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AIBU?

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Original poster

keep kids off school 2 days to avoid noro?

92 replies

Arrowfanatic · 18/12/2016 17:07

School breaks up on Tuesday for 2 of my 3 kids (1 has already broken up). Noro is doing the rounds in the school and multiple children have come down sick this weekend, the parents FB page is lit up with cases.

I don't want my kids to catch it, but the idea of essentially pulling a sickie makes me feel naughty especially as my son is already on a sickness warning as he had 2 days off sick (vomiting ) in September, incidentally these were his first days off as his first year he had 100 % attendance.

I just really really don't want to spend Xmas clearing up vomit. We are a big family in a small house and if 1 catches it it'll spread through like wild fire and my husband really can't get sick as his work this time of year is vital and insanely busy.

WWYD? Lots of parents on the page say they won't be sending their kids in. Chances are they won't catch it, but if they do? Argh!!!!!!!!

OP posts:
lalalalyra · 18/12/2016 19:04

AndShesGone I'd be happy for the school to be shut now. School is not childcare and people know when they have kids that schools shut sometimes (I have 6 kids so I do get that it's not easy).

However, there is a child in my DS's class who is sent in ill every time he's ill. In the years I've known the mum, who has 3 kids, she's (knowingly) sent them in with D&V numerous times - once when she had a "very important meeting" she sent one child to school with "a few spots" that she knew was chicken pox. One of her kids was off school on friday with noro, it must have been bad because she doesn't keep them off ever, but they got sent home on Thursday. I know from FB another was up all night last night spewing and was ill all morning yet this evening on FB she's asked a question that makes clear she's planning on all three kids being at school tomorrow.

I have a 4 month old baby that had an operation on Thursday. I'm not risking DS bringing noro into the house if I can help it. If we need to go to the shops to buy milk then I have to take a chance. I'm not sending him to spend the day in the company of someone I KNOW has been ill.

If people were responsible when their kids were ill then life would be easier for EVERYONE. Childcare is a ballache, but it doesn't make it ok to inflict illness on other families.

littleshirleybeans · 18/12/2016 19:07

You don't get immunity from norovirus for a couple of years because you've had it.
It's incredibly infectious, it's airborne and gets everywhere. I've seen programmes about it and they showed what it was like in a school. It was EVERYWHERE.

JassyRadlett · 18/12/2016 19:14

His attendance % will have gone up now. 4 sessions off at the beginning of September would give a low % as less days that could have attended. Noe it will be more like 97% - 4 out of 120 or so sessions.

And the trouble with that sort of system is that it makes the school look totally innumerate.

DS had two days off in the second week school. Thankfully his school is sane enough that we didn't receive a letter.

DelphiniumBlue · 18/12/2016 19:16

I'd keep them off. They'll miss a couple of days of movies and colouring.
If they are still quite young, I'd tell them that they don't look well and tell them you feel sick. I can guarantee they'll then tell you they feel sick, you say OK we'd better stay at home as you're not well. If anyone even remembers in January that they were absent, you can remind them to say they felt sick.
Vomiting children over Christmas is horrible.

SuperRainbows · 18/12/2016 19:17

I wouldn't hesitate to keep mine off if I were you. Enjoy a couple of really chilled out days with them.

NavyandWhite · 18/12/2016 19:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Coulddowithanap · 18/12/2016 19:21

I would send them to school. Can't keep them home in case they catch a bug, makes no sense.

PandoraMole · 18/12/2016 19:28

...and my husband really can't get sick as his work this time of year is vital and insanely busy.

Are you married to Santa?! Xmas Grin

I'd keep them off in a heartbeat if it's as bad as you say and they're not worried about missing anything.

pudcat · 18/12/2016 19:28

I would keep them off. One year I had flu all over Christmas because a child in my class was sent in with it. I am supposed to go for a routine blood test sometime this week but am leaving it til after Christmas as I do not want to sit in a packed waiting room with others who might have bugs.

SuperRainbows · 18/12/2016 19:30

Slightly off thread, but I have a problem with my dds schools not contacting me when they're sick. The official line is if Mum has sent you in, she's judged you're well enough, but a just about well enough child can deteriorate over the course of a school day. I know it's to do with attendance targets, but it's not right. I used to teach in the 80's and 90's and certainly in the school where I taught, we wouldn't have kept a sick child in school for the sake of meeting a target.

XiCi · 18/12/2016 19:31

Having spent all Thursday night up with dd vomiting and all last night with my own head down the toilet I would say definitely keep them off. It's grim

FarAwayHills · 18/12/2016 19:35

Schools can't have it both ways - they say keep your child at home for 48hrs after last episode of D&V (totally reasonable) but then also send warnings about attendance for missing even a couple of days hmm] The message is totally conflicting and confusing for parents.

Dilligaf81 · 18/12/2016 19:40

Id keep them off and 4 sessions since september is fine re absence thg would have been counting it at he time i.e 2 days of 1 monthinto school is a higher % than now when they have been back 4 months.
A local school closed for 4 days for an intensive clean due to noro doing the rounds.

jazzandh · 18/12/2016 19:41

This is always the pain when school break up so late for Christmas!

If you host everyone including great grandma who's 90 odd, then sickness means it can all come unstuck!!

I would seriously question sending mine in, although after the weekend you may well have had those that were incubating actually come down with it in that time - so the risk is less.....

lalalalyra · 18/12/2016 19:42

I have a problem with my dds schools not contacting me when they're sick.

I know at one school I worked in they rarely bothered contacting parents in that situation because if the parent has sent them in then they tended to find the parent/emergency contact was uncontactable anyway otherwise the child would be off already. Incredibly frustrating.

galaxygirl45 · 18/12/2016 19:44

I got this from my grandchildren a few weeks ago, and it was a full week before I felt well again, due to the stomach pains and cramps it left me with. It's a vile vile bug and I'd avoid contact with it like the plague, especially the week before Christmas.

SerialReJoiner · 18/12/2016 19:49

Chances are they've already been exposed. Sorry; seems a pointless reason.

Jb291 · 18/12/2016 19:55

Definitely don't send your children in to school if noro is doing the rounds to this extent. It is a very very infectious bug and causes such misery. They honestly aren't going to miss anything at all of any educational value on the last two days of term, they will end up being stuck in front of a dvd or playing games. Honestly isn't worth the risk of them getting it and then spreading it around your household.

TiredBefuddledRose · 18/12/2016 19:59

As someone with it now and 3 kids with it I'd keep him off. It is an absolutely rotten thing to have.
I'd also seriously consider tattle tailing on the woman planning on sending in sick kids tomorrow, people like that deserve a good slap with a wet kipper, selfish bint.

Tomorrowillbeachicken · 18/12/2016 20:02

I'd send them in. It's been doing the rounds on and off this term at DS' school but I wouldn't keep him off because of it

Smartleatherbag · 18/12/2016 20:02

I would keep them off. They're not going to miss anything, last two days of term, and noro is awful! My husband is a teacher and would keep them home too.

NavyandWhite · 18/12/2016 20:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AndNowItsSeven · 18/12/2016 20:09

No way would I send them in, they won't miss out on any learning.

DesignedForLife · 18/12/2016 20:30

I'd keep them off. Not fun having sick kids, and it doesn't build immunity for whoever said that earlier.

Sallystyle · 18/12/2016 20:35

My daughter just vomited. It's very likely going to spread around the 7 of us and ruin Xmas.

I would keep them off for sure.

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