Child vomiting and I’ve got a huge meeting tomorrow

[MammothyGoodness]

So my youngest has started vomiting. It’s like the exorcist, walls, carpet, bed etc. not the best news but normally I can manage. Except tomorrow I’ve got a huge meeting, massive. I’m Meeting some potential investors, taking them on a tour of our offices, showing them how our product works and then presenting in the afternoon. Others could probably do some of it, but I’m the point of contact, I’ve worked my ass off on this for months, and now I’m stuck. School won’t take her if she’s thrown up. I don’t want to send her in if she’s sick. I’m a single parent. Family are away, I’ve literally got no one who can help me. I can’t leave her, which means I can’t go in. So now my meeting is ruined and I could just cry

Would another mum at school help you out and pay her?

You could end up passing the bug onto the Investors I'm sure they'd love that

Honestly that’s absolutely hideous! You have NO idea what’s going on in other peoples lives and the rules are there for very very good reason.

My Mum recently had an ICU stay, had I been in contact with a sick bug I’d have to stay away for 72 hours. That’s such a precious about of time when you’re living one minute to the next.

Ffs 🤦🏻‍♀️

That’s so frustrating , but yes I would 110% judge you if you send into school - youngsters always say / show anyway. If it was me I’d be calling on friends/ babysitting agency / even local or former nursery and seeing if anyone able/ willing to cover ( who is not rota’d for that day) at an enticing rate. There must be someone you trust who could step in for a few hours ? As a single parent myself you have my utmost sympathy - but I think we are often so used to coping that until the child are down we don’t think / dare ask anyone to help - when you really have to you might be v pleasantly surprised to find some people are really glad to help. Good luck.

Any possibility to reschedule the meeting or do some of it online?

Can't you read?

No, you shed the bug for up to 48 hours after, can longer in older people/ people with slower gut motility

This! It's such a frustrating situation but it's really selfish, my son has adrenal insufficiency where if he gets sick he has to go to hospital and have emergency treatment, not only is it dangerous for him but it writes us off work for several days too

Wow, I would! How unfair on all the other children and the teacher. I’m sure you’d feel differently if your DC came home from school violently sick because someone else ‘was busy at work”.

How old are they? Is your eldest of an age they could watch the ill sibling (even if they’d need to be off school just say for also bug reasons). I’ve used emergency Nannie’s which exist for this reason but depends on availability and if your poorly child would be ok without you.
worst case, it’s gutting for you and I’d cry too but it won’t matter in 2 years time!

You can’t be serious 😅 School would send her child back home and it would be wrong to do that.

This happens to me everytime I have something really important. It’s like they know and pick the worst time to start vomitting 🤦🏼‍♀️😢

Look up sitters. It's not cheap but they have last minute child minders after sickness...

@Comedycook you're the kind of parent that casues these issues with that attitude!

I just had this situation. It sucks, I was luckier in that my DH also runs the business and could do the meeting, but ugh what a nightmare.

Sending hugs, @MammothyGoodness

You sound like a fantastic mum and a great colleague. I hope you feel better soon and that you take some time to feel proud of yourself for making the right decisions for the right reasons

I would!!

These bugs are more contagious before the vomiting starts anyway

OK first of all - that’s not true.

Second of all, even if it was true, that doesn’t mean a child stops being contagious once the vomiting starts and it’s fine to send them to school the next day. If it was, we wouldn’t have the 48 hour rule would we?!

Anyway, the OP made the right call and it worked out as well as she could have hoped, so 👍

Just came to say well done OP. Never a good time for these things and this timing sounds especially rubbish.

I think you should be proud that you made it work to the best of ability and that you prepped well enough that colleagues could step in. That suggests you are good at what you do.

Hope you both recover quickly and that the investors spare a thought for the work ethic of someone who pulls out the stops to make it work and come up with the cash 🤞🏻

OP, you are my hero for getting through this. Well done! Hope you both feel better soon xxx 💞💐

Maybe your parents would come up if they knew,if I was your mum I would.
maybe a friend or work colleague whose not working that day or just a friend who’d help out for some cash.
if nooneavailable then delegation is the only way.
Ive been where you are and feel so sorry for you and your little one.

That is so sad

Such a shame that we can’t rely upon our neighbours like we used to, I’m a retired Grandma who would love to help out, unfortunately it isn’t the done thing now days, such a loss.

Agree. When I was little we had neighbours, family friends and family all a short walk away. There was a support system.

the village no longer exists for most.