Sickish child but no COVID

[Anonymous]

My kid just had a cold, that I am sure they caught from school. It was pretty minor, but I kept them home for two days while their nose was super runny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think people's shock at other responses, on both sides, are mainly because we haven't even determined what a "cold" looks like, in terms of keeping a child home.

Fever- stay home
diarrhea/vomiting- stay home
runny/mucus eyes- stay home
coughing- stay home
runny/stuffy nose- go to school
sneezing- go to school

Lingering coughs are pretty common with respiratory infections. Once COVID is ruled out, an infrequent cough shouldn't keep anyone out of school once other symptoms have substantially resolved and there's no fever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people's shock at other responses, on both sides, are mainly because we haven't even determined what a "cold" looks like, in terms of keeping a child home.

Fever- stay home
diarrhea/vomiting- stay home
runny/mucus eyes- stay home
coughing- stay home
runny/stuffy nose- go to school
sneezing- go to school

Lingering coughs are pretty common with respiratory infections. Once COVID is ruled out, an infrequent cough shouldn't keep anyone out of school once other symptoms have substantially resolved and there's no fever.

Lingering is different from active. They are talking about active. Entitled parents who cannot be bothered caring for their sick kids. Sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people's shock at other responses, on both sides, are mainly because we haven't even determined what a "cold" looks like, in terms of keeping a child home.

Fever- stay home
diarrhea/vomiting- stay home
runny/mucus eyes- stay home
coughing- stay home
runny/stuffy nose- go to school
sneezing- go to school

I'm one who posted to stay home and I'd be fine with this (as long as sneezing isn't too frequent).

Heh--I wrote this list, and I posted previously go to school. Just shows how different people define "a cold." I think of it as mainly congestion, needing to blow your nose frequently, maybe a sore throat, but nothing that requires medication beyond a throat drop and doesn't really impede learning. Colds with a fever or infection are a different story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here and I also have a kid with a cold, PCR says not covid. Not sure you’d be happy if I had a sub for a week while I stay home with my kid who feels perfectly fine and just has a mild cough. What do you suggest I do? Spouse is a front line worker and can’t take off. Would love your suggestions so your kids don’t miss out on a week of education.

I'm usually in the defend-the-teacher camp, but come on! Do you really get a sub every time your own kid is sick but you are not?? I've almost never missed work for this (have contingency plans in place for child care, knowing that they are sure to be sick sometimes and I have to go to work!)

What possible contingencies could you have in place to care for your sick kid that doesn’t involve a parent or parent-like figure taking care of them? Seriously? Do you have some expensive nanny service on speed dial? Seriously, share your secrets cause I don’t know anyone who “doesn’t miss work when their kids are sick.” Who are you??

[Anonymous]

It could be pre-covid. The body trying to fight things off.
If no fever, send to school. In regular years, if you have a fever, don't send your child to school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here and I also have a kid with a cold, PCR says not covid. Not sure you’d be happy if I had a sub for a week while I stay home with my kid who feels perfectly fine and just has a mild cough. What do you suggest I do? Spouse is a front line worker and can’t take off. Would love your suggestions so your kids don’t miss out on a week of education.

I'm usually in the defend-the-teacher camp, but come on! Do you really get a sub every time your own kid is sick but you are not?? I've almost never missed work for this (have contingency plans in place for child care, knowing that they are sure to be sick sometimes and I have to go to work!)

What possible contingencies could you have in place to care for your sick kid that doesn’t involve a parent or parent-like figure taking care of them? Seriously? Do you have some expensive nanny service on speed dial? Seriously, share your secrets cause I don’t know anyone who “doesn’t miss work when their kids are sick.” Who are you??

There are 'sick day' child care options-- you can find at-home sitters on online matching services that have opted into this kind of emergency coverage (though not for Covid). There are also some daycares who have a sickroom available. In addition, my spouse and I designed somewhat staggered schedules so that one of us (not always the same one) can be available if necessary. For instance, he works 10 hour days and thus has a shorter week. And his telework schedule is different from mine. There are times when our workdays overlap, but we have identified which days are easier for him to take off (in terms of work obligations and meetings) and which are okay for me to take off.

So if there's a surprise illness in the morning, it will fall on whomever is home getting the kid off to school and that could mean that person having to call in sick. But by the second day, we can often cobble something together that's not very disrputive to our worklives (certaintly that doesn't mean one parent calling in sick for a full week!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here and I also have a kid with a cold, PCR says not covid. Not sure you’d be happy if I had a sub for a week while I stay home with my kid who feels perfectly fine and just has a mild cough. What do you suggest I do? Spouse is a front line worker and can’t take off. Would love your suggestions so your kids don’t miss out on a week of education.

I'm usually in the defend-the-teacher camp, but come on! Do you really get a sub every time your own kid is sick but you are not?? I've almost never missed work for this (have contingency plans in place for child care, knowing that they are sure to be sick sometimes and I have to go to work!)

What possible contingencies could you have in place to care for your sick kid that doesn’t involve a parent or parent-like figure taking care of them? Seriously? Do you have some expensive nanny service on speed dial? Seriously, share your secrets cause I don’t know anyone who “doesn’t miss work when their kids are sick.” Who are you??

There are 'sick day' child care options-- you can find at-home sitters on online matching services that have opted into this kind of emergency coverage (though not for Covid). There are also some daycares who have a sickroom available. In addition, my spouse and I designed somewhat staggered schedules so that one of us (not always the same one) can be available if necessary. For instance, he works 10 hour days and thus has a shorter week. And his telework schedule is different from mine. There are times when our workdays overlap, but we have identified which days are easier for him to take off (in terms of work obligations and meetings) and which are okay for me to take off.

So if there's a surprise illness in the morning, it will fall on whomever is home getting the kid off to school and that could mean that person having to call in sick. But by the second day, we can often cobble something together that's not very disrputive to our worklives (certaintly that doesn't mean one parent calling in sick for a full week!)

https://www.nannypoppinz.com/services/sick-childcare-services.html

[Anonymous]

I just sent my kid back to school. He had a runny nose and a cough, no Covid. Dr said seasonal allergies, maybe mild cold. He's totally fine, running, playing and doesn't even feel bad. No fever.



I'm not sure what the answer is, but I don't think staying home indefinitely with sniffles is it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people's shock at other responses, on both sides, are mainly because we haven't even determined what a "cold" looks like, in terms of keeping a child home.

Fever- stay home
diarrhea/vomiting- stay home
runny/mucus eyes- stay home
coughing- stay home
runny/stuffy nose- go to school
sneezing- go to school

I'm one who posted to stay home and I'd be fine with this (as long as sneezing isn't too frequent).

Heh--I wrote this list, and I posted previously go to school. Just shows how different people define "a cold." I think of it as mainly congestion, needing to blow your nose frequently, maybe a sore throat, but nothing that requires medication beyond a throat drop and doesn't really impede learning. Colds with a fever or infection are a different story.

So, congestion/stuffy nose is a COVID symptom but if you are tested to rule it out then it's off to school they go! https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people's shock at other responses, on both sides, are mainly because we haven't even determined what a "cold" looks like, in terms of keeping a child home.

Fever- stay home
diarrhea/vomiting- stay home
runny/mucus eyes- stay home
coughing- stay home
runny/stuffy nose- go to school
sneezing- go to school

Lingering coughs are pretty common with respiratory infections. Once COVID is ruled out, an infrequent cough shouldn't keep anyone out of school once other symptoms have substantially resolved and there's no fever.

Lingering is different from active. They are talking about active. Entitled parents who cannot be bothered caring for their sick kids. Sad.

While I agree, I have very little confidence that the COVID-crazy crowd would be willing to acknowledge and accept that difference when faced with a child with a lingering cough. I'd hate for my child to have a hysterical teacher. Luckily she's already acknowleded that kids have cold-like symptoms all winter and won't send kids to the nurse over them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here and I also have a kid with a cold, PCR says not covid. Not sure you’d be happy if I had a sub for a week while I stay home with my kid who feels perfectly fine and just has a mild cough. What do you suggest I do? Spouse is a front line worker and can’t take off. Would love your suggestions so your kids don’t miss out on a week of education.

I'm usually in the defend-the-teacher camp, but come on! Do you really get a sub every time your own kid is sick but you are not?? I've almost never missed work for this (have contingency plans in place for child care, knowing that they are sure to be sick sometimes and I have to go to work!)

What possible contingencies could you have in place to care for your sick kid that doesn’t involve a parent or parent-like figure taking care of them? Seriously? Do you have some expensive nanny service on speed dial? Seriously, share your secrets cause I don’t know anyone who “doesn’t miss work when their kids are sick.” Who are you??

There are 'sick day' child care options-- you can find at-home sitters on online matching services that have opted into this kind of emergency coverage (though not for Covid). There are also some daycares who have a sickroom available. In addition, my spouse and I designed somewhat staggered schedules so that one of us (not always the same one) can be available if necessary. For instance, he works 10 hour days and thus has a shorter week. And his telework schedule is different from mine. There are times when our workdays overlap, but we have identified which days are easier for him to take off (in terms of work obligations and meetings) and which are okay for me to take off.

So if there's a surprise illness in the morning, it will fall on whomever is home getting the kid off to school and that could mean that person having to call in sick. But by the second day, we can often cobble something together that's not very disrputive to our worklives (certaintly that doesn't mean one parent calling in sick for a full week!)

Surely you see the privilege in your situation? Surely?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here and I also have a kid with a cold, PCR says not covid. Not sure you’d be happy if I had a sub for a week while I stay home with my kid who feels perfectly fine and just has a mild cough. What do you suggest I do? Spouse is a front line worker and can’t take off. Would love your suggestions so your kids don’t miss out on a week of education.

I'm usually in the defend-the-teacher camp, but come on! Do you really get a sub every time your own kid is sick but you are not?? I've almost never missed work for this (have contingency plans in place for child care, knowing that they are sure to be sick sometimes and I have to go to work!)

What possible contingencies could you have in place to care for your sick kid that doesn’t involve a parent or parent-like figure taking care of them? Seriously? Do you have some expensive nanny service on speed dial? Seriously, share your secrets cause I don’t know anyone who “doesn’t miss work when their kids are sick.” Who are you??

There are 'sick day' child care options-- you can find at-home sitters on online matching services that have opted into this kind of emergency coverage (though not for Covid). There are also some daycares who have a sickroom available. In addition, my spouse and I designed somewhat staggered schedules so that one of us (not always the same one) can be available if necessary. For instance, he works 10 hour days and thus has a shorter week. And his telework schedule is different from mine. There are times when our workdays overlap, but we have identified which days are easier for him to take off (in terms of work obligations and meetings) and which are okay for me to take off.

So if there's a surprise illness in the morning, it will fall on whomever is home getting the kid off to school and that could mean that person having to call in sick. But by the second day, we can often cobble something together that's not very disrputive to our worklives (certaintly that doesn't mean one parent calling in sick for a full week!)

Surely you see the privilege in your situation? Surely?

It is true that there are many people who cannot spring for the cost of a babysitter for a few days while they work, that is not the case for someone on a teacher's salary and front-line worker's salary (which is what this was responding to).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If no Covid, def send to school. 100%.
I have a kid with cold symptoms. Keeping him home tomorrow for covid test. If negative, back to school the next day.

Np. Just because it might not be covid does not mean it is ok to send sick child to school. Seriously, what is wrong with you?

[Anonymous]

If you send your sick kid who doesnt have covid to school every kid they infect with whatever lurgey they have that isn't covid will also have to be tested and quarantined. It's not a good practice.

Likewise, getting a babysitter for a kid who might have covid?

Maybe it's just knowing people whose kids have had mis-c, or people who's relatives have died horrible intubated deaths... But I seriously don't know how you people sleep at night.

We have a common responsibility to keep this virus from spreading. Period. That means we can have nice things like in person school, but only if we all take this seriously.