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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to not want DS (5) to clean tables at school after being ill with pneumonia

72 replies

debs227 · 23/03/2013 23:41

AIBU to ask DS's teacher not to give him the classroom job of cleaning the class tables before lunch with a damp cloth.
DS is year 1, they eat their packed lunches in their classroom. DS had the job of cleaning the tables everyday before lunch. he was doing this everyday before he was off sick.
He has been off school for 7 weeks due to being extremely ill with several viruses which then culminated in a week long hospital stay due to him being diagnosed with pneumonia and he couldn't breathe.
I can't help but feel that he picked up the many viruses from all the germs passed around at school and from wiping the tables!
His first day back will be Monday and I am getting very worked up about it.

AIBU ?

OP posts:

doublecakeplease · 23/03/2013 23:43

Can't honestly see what harm wiping tables will do really??

FannyBazaar · 23/03/2013 23:44

Have the doctors advised that he be kept away from cleaning? What advice have they given on after care? I'm guessing if he's well enough to go back to school, he's well enough to be exposed to the germs in the school.

MajaBiene · 23/03/2013 23:44

I don't think he will get sick from wiping tables.

LilQueenie · 23/03/2013 23:45

yabu sorry. He is more likely to have picked it up playing with other kids and people in buses/shops/ etc than from wiping a table.

aldiwhore · 23/03/2013 23:46

On one hadn YANBU to be worried. I also think it is unfair to ask any child to do the same job all the time, rotation is always fairer.

On the other YABU. If your child is well enough to attend school, fit enough to cope with all the germs then your child is fit enough to be part of every activity. Germs are airbourne, they're on books, chairs, door handles etc etc., you can't avoid them completely.

I feel a lot of sympathy for you though as I was in exactly the same position a while back (I posted a similar post as you and was told IWBU, and I was).

If you don't think your son is well enough to cope, then keep him at home a while longer. Because he WILL catch what's going around if he's exposed to it, and I very much doubt cleaning the tables will add to the exposure of an average day at school.

I do have sympathy though, and this year so far has been AWFUL for horrible viruses. x

EggyFucker · 23/03/2013 23:47

Give over

If he is well enough to go back to school. He should be fully participating

You don't get pneumonia from wiping tables

Original poster

debs227 · 23/03/2013 23:49

No advice on aftercare but he has been on two antibiotics in one go so I am worried his immune system will be low.

I think I am more concerned that this is how he got it in first place. I.e smearing everyone else's germs around and then eating his lunch!! He does wash his hands but then he is a 5 year old boy and we all know they don't do that we'll.

I suppose he'll just have to cope!

OP posts:

pooka · 23/03/2013 23:49

If he's well enough for school, then I can't see how the table wiping would make him ill again. I may be missing something though.

LapsusLinguae · 23/03/2013 23:50

YANBU anyone whose DC has been off for weeks with an infection will be anxious about germs.

Don't give a reason to the teacher - just write a short note to say that you do not give permission for him to do any additional "jobs" in particular this one.

I would query a child doing this job. Are they supervised? How often are cloths changed etc...

LadyWidmerpool · 23/03/2013 23:51

If the job can make a child that sick none of them should be doing it! I presume your son would be washing his hands afterwards, that ought to sort the germs. But I would want to see the jobs being rotated for fairness. It's not ideal having lunch in the classroom, who cleans up after? And how long do they get to do it, I would have thought there wouldn't be that long between the last child finishing and class starting again.

SirBoobAlot · 23/03/2013 23:52

Natural to be worried about him after being so ill, but if he's well enough to be back at school, then don't think cleaning the tables will do him any harm, just be annoying.

ProphetOfDoom · 23/03/2013 23:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WorraLiberty · 23/03/2013 23:54

You really don't get pneumonia from wiping tables.

If he's mixing with his peers, he'll be just as open to germs as everyone else.

I can understand you've been through a very worrying time...but really you need to think about what you're saying.

thegreylady · 23/03/2013 23:55

Does he want to go on doing it?
If he doesn't then ask the teacher to give the job to someone else. I can't see it having any effect on his health though.

LapsusLinguae · 23/03/2013 23:56

It's irrelevant if he caught it from that/it' s extremely unlikely/whatever - he's been off for 7 WEEKS. If you tell the teacher you are just not comfortable with it then they can't make him do it!

OP are you giving your DS a tonic or a multivitamin?

ProphetOfDoom · 24/03/2013 00:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Viviennemary · 24/03/2013 00:02

Your son has been quite ill and I can quite understand you don't want him doing jobs when he has just gone back. Have a word with the teacher and say he needs to take it easy. Doctor's orders. I don't think a five year old child should be doing cleaning jobs in a school. What on earth is the world coming to.

Donnadoon · 24/03/2013 00:04

Op my 7 year old ds had 6 weeks off with pneumonia, when he went back it was just for mornings at first , he was so tired and the doctor said for him to take it easy as it could take up to 12 months to recover completely. YADNBU.

Original poster

debs227 · 24/03/2013 00:06

DS was a very active and fit little boy. He has had pneumonia vaccine and he takes his vitamins. It started with a rash similar to slap cheek that was going around the class and then he went down hill after that. He has lost alot of weight.
He likes doing jobs and will do whatever is asked of him.
Consultant confirmed that is being exposed to viruses/bacteria over a period of time and they have built up. His sister is fine as are both myself and Dh.

OP posts:

Donnadoon · 24/03/2013 00:09

Yes my ds lost a hell of a lot of weight too.. You really can not afford a relapse...the teachers should hopefully be understanding, bless him.

Booyhoo · 24/03/2013 00:10

i think for a 5 year old with a weakened immune system it is totally reasonable to want to limit his exposure to germs. however, i agree that being at school he will be exposed to them all anyway due to being so close to all the other dcs and sharing pencils, equipment etc. never mind all the snotty noses/ hands and coughs without covering mouth etc. if you feel your ds is still at risk then i would reconsider sending him back yet.

Original poster

debs227 · 24/03/2013 00:11

Yes Donna, he does get tired. He needs to be back at school but then he is still getting back to his old self!! It's so difficult.
I am slightly OCD with my cleaning at home so the hand washing is great at home. They do have soap now at school.

OP posts:

AgnesBligg · 24/03/2013 00:16

Poor fellow. Ask them to keep an eye on him especially in lessons like PE. I doubt he would be up to wiping tables for the time being. He needs to recuperate.

BubaMarra · 24/03/2013 00:16

I am going to agree with you OP in that the child who cleans the table of every other child in the class is actually exposed to more germs than if he or she would not be involved in cleaning. So your DS who cleans everyone's table every day every week is likely to be exposed to more germs compared to other children in the class. However, I am not sure if avoiding that additional level of exposure would have significant impact on protecting your DS from catching a virus.
I think you should ask them to rotate the cleaning task for fairness reason.

Donnadoon · 24/03/2013 00:17

I have been there, horrendous to watch your child gasp for breath and be unable to eat and drink for coughing
I would only send him back for mornings at first, it's really going to take it out of him going back
Also my ds was quite tearful because I think it wears them emotionally as well as physically
You are not being pfb, pneumonia is no joke!

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