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Article Schools No Longer Offer Babysitting Services For Sick Kids

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COVID-19 has successfully fostered an awareness of common sense in some people which is simply as incredible as it is marvellous. It’s no longer acceptable to send one’s children to school whilst they are clearly sick.

Prior to the pandemic I remember parents being able to still send their little ones to school based on whether their child felt up to it or not, without a care in the world or a single thought for the other individuals that their child could possibly infect.

Schools Are Sending Kids Home!

School is no longer a daycare service when it comes to palming children off because we have better things to do with our time other than to be tied down for the entire day by a little one who is unwell. And thankfully schools are actually sending children home who are visually sick.

It’s no longer a matter of supplying them with enough tissues to get them through their copious amount of phlegm and congestion throughout their school day. Even if the child is eagerly not wanting to miss out on any activities.

It Builds Immunity, Doesn’t It?

Prior to COVID-19, many parents held the belief that their little one’s illnesses probably weren’t contagious, and even if they were – it built immunity which is a huge positive for everyone who encountered their sick child right!?

Unwell children were given medicine and sent to school to avoid boredom and ensure that the little one wasn’t missing out on anything.

What About Recovery?

Whatever happened to rest though? Making sure that a child had enough rest and recovery time even if they claimed to be well enough to still participate in community activities.

As their guardians, haven’t we always had it within our power to do what we believe is right for our child no matter what?

Admittedly, some schools didn’t make it very easy on the parents either if you decided to keep your children at home. There were guidelines as to how many days per term and per year that a child could have off and if you came anywhere near those maximum number of days you could be certain to receive an abrupt letter from the school setting up a meeting with the liaison officer if any more time were taken off.

Maybe Some Felt They Had No Choice

Perhaps this made some parents feel powerless. As though to avoid any unnecessary drama they had no choice but to send their sick kids to school against their better judgement. As a way of escaping negativity from the school and to avoid exceeding the set number of absent days.

Raising awareness about the more vulnerable members in our community I believe has been a vital lesson from the pandemic. Understanding that whilst exposure to some illnesses may bring greater immunity, for some people this could also have dire consequences. And there is no easy way of knowing who is and isn’t immunocompromised that an infectious child could come into contact with and potentially put at risk.

Putting Vulnerable At Risk!

Yes of course the elderly definitely fall into the category of people we need to extend greater care around- but what about those going through chemotherapy or people with underlying health conditions which render their immune systems weak who we can’t pick just by looking at them. Added to this they could be anyone, your little one’s teacher, the other child at the playground or any number of people you come into contact with at the shopping centre.

We Know When They Should Be Kept Home…

Understandably there will always be things like nagging post viral coughs which are unavoidable. However, under most circumstances, parents know when our little ones are genuinely unwell. We instinctively know when they need to rest and we need to be able to make the decision for them to rest and recover as opposed to encouraging them to battle on and infect everyone else in the process.

The decision to do what’s right for our children, for our family as well as for our community has always been in our power. Now it’s just a matter of relentlessly ensuring that we don’t forget it. Because it’s vital that we remember even ‘just a cold’ can have devastating effects on people with underlying health conditions that we know nothing about.

Know The Difference!

It’s alright to miss out on certain activities sometimes. Added to this there is always a chance of placing an already sick child at risk of contracting a secondary infection. There are times we need to battle on and times when we need to rest and recover- knowing the difference is vital. And it is definitely time that we start looking out for one another.

Are your schools sending kids home if they are sick? Tell us in the comments below.

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Comments

  • I think common sense should always prevail. Of course it’s important to be cautious but at the same time we can’t be over precious either. As responsible adults we should know what to do it seek appropriate advice if not sure.

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  • Sick kids should stay at home. no-one wants to get gastro or the flu.

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  • My kids’ schools have never provided a babysitting service for sick kids. The hint of a sniffle or a cough )or anything worse) and I’d be called to come and get them. The same schools would complain that they were missing too much time off school (as would their Dad) but school staff made it very clearly they didn’t want sick kids at school possibly infecting other kids, teachers and staff. I applaud this.

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  • I didn’t realise schools ever babysat sick kids. Its a hard one, some parents can’t get time off work. Sad but true

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  • My kids school does this.Last week i kept my 6 year old at home as she got cold.Because of covid 19 i know its hard for everyone’s to figure out what kind of sickness is this.

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  • Yes my kids school is sending kids home if they have cough or cold.

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  • My dad always maintained that unless you had something coming out of either end you were to go to school! And if you did stay home sick you had to be in bed! Because if you were well enough to watch tv you were well enough to sit in your class. Thank god those days are over! My children are generally quite well and my eldest has only missed school due to fevers and surgery recovery time. If they were sick I’d keep them home, as I know when I’m sick all I want to do is lay in bed feeling miserable, so why can’t they?

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  • its hard to tell if someone just has a little cold or it is the start of something more serious. better to err on the side of caution.

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  • My daughter had an asthma cough. A teacher told her she shouldnt be at school with a cough and to stay home until she doesnt have a cough anymore. If the teacher had of thought oh this is an asthmatic kid maybe they need ventolin then my kid wouldnt have spent the day coughing.
    Kept her home for next 4 days and when i was queried about why she was absent i said because a teacher told her to stay home. Her attendance will be very low at school if she has to stay home every time she has a cough.
    I get kids need to stay home if sick but since when is asthma thats not severe a valid reason to keep a kid at home.

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  • With the heightened awareness of cold/flu symptoms due to Covid, yes, children should be kept at home just the same as adults should stay away from work.

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  • i think all children are different, and it’s especially hard when it’s allergy season too to decide to send or not. Now when even if you cough just to relieve a tickle in your throat, people think your contagious! I really feel sorry for allergy sufferers as there isn’t much you can do and people are not going to assume you have hay fever first.

    • Yes!!!!!!!
      My 9 yr old has severe asthma and hayfever and chuck some allergies on top to boot makes it a very interesting time for him. He sneezed on the way to school 6 times and a lady walking past said loudly thats how covid gets spread go home you idiots.
      Told her obviously stupidity is easy to come by because he sneezed not coughed and last time i checked hayfever wasnt contagious.
      Frustrating but this is what its come down too these days.

      • Agree! I kind of stress if I have to sneeze as I know people will freak out!

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  • Yes they do.
    I think it’s sometimes hard to decide what is sick enough to stay home / fit enough to go to school.
    My youngest sneezed 2x on Monday morning and I kept her home on that ! She has Down Syndrome and doesn’t keep social distance (loves her cuddles so much) and doesn’t cover her mouth when coughing / sneezing. Looking back I think she could have gone to school but I played safe.
    However my 14 yr old had a bit of a stuffy nose and wanted to stay home, but I gave him some panadol and sent him to school.

    • But of course schools are not a baby sitting service and sick kids should stay home.

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  • My daughter had just 8 days off because she wasnt well. I understand on where they are coming from especially how covid19 has spread so quickly. But it going to affect my daughter as she had that time off.

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  • I feel it’s just like the workplace. Some employers wouldn’t be impressed With calling in for a mild cold.

    • I agree to an extent and some workplaces need to understand that old practises have to change and that new ones need to be used.

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  • If they’re visibly sick they should be sent home.

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  • I agree that sick kids shouldn’t go to school, but it’s not always evident either.

    • Exactly and syptoms by kids can be very mild in the morning but increase suddenly in a wink of an eye.

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  • I think you never should send your kids to school if they are sick

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  • The school/health/work landscape has now changed due to Covid-19 and there is a heightened awareness of personal hygiene and responsibility for children and family. Working from home conditions have also changed for many people; surely this will facilitate parents having greater options to be flexible with work and caring responsibilities.

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  • The sick kids should not be going to school

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  • Totally agree they should be sent home. Its incredibly selfish to put others at risk with any illness.

    Reply
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