Home from school sick = No TV on first day

[Anonymous]

We're not an anti-TV family. We limit screen time haphazardly at best -- when we sense they're overdoing it, we say turn off the TV and read a book or go outside and play or do a craft or help clean the kitchen. Or whatever.

That said, I've instituted a new rule in our house: If you stay home sick from school, there is absolutely no TV on the first day (only I don't tell them the first day part).

[Anonymous]

Too strict for me. I am pretty tough about letting a child stay home (you gotta have a fever or sound really really bad with coughing, or have diarheah or throwing up), but if the kid is home, they can watch tv.

[Anonymous]

We have pretty strict limits on TV in our house..but they all go out the window when a kids is sick. My kids also pretty much have to be running a fever to be home so I know they are not faking...and they are rarely sick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Too strict for me. I am pretty tough about letting a child stay home (you gotta have a fever or sound really really bad with coughing, or have diarheah or throwing up), but if the kid is home, they can watch tv.

This is the way it is in our house too.

[Anonymous]

We are the opposite. We don't have a TV and limit other screen time strictly. But we let sick kids play a lot of extra computer games and watch movies off Netflix. Often, it's all they feel up for when they're really sick.

Why not let them watch TV? Is it to discourage faking illness?

[Anonymous]

I also think it's too harsh. Sometimes tv is the best resting/dozing on the couch thing - reading is often uncomfortable when you're not feeling well and tv usually requires only half your attention. Our rule is no computers, though. Also, we put our DC in our bed for chunks of the day to rest/nap - no toy and book distractions, and a nice big bed to rest in - we keep the shutters closed to make it dark.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Too strict for me. I am pretty tough about letting a child stay home (you gotta have a fever or sound really really bad with coughing, or have diarheah or throwing up), but if the kid is home, they can watch tv.

This is the way it is in our house too.

Same here.

[Anonymous]

Yikes, Are you punishing them for being sick? I think it is harsh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Too strict for me. I am pretty tough about letting a child stay home (you gotta have a fever or sound really really bad with coughing, or have diarheah or throwing up), but if the kid is home, they can watch tv.

This is the way it is in our house too.

Same here.

And here.

I don't allow videogames, because when my kids are home sick, I like it if they drift off to sleep while watching a moving, and videogames don't lend themselves to drifting off. But when I'm sick, I watch TV. Why shouldn't they?

[Anonymous]

Funny. I've caught my stepchild posting on Facebook on days that they've stayed home from school that "there's nothing to do." I didn't realize there was supposed to be anything to do when you stayed home sick from school!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're not an anti-TV family. We limit screen time haphazardly at best -- when we sense they're overdoing it, we say turn off the TV and read a book or go outside and play or do a craft or help clean the kitchen. Or whatever.

That said, I've instituted a new rule in our house: If you stay home sick from school, there is absolutely no TV on the first day (only I don't tell them the first day part).

This has always been our house. If you're too sick for school, you aren't home watching TV and playing games. But really, my kids don't want to. If they're home sick it's because they have fevers and they're sleeping. TV would just annoy them and keep them up. They want the lights out and it quiet when they're feeling crummy.

[Anonymous]

I do a no tv until noon. Only because I have them stay in bed and sleep it off.

[Anonymous]

funny ... that's usually my statement if I cannot decide if they are sick or not. When they are obviously sick - I do allow tv/movie time. But if I feel they might be trying to get away with something and I announce no tv/movie - thats the kicker that tells me if they are sick or not. I have only once had a kid "decide" he actually was OK to go to school after my announcement!

[Anonymous]

Why? What's the big deal?

[Anonymous]

No tv until school gets out, and it's not a hard and fast rule. DC1 has a vague tummy upset on Monday morning? No telly til three. DC3 laid up with transient synovitis? All the telly she wants.