When did you go to work, leaving a sick child home alone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't leave a sick kid home alone. This is when they might need you. Even a high schooler. They are still kids.

So what age then? 20? 25? 30?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never leave a child home. If I am sick, if my husband can, he'll stay home with me if it is bad enough.

This is nuts to me
I had flu this winter. It doesn't occur to me to have someone miss work for my grown ass

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last week left my 11 yo home alone while sick. I had a major presentation at work and DH was traveling for work. Mild fever (99.9 to 100). Of course they never get sick when work is in a lull. I called her hourly to check on her. Vomiting I'd have stayed home. Higher fever I'd have stayed home.

One time a family friend said "being a stay at home mom is the hardest job". Last week I wanted to kick him in the nuts thinking of that.

Well, sahms don't have a workplace they can escape to to get away from their sick kids. Only slightly kidding.

I get that. And I wouldn’t say either one is easier or harder. In fact I’d put coal miner ahead of both.

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There was a looooong thread in this before with some really scary anecdotes.

Better to take the kid to work and stash him in your office.

Don't do this. Your colleagues know you are doing this, and they hate you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To answer your original question: never, and I never would, even if they were in high school.

Really? I was absolutely left alone when I was sick in HS. My parents didn't have the luxury to stay home with me. Also, if your kid is old enough to get places alone, your kid is old enough to stay home sick alone. What do you think happens in college when you get sick? Or study abroad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I left my daughter home alone during the day at 10. She wasn't throwing up or anything just a fever/cold. She slept most of the day and would call in to check on her. She knew not to go downstairs, answer door, or use stove. I left her food prepared. I think it depends on your child. My daughter knows the rules and follows them.

This x100.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I left my daughter home alone during the day at 10. She wasn't throwing up or anything just a fever/cold. She slept most of the day and would call in to check on her. She knew not to go downstairs, answer door, or use stove. I left her food prepared. I think it depends on your child. My daughter knows the rules and follows them.

This x100.

She can't go downstairs? What does that mean? Is the upstairs just bedrooms?

Ours is, and I wouldn't restrict a 10 year old to stay upstairs. What if she wants to come to the kitchen, or the tv room? I understand not answering the door or using the stove. But why stay upstairs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't leave an 11 year old at home alone more than an hour or two if they were perfectly well, so no way I would leave one alone for a whole day who was sick. SMH.

I’d SMH at myself too if I couldn’t leave my 11yo alone for more than an hour or two. It’s ok though. Don’t beat yourself up. You can totally turn this around and raise an independent, well rounded, confident child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't leave a sick kid home alone. This is when they might need you. Even a high schooler. They are still kids.

So when they go off to college, and get sick a few months later, that’ll be their first time ever being alone while sick?

I mean, you do you, but I prefer to ease into it. 2-3 hours at a time at age 11-12. 4-6 hours by early high school, when I’m a phone call away and can be home in 30 minutes if needed. Full day by mid/late high school, checking in by phone a couple of times. Part of my job as a mom is helping him learn to take care of himself before he launches out into the world.

[Anonymous]

I did this at age 12 for my daughter. I left her for about 5 hours and stayed in touch by text. She wasn't throwing up - just had a sore throat and was very tired. She slept, read books, and fixed her own chicken noodle soup for lunch.

I try to stay home when I can but it was a day at work that I really didn't want to miss if I could help it. No way would I leave my 10 year old home for more than an hour.

[Anonymous]

I have 16 year old boy/girl twins. I would leave my DD home alone if she had a simple cold but I would not leave my DS because he might go out or invite a girl over. He's sneaky like that and you have to know your kids. Some are responsible and will stay in and rest and others may be out and about or have someone in your house. I have the flexibility of working remotely but have to be in the office if there is an important meeting. My husband and I are attentive parents but we know our kids.

[Anonymous]

At 10 if the illness had mostly passed and we were following the 24 hour rule strictly which we do. In a few cases DD had a fever that broke or threw up once and felt perfectly fine but tired the next day and we didn't send her in. She read and watched TV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never leave a child home. If I am sick, if my husband can, he'll stay home with me if it is bad enough.

This is nuts to me
I had flu this winter. It doesn't occur to me to have someone miss work for my grown ass

I would NEVER expect or allow my husband to stay home with me unless I had a disease that would warrant it. Flu, cold, or virus? Get the heck out of here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't leave a sick kid home alone. This is when they might need you. Even a high schooler. They are still kids.

So when they go off to college, and get sick a few months later, that’ll be their first time ever being alone while sick?

I mean, you do you, but I prefer to ease into it. 2-3 hours at a time at age 11-12. 4-6 hours by early high school, when I’m a phone call away and can be home in 30 minutes if needed. Full day by mid/late high school, checking in by phone a couple of times. Part of my job as a mom is helping him learn to take care of himself before he launches out into the world.

1000xs THIS!!!!!!

I do the same with monitoring their homework, social media, etc. There comes a time when you need to back off. Slow and steady wins the race. Not being on top of them all through school and then then sink or swim in college! Always be my babies, but I want responsible mature adults in the end that can care for themselves, be organized, and know what to do in emergencies, and it’s done slowly throughout their youth, not all at once when they leave for college.