How do you handle your kids being around unvaccinated children?

[Anonymous]

I'm hoping this thread won't spiral, so I will start by saying that this thread is for people who vaccinate their children. If you are an antivaxxer and opt out of fully vaccinating your kids (other than for legit medical reasons), this thread is not for you.


OK, so. If you know your kids will be in contact with children who are not vaccinated, how do you handle it? I'm thinking of infrequent contact, like a family wedding or reunion or something.

[Anonymous]

I loathe anti-vaxxers, but your kids are likely around un-vaccinated people all of the time. So, unless my child couldn’t be vaccinated or there was an actual outbreak, I probably wouldn’t sweat it too much.

[Anonymous]

Well...if your kid is vaccinated, then you have nothing to be concerned about. It’s not like being unvaccinated is catching or anything.

[Anonymous]

If I knew the people weren't vaccinated, I'd probably find ways to never be around them. If I didn't know, and then found out, I'd be PISSED.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I knew the people weren't vaccinated, I'd probably find ways to never be around them. If I didn't know, and then found out, I'd be PISSED.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well...if your kid is vaccinated, then you have nothing to be concerned about. It’s not like being unvaccinated is catching or anything.

Vaccines aren't 100% effective.

[Anonymous]

If I knew they weren't vaccinated. I would not have them around them. Yes, that would include missing family events such as weddings and reunions.
I feel very strongly about this, and would be willing to take on some tension from family members that are mad I'm not willing to just "let it go". This is literally a life and death issue, and I'm not going to apologize for protecting myself and my family.
In an ideal world, the rest of the family would share this completely reasonable point of view, and the people that should have to miss the family event would be the non-vaxxers. However, as I said, even if I have to be the one to miss out, I would.

[Anonymous]

I'm aware it can't always be helped. If, however, I am aware, I don't allow it. I just ghosted an old coworker I was looking forward to seeing (she quit to SAH) in the middle of scheduling a playdate for our toddlers because she added me on FB and I saw all the antivaxx garbage she was posting. a) I also have a 6 month old who hasn't had all their shots yet, and b) I generally just do not care to associate with people who embrace that ignorant ideology. I am not going to be hostile but I will avoid you like the plague.

[Anonymous]

I have a six month old. I would never knowingly let my baby be around unvaccinated kids.

[Anonymous]

Depends. If my kid was a baby, I would just keep her in a carrier or in my arms, and I wouldn't let the unvaccinated hold her. If my kid was up-to-date on vaccines, I'd worry less. Vaccines aren't 100 percent effective, so it's not a perfect guarantee, but I figure she's going to encounter unvaccinated people (including those who cannot get vaccines for legitimate medical reasons) anyway, so a one-off event wouldn't be such a big deal.

If there was an actual outbreak, like there is now with measles, I'd probably be more conservative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well...if your kid is vaccinated, then you have nothing to be concerned about. It’s not like being unvaccinated is catching or anything.

Agree with this. I think the other posts are a bit much.

[Anonymous]

Omg calm down, you are around unvaccinated children all the time. For reasons I am around a lot of foster children and let me assure you, there are great number of unvaccinated children who are in this predicament not because of handwringing antixaxx propaganda but because their parents can’t be bothered to take them to regular well-visits.

[Anonymous]

If I knew specifically that a kid wasn't vaccinated, I would not be around that child or family. I have no common ground with anti-vaxxers and would not hang around them knowingly.

[Anonymous]

Unless someone is very vocal about their choice, you’re highly unlikely to know.

I suppose when you ask if there are guns in the house before you allow a playdate, you could also ask if their kids are fully vaccinated.

[Anonymous]

I have no qualms about calling people such as OP described who do not vaccinate out of ignorance (not for medical reasons) complete morons. I would call them the same if I saw them letting their toddler cross the street by himself. To me, this is the same.