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Original poster

WWYD - school ringing to fetch sick child

152 replies

confusedofengland · 28/01/2020 11:52

So, DS3 is in Year 1, he is nearly 6. In his class of 30 DC, there were 9 children off yesterday with a sick bug. One actually vomited in class, 3 were sent home feeling sick, 5 were sick overnight & did not go in. Since DS has heard about this, he has been periodically saying he has a tummy ache, then eating & behaving as normal, very lively, eaten chocolate offered to him etc. Slept fine last night.

I was volunteering at the village library this morning, as I do each week. We are not allowed to open with less than 2 people. I also do paid work at this & other libraries all within a 15 minute drive from home. I had a call halfway through my shift, at 11am, to say DS was 'pale & complaining of a tummy ache' so could I fetch him immediately? I explained that I was working & would need to wait until 1pm as otherwise the library, which was hosting an event, would have to close. They said that was no good & I had to come immediately.

So, a customer who is also my friend, stepped in & I went to fetch DS. It took them 10 mins to fetch him from the classroom & when he came out he was eating an apple, jumping around & not pale! I took the apple from him & said that was not a good thing to eat if he had a tummy ache. He was asking for lunch & quite chatty, as normal. We came straight home (5 min walk) & I have put him to bed, saying that if he is ill he needs to get some sleep. I intend to leave him there a while then get him to do reading/writing this afternoon if he is still ok (as I suspect he will be).

Have I done the right thing or have I overreacted? I can't help but think that if I worked any distance away, as lots of parents here do, the school would not have called me & I do feel a little irritated to ge called out to a child who seems perfectly fine!

OP posts:
74NewStreet · 28/01/2020 12:36

Maybe have a word with your child about not telling his teacher he’s sick when he’s happily jumping around eating an apple?!

Why would they keep him in the classroom when he’s claiming he might throw up at any moment?

Elbeagle · 28/01/2020 12:38

I thought apples were one of the recommended foods with sickness bugs? Bananas, rice, apples and toast!

Sarah510 · 28/01/2020 12:38

sometimes the school are over-reacting - like the time they rang me at work - 2 hours away - and said dd was complaining her jumper was "scratchy" and could I pick her up immediately....!!!

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Redrosesandsunsets · 28/01/2020 12:42

They have to act and pull him just in case but tomorrow say to them he was fine and suggest you think it was in his head so unless he’s throwing up at school you won’t collect him again.

Mrsjayy · 28/01/2020 12:43

Yes apples are recommened stomach bug foods to eat something in them that firms up poo !

icannotremember · 28/01/2020 12:43

Well, I wouldn't have taken the apple away from him, but I'd be a bit irritated. Just not at anyone in particular- 6 year olds try it on and I'm not in the come down on them like a tonne of bricks camp (although there would be no TV or tablet etc), schools are damned if they do and damned if they don't and I doubt they want to take any chances in the situation they're in.

It's happened to me, more than once, but such is the life of a working parent :)

I hope your boy is trying it on and will be glad to get back to school tomorrow- better that than he starts vomiting everywhere and you have a suffering child, a chance of getting it yourself sick to clean up days of childcare to arrange!

Mrsjayy · 28/01/2020 12:44

Sorry if anybody is eating lunch Grin

Josieannathe2nd · 28/01/2020 12:44

You can check on them at school and then leave them. I’ve been called, by the time I’m there (half an hour- even on days I’m not working I don’t stay super close to school) seen that their fine and sent them back to class.

PlanDeRaccordement · 28/01/2020 12:50

You did the right thing OP to collect your DS from school.

Rhubarbncustard4 · 28/01/2020 12:54

My son when in reception told his teacher he’d been sick in the playground ... they searched the playground , found no sick but still asked me to come get him - he had to stay off for 48 hours ... the only upside is that he’s never tried the same trick since

FurrySlipperBoots · 28/01/2020 12:55

I'm surprised with most of his class wiped out with it you didn't just keep him off as a precaution. He's basically guaranteed to go down with it otherwise, and noro is really no laughing matter. I was bedbound for a year after contracting it myself.

CadburysTastesVileNow · 28/01/2020 13:02

I think all you can do is make his 'day off' so dull that he won't angle for one again unless he really is ill. So in bed, curtains closed, lights off. VERY dull food.

Original poster
confusedofengland · 28/01/2020 13:03

Interestingly, of the 3 children from his class sent home yesterday for the same reasons as DS was today (complaining of tummy ache but not sick in school), 2 are back at school today perfectly fine, not been sick at all. All of the other children who have actually been sick were at the same party on Sunday (DS was invited but couldn't go).

I have told DS that it is not ok to pretend to be ill & that if he is poorly he should sit quietly not jumping around. He understands this. He is also in bed, because I told him that if he is saying he is poorly, that's where he should be. Not condoning lying, but I do understand why a child of not quite 6 might try it on.

OP posts:
Lovemusic33 · 28/01/2020 13:05

DD’s school are always extra careful when a sick bug is doing the rounds, I have had the dreaded call several times “Dd looks pale and there’s a big going around so we think it’s best she goes home”, DD’s school is a hour away so it’s a pain to get there and find she’s perfectly fine and demands food on the way home 😡.

But I can see why schools do it, why should they wait for a child to actually be sick before they send them home? By waiting the virus could be spread even more by a vomiting child.

KillingEvenings · 28/01/2020 13:05

I have been called to collect a poorly DC when I worked over an hour a way. They asked if I didn't have a friend who could collect sooner and I said I didn't but that I would be there as quickly as possible.

So no, I don't think they were doing it because they thought you had nothing better to do.

Comefromaway · 28/01/2020 13:06

All of the other children who have actually been sick were at the same party on Sunday (DS was invited but couldn't go).

I'd be wondering what they all ate at that party for it to come on so quick.

FreakStar · 28/01/2020 13:07

I don't think school were unreasonable to call you. However, I think not making a sick day enjoyable if you think he's pulling the wool is the right thing to do.

I am curious as to how you know exactly who is off or not in your son's class though and why.

DilysMoon · 28/01/2020 13:08

I thought apples were ok, BRATT diet bananas, rice, apples, tea and toast are the go to foods in our house when there is sickness.

parrotonmyshoulder · 28/01/2020 13:12

I’m a teacher and a parent. I always make sure sick days are extremely boring so I think you’re doing the right thing at home. Usually I’m having to do schoolwork myself anyway. It’s such a hard call in class but there really is not much worse than an actively vomiting child in class, so we prefer to get them home before that.

I’m astounded at the micromanaging by governors described above by a PP! Overstepping the mark there.

iStruggleWithThePast · 28/01/2020 13:13

DD's school are careful about sickness bugs too. A few weeks ago they phoned me to say DD was crying & complaining she felt sick We got home and she was fine, asked if she could play on her trampoline! School have to minimise the risk of everyone getting poorly so it makes sense to send home a possibly ill child. Although i do sympathise that it does mess up your day

sandybanana · 28/01/2020 13:16

No way was the school wrong.

You should be thankful he doesn't have the bug.

If I were you I would be worried that the 48 policy is adhered to by other ( sometimes incredibly selfish) parents as that sounds shit and VERY contagious.

Topseyt · 28/01/2020 13:19

I would have taken him back if I had established on the way home that he was perfectly fine.

If you don't want to do that though then I think that making the day off as boring as possible at home (as you are doing) is the next best thing to do. Then, when you take him in tomorrow tell the class teacher that he definitely wasn't ill and was full of beans when you picked him up.

Lanaturnerssmileagain · 28/01/2020 13:20

It’s very frustrating Op - but the school are damned if they do damned if they don’t. It’s not their judgement call to make I suppose.
I was once forced to book a doctors appointment for my ds when the school nurse insisted he had chicken pox. I explained they were bites, he’d already had chicken pox and they looked nothing like pox and several other members of our family had them (it was sunny, humid weather). She insisted that as there were pregnant members of staff I had to get him checked by a doctor before returning him to school. This involved taking the next morning off work etc.
Doctor confirmed they were bites and actually rolled her eyes when I told her what the school nurse said!

Dustarr73 · 28/01/2020 13:21

I think the school had no other option.But what you did was right.If they are complaining of being sick,they go to bed with nothing to do all day.

It does make them think twice about playing up in future.

Evilspiritgin · 28/01/2020 13:22

I would think with the wonderful imaginations that young children have that if one of his friends has said they are feeling ill, I can see how he started feeling ill but perked up while away from the situation