The Soap Box

I'm not one to use my blog as an advice column because a) I generally think I'm in no position to give advice on most matters and b) it's not as entertaining, but today I want to take the opportunity to make a suggestion to other parents.  It's actually kind of a two-fer because they go hand in hand:

1).  Please DO NOT take your children to school when they have (or probably have) a contagious virus.

2)  Be considerate of those your [sick] kids are going to be around and think about whether you would want your kids around that if they were well.

We have had a rampant breakout of Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease at our beloved daycare and I now understand that the facility's hands have been tied on what they were legally allowed to do as far as preventing kids from being there.  It doesn't excuse not even sending an advisory note home, but that's besides the point because it's all been handled now.  Nonetheless,  it is really upsetting to think that my little family risks getting it AGAIN when all the kids return to the daycare well on Monday because some parents chose to abide only by "minimum standards" and sent their contagious kids anyway because they didn't have fever.  9 out of 13 kids in her class have "confirmed" cases of this nasty mess.  Surely, it's only a matter of time for the others.  Wait it out like the rest of us and let them get completely well before you bring them back, please...for the health and safety of all the other kids in the center.  Otherwise they will just keep passing it around and it will never really go away.  All the cleaning in the world won't matter.

Yes, it is difficult to take a day (or week) off of work to stay home with sick kids.  Yes, it sucks to pay a babysitter on top of paying for daycare.  Yes, they seem to be acting fine.  IT DOESN'T MATTER.  If they are sick, please keep them home!!  I'm not talking just about HFM either.  You know if something is wrong with your kid.  Let it pass instead of spreading it.  We teach our kids to share, but it doesn't mean they have to share illnesses too!  Of course it's going to happen from time to time, but we can do our part to minimize it by being responsible parents and members of our daycare communities.  Next time, your kid may be the well one, and how would you feel if you knew there was a contagious kid in the same area as your kid all day long?  Please, just think about the risk. 

That is all.

Besides, does she look sad about having to stay home?  I think not.