It's winter, too cold to play outside and sick kids are all over the inside playgrounds... ugh.

[Anonymous]

I get you OP, but there seems to be a basic lack of understanding of how people get sick from other posters on this board. As long as you are leaving the house and TOUCHING things is public (doorknobs, grocery cart, etc), viruses move around. I agree, it is most unseemly to drag, not to mention, slightly unkind to drag around a sick kid. But it isn't really THESE kids that are making everyone sick...it is all the kids who are ABOUT to get it and not really showing all the symptoms. If my kids have a fever or are coughing terribly, and if what is coming out of their noses is mostly green, we stay home. Otherwise we are out, taking our chances with ourselves and others.

[Anonymous]

why don't these parents worry that their sick kid, whose immunity is already down, might pick up another bug from another sick kid who is at the playground? Strictly selfishly, their kid should stay home until he/she's feeling better just to avoid a tag team virus game.

This is so, so true. The odds of picking up Virus #2 or secondary opportunistic bacterial infection (ear stuff, sinus infection, pneumonia, etc) are much higher when one's immune system is already stressed and fighting Virus #1. I guess some parents don't know this, or wouldn't care if they did know this. And then there's the understandably large group of parents who have few choices WRT a sick kid, and send them off to school because they can't miss work.

[Anonymous]

Honestly - my 3 year old sports a constant running nose in the winter, as does my 1 year old. I'm not going to keep him inside all winter b/c of posters like OP *think* my son is getting their kid sick b/c of his running nose. I don't let my sons out of the house if they have a fever, but not that many parents do. I think people like OP just don't like seeing children at the playground with a little cough or a running nose.

I don't like seeing REALLY sick (i.e., feverish) kids going to school, etc. either. But this RARELY happens. It is more just the general running nose stuff and this - with all due respect OP and others - you just need to get over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly - my 3 year old sports a constant running nose in the winter, as does my 1 year old. I'm not going to keep him inside all winter b/c of posters like OP *think* my son is getting their kid sick b/c of his running nose. I don't let my sons out of the house if they have a fever, but not that many parents do. I think people like OP just don't like seeing children at the playground with a little cough or a running nose.

I don't like seeing REALLY sick (i.e., feverish) kids going to school, etc. either. But this RARELY happens. It is more just the general running nose stuff and this - with all due respect OP and others - you just need to get over.

Nope, I'm the OP and I don't mind clear runny noses or mild cough. We have allergies in my house, so I know how it is to have sniffles and not be contagious. My post was referring to slimy lime green snot oozing out of both nostrils, down to his mouth. The kind of green you can't miss... that's the kind that I'm talking about. It's not like the parent didn't see that going out, but just chose to go out anyway.

[Anonymous]

Maybe it's true that kids are kids and they cannot control their snot and coughs, but parents do have control, and they should exercise consideration---as much as reasonably possible. Would it be okay if you were at Chik Fil A, and the guy next to you wiped his thick, "clear" snot on the table? Absolutely not (I hope!). So why is it okay for inconsiderate parents to allow their children to spread their germs all over the place? Take them out for fresh air, let them play in your backyard, fine. But why not avoid communal areas---at least for a couple of days--out of respect for other children and families? I am a big believer that even big people should stay home from work when they are sick. I would much rather pick up another person's slack than another person's strep throat or cold or whatever.

[Anonymous]

My DD and I played ball outside and had a lot of fun. :o)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly - my 3 year old sports a constant running nose in the winter, as does my 1 year old. I'm not going to keep him inside all winter b/c of posters like OP *think* my son is getting their kid sick b/c of his running nose. I don't let my sons out of the house if they have a fever, but not that many parents do. I think people like OP just don't like seeing children at the playground with a little cough or a running nose.

I don't like seeing REALLY sick (i.e., feverish) kids going to school, etc. either. But this RARELY happens. It is more just the general running nose stuff and this - with all due respect OP and others - you just need to get over.

Amen to this quote.

I understand what OP means by snot running out of both nostrils to the top of their lips, but that's not the general sightings I've seen.
My 4 yo runs around with a cough for weeks in the winter and has green snot for over a week too. I'm not going to stay inside.

[Anonymous]

my child has asthma and allergies. she often will get into coughing spells or sneezing spells but she is not actually "sick." even if the OP is talking about the "green stuff" i know not everyone here is.

[Anonymous]

Thank Goodness Chick Fil A has dispensers of Purell outside the playroom door. I have never seen them empty either.

OP, I understand that you don't want to be put out with a sick kid while your DH is away. Who wants to be alone, no family around, and saddled with a sick kid? However sometimes these things are inevitable, and it doesn't help to get stressed out about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, I have three kids from 13 to 3, so this isn't my first rodeo... My husband travels and it's just me (no family nearby) taking care of them. We make a concerted effort to stay healthy, and I see part of that is making sure I do my part to keep them home when they're sick. I've had teachers tell me to send my daughter to school despite her cough and dripping nose because everyone else already has it or is going to get it. WTH?

I realize you can't foretell an illness that hasn't hit yet, but your child is still infectious. This post isn't about that. It's just incredibly self-centered of the parents and not fair to the sick kid either, to take them out in public or on playgrounds. For starters, everyone else there WILL notice your sick kid and watch him/her come back to roost beside you. It's not unnoticed.

Then from a purely self motivated perspective, why don't these parents worry that their sick kid, whose immunity is already down, might pick up another bug from another sick kid who is at the playground? Strictly selfishly, their kid should stay home until he/she's feeling better just to avoid a tag team virus game.

I get to the point in the wintertime that I won't take my kids to the gym - - there are too many people there who don't see anything wrong with dragging a kid into the play area, touting a low grade fever and a soggy green nose and play dumb about it. If I get sick, there is often no one else in my house who can help the kids. It's not about total isolation, but I do choose to limit myself away from obvious vector points of high risk areas.

It's bad enough when your oldest starts school and begins bringing in new bugs daily. But diligent hand-washing and not sharing dinnerware/drinks/ etc helps a lot at home. I guess it's just a function of the way things are that some parents will take chances exposing other kids to their kids' bugs and not worry about it.

This explains why you are feeding your kids Chik Fila. I mean, worry about germs but feed them fried processed crap? Woe is me.

[Anonymous]

Seriously???! What does the previous comment have to do with the question the OP has posed? I'm sure that eating 100% organic food 100% of the time is a proven way of preventing your DC from catching a cold when coming into contact with another child's green boogers. Just be sure to wear plastic gloves when you push the shopping cart at Whole Foods.

OP, I agree with you, if it makes you feel better. People are just nasty. I guess if you can't beat them, join them. Just stop washing your hands after you use a public bathroom, and use your sleeve as a tissue.

[Anonymous]

This is an issue that has really upset me over the years, OP... I'm with you. If my kids have a playdate scheduled and develop even a clear runny nose I'll call the parents of the child and let them know. I too get PO'd when I see a sick child in a crowded play area.

I have to say, though, that these chest coughs can last a long time and can sound really nasty long after the contagious period. My son has a cough now and I know he's no longer contagious but when he coughs while we're out and about I worry that other parents will give me the evil eye.

[Anonymous]

PP, how do you know your kid is no longer contagious? Are you a doctor? When does a hacking cough stop being contagious?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank Goodness Chick Fil A has dispensers of Purell outside the playroom door. I have never seen them empty either.

OP, I understand that you don't want to be put out with a sick kid while your DH is away. Who wants to be alone, no family around, and saddled with a sick kid? However sometimes these things are inevitable, and it doesn't help to get stressed out about it.

You all still believe in PURELL???????????????????????

LOL

[Anonymous]

"I realize you can't foretell an illness that hasn't hit yet, but your child is still infectious. This post isn't about that. It's just incredibly self-centered of the parents and not fair to the sick kid either, to take them out in public or on playgrounds. For starters, everyone else there WILL notice your sick kid and watch him/her come back to roost beside you. It's not unnoticed."


No, the other poster who corrected you is right. The kids with the green stuff are not contagious, its the ones with no signs or a slight cold who have the high viral counts. Adults are also a more common vector than you would think. Many adults can have very mild colds that manifest for more severly in kids. If you are not wiping down the handles on the shopping cart chances are you are catching something there.

On the green, last year DS caught RSV and the flu at the same time. One day he didn't seem really sick just a slight cold and his appetite was off. He started running a fever, nothing really high around bedtime and we gave him some tylenol. He was sleeping well and we didn't want to wake him up. Later in the evening he had a febrile seizure and we went to the ER. He tested postive for both the flu and RSV which shocked us since he hadn't seemed that sick. We saw our ped the next day and she told us when we saw the green it was sign RSV had run its course and was over. She gave the green (no pun intended) light to take him back to school. We kept him home that week because we were freaked out but from the standpoint of infecting others he didn't need to stay in.

On keeping kids away from others not for medical reasons but because other mothers will what think you are self centered or be upset due to lack of understanding..well there are always people who inappropriately judge others. I'm sure some people are looking at the OP funny for for taking her kids to fast food and indoor play yards. (Personally I love Chik Fil a, but avoid indoor playyards). A responsible parent does what is best for their child and the children around them not to please strange mothers even though there seem to be quite a few out there.