReplyDeleteI keep mine home when he's sick or getting sick. If he needs medicine to make him well enough to go to school that means he shouldn't be at school. I error on the side of caution and figure if everyone did not as many kids would get sick. Fever, running faucet nose or just plain not feeling well is a reason to say home in my book.
ReplyDeleteour school's rule is kids stay home with a fever & must be fever free for 24 hours before they come back.
ReplyDeleteWe follow that here & it has been a pain! Between the 45,000 (ok, not 45,000 but sure felt like that many!)snow days here in the NE and A home sick 5+ days we've had a LOT of togetherness. And I have one of those jobs that is impossible to not be there.
There are options for working parents. They can google sick kid care and find hospitals and emergency nanny services that WILL care for their kids if they can't miss work.
ReplyDeleteI'm taking care of my little girl with the flu and pneumonia and have found out that several kids that were out before she got sick had the same thing. These kids are the ones that are dropped off even if they feel poorly. Both of my daughters had the flu shot. If my other one gets it, it is a big deal since she is a heart baby and at higher risk for complications. Please keep your kids home.
I keep my daughter at home when she has a fever. She has allergies, so a runny nose is the norm here at certain times of the year.
ReplyDeleteLately, though the vague "my tummy hurts" combined with a not quite fever of almost 100 has also kept her home for two days and warranted a visit to the Ped.
Right now I have the luxury of doing this whenever I need to as an Independent Consultant. But when I was a full time worker, it was a living nightmare. I am lucky because Kelsey is a pretty healthy kid.
Hope your kiddo feels better soon and Ro doesn't catch it!
Fever means they stay home. Period. I would expect other kids to stay home if they have a fever so they don't spread the illness, so I keep them home.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention that if I were not feeling well, I wouldn't want to go into work! Why should I expect my child to go to school?
I would add to remember if you or your child has a fever and obviously doesn't feel well, you may be exposing them to other germs or diseases when the resistance is down.
ReplyDeleteBoth my girls have different scenarios. Dahlia is rarely sick but with a fever - she stays home. If I kept Milana home every time she coughed or sneezed - she would have perfect inattendance. I don't think she's ever not had a runny nose.
ReplyDeleteHope Ree feels better soon.
Hurray that you're keeping her home. It drives me crazy that parents send their kids to school sick. They inevitably just pass it along to the other kids.
ReplyDeleteIn one of our Kindergarten classes 12 of the 17 kids were out during a two-week period with strep throat. Think some kids were coming to school sick and passing it along? You betcha!
I say keep 'em home! Especially since we have a compromised immune system. We have many parents that "drug and drop" their kids and I understand it's hard to take time off every time kids get sick, but boy do things spread fast in a school setting.
ReplyDeleteStace
I hope all is well soon, and it doesn't spread to everyone else. I always keep my kids home with a low grade fever. My son's BF's mom always sends her kids to school sick. She calls it "allergies", and they got the perfect attendance award 3 years in a row now. UGH. She sent her youngest to Karate class and he vomited next to my daughter!!!! The parents said, " Oh, he had too much dessert last night." Denial. UGH.
ReplyDeleteAs an elementary school teacher I urge you to keep them at home when they are sick. When children are not feeling well and come to school they are spreading germs to classmates, staff and parent volunteers. Not to mention how hard it is for the children who are sick to even focus, concentrate or learn at school. I feel so badly as they lay their head on the table and tell me how awful they feel. When asked they told their parents in the morning but were told to come to school and be tough. :( It is really in their best interest, as well as everyone around them, to be home until fever free for at least 24 hours. Hope that she feels better very soon!
ReplyDeleteIf April has a fever, she stays home. We don't want to get the other children sick. The school has rules about the fever - must be fever free for 24 hours before coming back.
ReplyDeleteIlene
That is so sweet how they take care of each other.
ReplyDeleteWith a fever, they always stay home. At least, that is what I do.
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ReplyDeleteThat is such a sweet picture - I love how she made herself comfy right there by her sister!
ReplyDeleteRylee is never sick but a boy in class had a cold and sneezed in her face. She came home and woke up with a stuffy nose and lots of sneezing the next day (Saturday) by Monday she was over it. I however, was sick with the worst cold I have had in years for the next three weeks!
If they have a fever of 100 they are definitely home. Upset tummy, home for sure.
Hoping Ree feels better soon! Love the "twin" sofa bed! They are so cute!! During the wait, we SO wanted twins.... but of course would not wish to have anyone but our AA now. I just LOVE reading about yours! So beautiful, funny, sassy and adorable!
ReplyDeleteAlyzabeth's Mommy
Sweet Ro looks an awful lot like a Disney princess (one of two I can think of!) in this photo.
ReplyDeleteSure hope Ree is feeling better soon!
Well, shucks. That's no fun. Hope she is feeling better soon and it doesn't spread through the house.
ReplyDeleteI always keep R home if she has a fever.
They have attendance awards for 5 year olds? Wha?
M.
My kids do not do low grade fever, they are either fever free or run a fever that sends chills down my spine. ( our record is 107 degrees!)
ReplyDeleteI tend to keep sick kids home, tho I have sent
them to school with minor cold symptoms.