Because every single break or extra day off this school year, my youngest son has gotten sick with a virus, cold or stomach bug, which forces us to stay home when we could be out and about doing something fun on his day(s) off.
He and I are going stir crazy after three days of being quarantined from civilization so this nasty sinus cold does not get passed on to someone else. Life has been this way on and off since school started in September.
***Soapbox moment: People! If your kid is sick DO NOT send them to school! Please for the love of all that is good in this world, DO NOT send them to school! School is not a daycare. School is a place for growing and learning in every way with others. Soapbox moment over!***
Now, I know I am in a unique position in that I am a work from home mom and can be home with my sick kids when they can not go to school. Many people can not do this; can not take the time off work to be home with sick kiddos. And this is where we as a society have to be proactive and make a change.
We, collectively have to come up with a way for parents who work to be able to take days off without being punished with no pay, especially for hourly wage workers, to be there for their children. I do not have all the answers to this issue, but one idea is to actually create strict structures in the work force that enforce the Family, Medical Leave Act. Do not dock pay for someone who has to stay home from work to be with a sick child, instead have a system that puts aside money for each worker so that when they do have to take a day or two off to be home with their kids, they can tap into that fund and not lose any pay. This idea would be hard to implement realistically, so I am totally open to more ideas for helping parents be home with sick kids instead of sending them to school when they are sick and getting others sick in turn.
I have lived through two millennium, four decades, and two centuries and what I see happening these days to anyone who is not too tier in income and can afford a live in nanny or daily nanny is appalling. Parents have to choose between getting paid or taking care of their kids. Say hello to what it was like to live in the 1870s-1910s, before unions started gaining traction and forced employers to give workers basic rights. I suppose we should be thankful that young children aren't forced to leave school and work in sweatshops like in those days. Oh wait, just kidding! Instead of sweatshops it is now menial hourly jobs that pay squat so that they can help take care of their families and have money for their own basic needs.
Man, apparently, this is a tangent I have been holding in for a while. And it all started because my kid is sick again from something he picked up at school. It could have been our oldest who picked it up and passed it on. Who knows, but let's start helping each other out and making it easier for parents to be able to stay home with their sick kids and not have to choose between getting paid and what is best for their families.
Until next time!
Megan
1 comment:
We had a similar problem. My daughter was often sick on Fridays or Mondays. I was a single mom, working full time plus, and commuting... Little time at home.
This may sound radical, or counter-intuitive, but consider keeping him home from school one day next week, and see how he does on the weekend. I think kids today are pushed too hard too fast. Stress levels for kids of all ages are at an all-time high.
I think a day off, spent away from the crowd at school, doing whatever the two of you enjoy doing for relaxing or rejuvenating together just might keep him healthier on weekends.
Renee
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