Be honest - do you take your sick kids to daycare/school?

[twowhat?]

I feel horrible about it - one of mine had a fever this morning (probably just a cold) but was just fine after a dose of Motrin. So I took them to daycare so I don't end up working nights/weekends to catch up since I have a very deadline-driven job. I only got 5 hours of sleep last night.

I know it's selfish. But she caught the bug there...and she was contagious before we knew she was sick...

Ugh.

Day 3 of becoming a WOHM after 20 months of being a SAHM and I already hate it.

Feel free to flame, I will understand.

[kam]

I'll get flamed, too. I've done it. Especially when I know it's just a cold. Though, I don't send her if the fever was that morning. But if she had a low grade the night before and is fine in the am -- off she goes! (sometimes with a prophylactic dose). She's never gotten sent home on those days. (As opposed to starting to get sick at school and getting sent home).

[hobie]

No. And we had a horrible winter, with a new cold every. two. weeks!!! Sick kids need to stay at home so that they can get better sooner, and not pass on the germs to everyone else.

[Moneypenny]

We never send her anywhere if she has a fever or intestinal distress of any kind. Horrible cough and a dripping fountain of a nose also will keep her home. A slight cough and/or mild runny nose and we'll send her (as long as she seems to feel fine - lethargy will keep her home as well).

[ehf]

Not with a fever. Not fair to the other kids, to the adults, or to your own kid.

Being a mom who works outside the home is really hard. Having to take so much time off is one of the reasons why it's hard. I've taken so many sick days to stay home with my DD that I now don't get paid if I don't come in--i.e., I've used up all my sick days. That's just how it is.

You might need to find back-up child care if you aren't willing to stay home with your sick child. If your partner or family members can't stay home, maybe you need to find a part-time, as-needed sitter so your child can stay home in a calm place, take extra (quiet) naps, and not expose the other kids.

Good luck.

[twowhat?]

Not with a fever. Not fair to the other kids, to the adults, or to your own kid.

Being a mom who works outside the home is really hard. Having to take so much time off is one of the reasons why it's hard. I've taken so many sick days to stay home with my DD that I now don't get paid if I don't come in--i.e., I've used up all my sick days. That's just how it is.

You might need to find back-up child care if you aren't willing to stay home with your sick child. If your partner or family members can't stay home, maybe you need to find a part-time, as-needed sitter so your child can stay home in a calm place, take extra (quiet) naps, and not expose the other kids.

Good luck.

Yeah I know. The flames are totally deserved. I'd be OK with taking unpaid days of leave. But my crappy job still requires that I meet those deadlines. Ugh Can I go back to being a SAHM please?

[doberbrat]

But my crappy job still requires that I meet those deadlines.

yup. you end up staying up all night working or working while the kid is napping etc. I've also been able to split the day w/dh. So I go in at 6am and work till 1pm and then continue working from home and he works 1:30 - 9pm.

either way, by the time the kid is better you're ready to drop dead from exhaustion.

[mommylamb]

I'm not going to flame you for doing it. I can understand why you would.

Personally, I've never done it. But (knock on wood) DS is almost never sick. I think he had a fever once this year and it went away in an afternoon. So I've never been in that difficult situation you're describing.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

i have no personal experience with this, and i know this thread is mostly about younger kids in daycare.but i have this random story: i know that when my DH & BIL were kids, my MIL sent them to school even when they were sick. What's crazy is that DH actually got some attendance award in the 8th grade for never missing a single day of school (from 1st - 8th grade)!! and there's NO WAY that he just never got sick for EIGHT YEARS. DH tells me his mom would just give them Tylenol and send them on their way.

[smilequeen]

No, not with a fever. I have sent kids with runny noses and mild cold symptoms b/c well...they'd miss the whole winter if I skipped stuff b/c of runny noses. If they have a fever or are acting sick though, I have never sent them. People do do it all the time, but I don't think it's right. I think that kids catch things at school, but not always b/c people send sick kids. Mostly b/c kids are contagious before they actually get sick. I think you did what you had to do this time, but next time I would keep your LO home.