Stand Up and Fight Against Germ Spreading Parents!

Dear Mom Who Brought Your Sick Kid to Childcare at Church,

I'd like to thank you for being so considerate of my family. You were kind enough to bring your sick child to play with other children, effectively spreading germs to healthy families throughout the area. My family, for one, is delighted to be congested and hacking up phlegm. We love the forced 'house arrest' being sick has put us under! We're just not as kind as you, so our kids won't be going out to play, sharing our germs with other innocent families who were just going about their healthy routine.

Sincerely,

The Family Nose Wiper (AKA Mommy)

It happens all of the time. You go to pick up your kid from the Kids Club at the gym and there’s a snotty nosed coughing kid playing with your perfectly healthy kid! Or your family is getting together at Grandma’s house and your cousin shows up with her congested kids complaining, “Ugh, these kids just can’t shake this awful cold they’ve got!” Seriously?!?!? What on earth are they thinking?

Last year we went to a 2 year old’s birthday party with our toddler and 1 week old infant. It was a huge task to get there. My husband and daughter were in the bounce house and I was feeding the baby when a mom and daughter walked through the door. “Our whole family is really sick, but she’s really been looking forward to this party, so I told her we’d only come for a little bit. We don’t want to spread too many germs around, she’s been feeling just awful…” If it were my house, I would have sent her and her sick kid straight home!! Of course, they stayed, spread germs, and Roxy caught that cold!

Sometimes I feel like I’m the only parent who’s responsible with my kids’ illnesses. I know I’m extra sensitive because it seems that if there’s a sick child within a 10 mile radius of my daughter, she’s going to catch it. We’ve taken her to the doctor and discovered that her allergies affect how susceptible she is to catching colds, so we have to be extra careful with her exposure to sick kids. I really count on other parents to be responsible with their kids so that my child can stay healthy.

My church is very clear about their policy on sick kids in their childcare areas. I really appreciate their vigilance on upholding their policy. However, last week a kid slipped through the cracks! After bible study when I picked up Roxy, there was a coughing kid with snot running down her face whining that she wanted her mommy! Straight away they assured me that her mother said she’s not contagious and that she’s been on antibiotics for 10 days. (But, antibiotics don’t work for a cold, which is what this looked like to me!) The next day, we went to church again and this kid was back! 48 hours later I’ve got a sick kid… AGAIN!

Now we’ve got a rainy weekend, I’m stuck in the house with two sick kids. I’m tired because I’m up with them in the middle of the night. They’re grumpy. We can’t play outside in the rain. I can’t go to the gym because they can’t go to the Kid’s Club. I can’t take them to play anywhere, they’d spread germs. We can’t even go to church!

Aside from my cousin, every parent I know personally is responsible when their kids are sick and they keep them away from other kids. It’s the thousands of parents I DON’T know who seem to be the uncaring, germ spreading, selfish parents! How do we fix this? Can we raise awareness? Create a ‘Cause’? What recourse is there for frustrated parents like me???