Do teachers send students home more easily if they have a sahm?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From my own experience, my kids had more frequent and more prolonged bouts with sickness/illness when I was a WOHM than SAHM. Which meant more calls to pick them up when I was a WOHM and hardly any when I started to SAH.

I think there were a number of reasons for this, but when I was a WOHM -
1) I was less prone to keep them at home at the earliest symptoms of illness, so their illness grew worse at school
2) I was more likely to send them to school earlier when they recovered from an illness, so they relapsed easily
3) I relied on daycare before and after school and they were exposed to more germs
4) My kids got less sleep because they had to be up and ready to go to daycare or camp, when there was a school closing but I was working.
5) My kids did not tell me that they were feeling slightly unwell because they did not want me to miss work,
6) My kids school day was extended because they had to be in daycare. Which meant that if they were feeling a little run-down they did not have the luxury to come home after classes and go to sleep.

I don't think the school cared if I was a WOHM or SAHM. Once I became a SAHM, I did not send my kids to school if they had any symptoms, I was able to get medical appointments easily so they got the medical care immidiately, I was able to be more vigilant about small things like flu-shots, oral hygiene, making sure they were taking multi-vitamins etc. I was also able to allow them mental health days as required.

One of the upsides of being a SAHM for me was more flexibility for tackling these kinds of issues.

This is totally true in my experience, too.

Also, my first kid went to a a preschool that offered an extended day until 5, and most parents were working and did not have in-home back-up care. Kids were sick all the freaking time. My second kid went to a preschool that did NOT offer any extended day, and every family had either a SAHP or a nanny at home while the kid was at school. Kids were kept home at the first sign of illness, and there were remarkably (shockingly!) few illnesses that were passed around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t really know which of my students have SAHMs. It’s not something I track.

You don’t notice the children who don’t go to aftercare and their parent picks them up? You may not actively track it but of course you know unless you teach high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t really know which of my students have SAHMs. It’s not something I track.

You don’t notice the children who don’t go to aftercare and their parent picks them up? You may not actively track it but of course you know unless you teach high school.

Some kids ride the bus home and are babysat by someone else or an older sibling or spend the afternoon alone. Some kids walk to a friend’s house for afternoons. There’s a lot going on that we have to keep track of, whose parents SAH is not on our radar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t really know which of my students have SAHMs. It’s not something I track.

You don’t notice the children who don’t go to aftercare and their parent picks them up? You may not actively track it but of course you know unless you teach high school.

DP. I teach MS and I have no idea which students go to aftercare. I know some students who are in afterschool clubs, but my school has amazing clubs and I suspect kids are there due to interests rather than just needing a place to hang out for 90 minutes.

I have no idea who is picked up by a parent at 3 pm dismissal. Nor do I care. I know who the Period 8 walkers are because they never have umbrellas or boots when it is raining hard so they get visibly upset if it starts raining in 8th period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From my own experience, my kids had more frequent and more prolonged bouts with sickness/illness when I was a WOHM than SAHM. Which meant more calls to pick them up when I was a WOHM and hardly any when I started to SAH.

I think there were a number of reasons for this, but when I was a WOHM -
1) I was less prone to keep them at home at the earliest symptoms of illness, so their illness grew worse at school
2) I was more likely to send them to school earlier when they recovered from an illness, so they relapsed easily
3) I relied on daycare before and after school and they were exposed to more germs
4) My kids got less sleep because they had to be up and ready to go to daycare or camp, when there was a school closing but I was working.
5) My kids did not tell me that they were feeling slightly unwell because they did not want me to miss work,
6) My kids school day was extended because they had to be in daycare. Which meant that if they were feeling a little run-down they did not have the luxury to come home after classes and go to sleep.

I don't think the school cared if I was a WOHM or SAHM. Once I became a SAHM, I did not send my kids to school if they had any symptoms, I was able to get medical appointments easily so they got the medical care immidiately, I was able to be more vigilant about small things like flu-shots, oral hygiene, making sure they were taking multi-vitamins etc. I was also able to allow them mental health days as required.

One of the upsides of being a SAHM for me was more flexibility for tackling these kinds of issues.

Then you were just being lazy. DH and I both WOH, I have two chronic illnesses, and we do all of those things as a matter of routine. You can tell yourself it was impossible to manage those routine tasks due to your WOH status, but the reality is that you and your co-parent were just being lazy parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From my own experience, my kids had more frequent and more prolonged bouts with sickness/illness when I was a WOHM than SAHM. Which meant more calls to pick them up when I was a WOHM and hardly any when I started to SAH.

I think there were a number of reasons for this, but when I was a WOHM -
1) I was less prone to keep them at home at the earliest symptoms of illness, so their illness grew worse at school
2) I was more likely to send them to school earlier when they recovered from an illness, so they relapsed easily
3) I relied on daycare before and after school and they were exposed to more germs
4) My kids got less sleep because they had to be up and ready to go to daycare or camp, when there was a school closing but I was working.
5) My kids did not tell me that they were feeling slightly unwell because they did not want me to miss work,
6) My kids school day was extended because they had to be in daycare. Which meant that if they were feeling a little run-down they did not have the luxury to come home after classes and go to sleep.

I don't think the school cared if I was a WOHM or SAHM. Once I became a SAHM, I did not send my kids to school if they had any symptoms, I was able to get medical appointments easily so they got the medical care immidiately, I was able to be more vigilant about small things like flu-shots, oral hygiene, making sure they were taking multi-vitamins etc. I was also able to allow them mental health days as required.

One of the upsides of being a SAHM for me was more flexibility for tackling these kinds of issues.

This is totally true in my experience, too.

Also, my first kid went to a a preschool that offered an extended day until 5, and most parents were working and did not have in-home back-up care. Kids were sick all the freaking time. My second kid went to a preschool that did NOT offer any extended day, and every family had either a SAHP or a nanny at home while the kid was at school. Kids were kept home at the first sign of illness, and there were remarkably (shockingly!) few illnesses that were passed around.

And what happened when your kids went to elementary school? All the kids I know who either SAH or went to part time preschools had a really tough time with their immune systems once they went to Kindergarten.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work and have been called many many times to pick up an older elementary kid who was just faking sick. The nurse knew well that I worked because she would mention how long it takes me to commute back to school (45 minutes).

The reason the "nurse" knew you worked is because you have been "called many many times" and after awhile they, obviously, know and remember. This is not a typical situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work and have been called many many times to pick up an older elementary kid who was just faking sick. The nurse knew well that I worked because she would mention how long it takes me to commute back to school (45 minutes).

The reason the "nurse" knew you worked is because you have been "called many many times" and after awhile they, obviously, know and remember. This is not a typical situation.

Your child is what we in the business call a "frequent flyer."

[Anonymous]

Teacher doesn’t make the call. The nurse does.

I was annoyed recently that I had to take my kid to the doc for a note saying his heat rash was not contagious. He went to the nurse complaining of a stomach ache.

I do get calls when child gets a stomach ache or not feeling well. I got calls both when I was working and now when I stay home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From my own experience, my kids had more frequent and more prolonged bouts with sickness/illness when I was a WOHM than SAHM. Which meant more calls to pick them up when I was a WOHM and hardly any when I started to SAH.

I think there were a number of reasons for this, but when I was a WOHM -
1) I was less prone to keep them at home at the earliest symptoms of illness, so their illness grew worse at school
2) I was more likely to send them to school earlier when they recovered from an illness, so they relapsed easily
3) I relied on daycare before and after school and they were exposed to more germs
4) My kids got less sleep because they had to be up and ready to go to daycare or camp, when there was a school closing but I was working.
5) My kids did not tell me that they were feeling slightly unwell because they did not want me to miss work,
6) My kids school day was extended because they had to be in daycare. Which meant that if they were feeling a little run-down they did not have the luxury to come home after classes and go to sleep.

I don't think the school cared if I was a WOHM or SAHM. Once I became a SAHM, I did not send my kids to school if they had any symptoms, I was able to get medical appointments easily so they got the medical care immidiately, I was able to be more vigilant about small things like flu-shots, oral hygiene, making sure they were taking multi-vitamins etc. I was also able to allow them mental health days as required.

One of the upsides of being a SAHM for me was more flexibility for tackling these kinds of issues.

This is totally true in my experience, too.

Also, my first kid went to a a preschool that offered an extended day until 5, and most parents were working and did not have in-home back-up care. Kids were sick all the freaking time. My second kid went to a preschool that did NOT offer any extended day, and every family had either a SAHP or a nanny at home while the kid was at school. Kids were kept home at the first sign of illness, and there were remarkably (shockingly!) few illnesses that were passed around.

And what happened when your kids went to elementary school? All the kids I know who either SAH or went to part time preschools had a really tough time with their immune systems once they went to Kindergarten.

I've never heard that before. My kids had no issue whatsoever either way when starting K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t really know which of my students have SAHMs. It’s not something I track.

You don’t notice the children who don’t go to aftercare and their parent picks them up? You may not actively track it but of course you know unless you teach high school.

I'm home and DS rides the bus. It's a 15 min ride and he loves it.