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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be done with this term, and endless bugs

55 replies

picketingpanic · 18/10/2021 17:07

It's half term next week and I've just worked out that there hasn't been a single week this half term where both my children have been in their educational settings for a whole week.

Endless viral illnesses, colds, stomach bugs, tonsillitis. When will it end?

I only have two children, and I am a SAHM. I can manage, but I have chronic health issues myself and obviously I am picking up all these shitty bugs too, despite everyone necking Sambucol like brandy. I should take out shares in Calpol.

I have absolute sympathy for working parents, and large families, how are you managing?

OP posts:
UnbeatenMum · 18/10/2021 18:21

We've been so ill too. DD1 has had a day off almost every week with colds, flu like symptoms and actual Covid. 2yo DS has had cold after cold, croup twice and Covid. I've had everything too. DD2 is usually like Bruce Willis from Unbreakable and has 100% attendance most years but even she has had 2 or 3 days off.

TooBigForMyBoots · 18/10/2021 18:27

It's half term next week and I've just worked out that there hasn't been a single week this half term where both my children have been in their educational settings for a whole week.

YANBU. I've had the same, not a week has gone by where both my boys have done a full week at school. FFS, 2 days into term I had to collect DS1 for being a "close contact" and keep him off until he had a negative PCR test.

I'm fucking sick of it.

Peccary · 18/10/2021 18:58

It's awful, DD (4) never had a single day off sick from nursery. Since starting school in September we have all had covid and she has had her first ever D&V bug. Luckily I have a very understanding boss and also work from home most of the time still (has two small kids himself). H is WFH too so we manage with a lot of TV . Must be a nightmare for those without flexibility

avocadotofu · 18/10/2021 19:04

I've got a 3 year old in nursery and a primary school teacher and we've literally not had a well weekend since the beginning of term either. This week it's a tummy bug. I'm honestly losing the will to live!

Crunchymum · 18/10/2021 19:09

I have 3 kids in primary / preschool and it seems the older they are, the less they are picking up?

DC3 (3) started in preschool in September and she's already had 6 days off due to a horrid tummy bug and we'll be off all this week as she now seems to have H,F,M (it is going about!)

DC2 (7) is faring slightly better, she's had 2 days off for a different sickness bug and 2 days for a cough (negative Covid)

I don't want to even tempt fate but DC1 (9) has been in all term.

It's insane how much illness is flying about.

My cousin has 5 DC (all primary) and they've all managed 100% attendance?? How???

justasking111 · 18/10/2021 23:21

Had a winter like this once with a four and six year old. It was hellish for us used to envy OH going off to work every day

TooBigForMyBoots · 18/10/2021 23:28

DS2 has just poked all over the bedroom and landing.

I'm fucking done.

Blueeyedgirl21 · 18/10/2021 23:42

I work with teens and omg it’s been relentless

Staff even senior mgmt have been off with the cold/flu from hell
Staff having to stay off with younger kids with covid
People off with covid symptoms, taking ages for pcr results then back in when negative results come back and then off again 3 days later with a temp again and another test
Kids running out of sessions to vomit and cleaners refusing to clean up properly because of covid risk (so we do it)
I cried on the way to work about two week ago because my throat was agony and I was just so so tired. Negative pcr and boss begging me to come in as not covid. Surprise surprise everyone else got it and was off including the boss who felt awful apparently! No shit!

Then there’s the ‘my brothers got covid so I’ve got to isolate’, even though they aren’t the rules anymore!

And then we’ve had the last minute holiday takers since it’s got easier the past couple of weeks to go away, parents booked hols abroad overnight making attendance even worse!

Can’t wait for Xmas tbh. I tend to think our whole cohort will have had both covid and the hell cold and be fit for January so that’s good. Then norovirus will probably hit.

Siameasy · 18/10/2021 23:46

Maybe all this hand gel has killed off the bugs that normally kill off these particular bugs? DD’s school were making her apply gel every 45 minutes - I told her to refuse. Asked to apply gel to go in M and S changing room. I refused. I’m actually curious about whether hand gel is a good thing outside of a surgical environment and have actively sought to bring DD and myself into contact with more dirt etc than usual

Blueeyedgirl21 · 18/10/2021 23:47

Meant to say I know loads of people planning to go away with kids at half term to some sort of remote caravan/cottage for fresh air and not mix with anyone else or any other kids for a week. I think it sounds like a great idea tbh

Sosososotired · 19/10/2021 00:14

As I write this I am ill with hfm turned into a chest infection. This has been going round our house now for 2 weeks. Before that it was a series of colds. I hate the autumn term, it's always bad! 3 dc ranging from 4-15 so always got someone bringing germs home. At least we got covid out the way in the summer hols!

Original poster
picketingpanic · 19/10/2021 08:02

Aaaand DD still has a temperature this morning.

Just off to boil my own head.

OP posts:
blobby10 · 19/10/2021 08:14

Absolutely full of sympathy for every one of you going through this. When mine were school age I dosed them with liquid Echinacea every morning and night during autumn and winter - 3 weeks on 2 off. Tastes like pond water but taste is only fleeting. 15 drops (adult dose - half for children under 12) in as little water as possible. It really does work boosting the immune system and because its drops, the body can absorb it more quickly and efficiently than tablets which dissolve in the stomach and then mess around in there!

RudestLittleMadam · 19/10/2021 08:20

Oh god, same here. Think I’ve had 1 week since school started back where everyone was healthy?! Other than that, I’m spending a small fortune on calpol, paracetamol!and tissues and the house smells of olbus oil constantly. The only good thing is that so far we’ve avoided positive LFTs and PCR tests. For now. Not even half term yet so I dread to think how bad it’s going to be over the next few months.

Simonjt · 19/10/2021 08:52

I know the feeling, mines off school ill at the moment with croup. There have been lots of bad colds this term, I really feel for the poor school staff.

elliejjtiny · 19/10/2021 09:08

Yanbu. I've got 5 dc and it's been a nightmare. None of us have had covid yet but we've all had/still got the worst cold ever. Always seem to have at least 1 dc isolating. I've got 1 dc waiting for a pcr result at the moment and 1 isolating because he is meant to be having an operation on Thursday. I get really anxious when waiting for results and keep checking my emails every few minutes. Feel like I can never relax at the moment.

elliejjtiny · 19/10/2021 09:21

On a positive note dc2's pcr test has just this minute come back negative so after a quick happy dance around the living room he has dashed off to school.

bambi1132 · 19/10/2021 09:32

I was just thinking about this this morning. I don't think we've had a full week with both DC at school. My DS has gone back today after having a vomiting bug, but my DD came home yesterday with diarrhoea. Before this week we've had coughs and colds so many times. I'm lucky to be a SAHM, I can't imagine how it is for working parents having to figure out childcare 😣

user1471462428 · 19/10/2021 09:44

@bambi1132 my work are making me owe the hours I’ve missed so will have to work extra at some point, I will lose money going to work as am a single parent with two children. I keep wondering why I bother working as I had huge breakdown last year and had a couple of months off and was better off on benefits….. and more mentally well than I have been in twenty years.

Glassofshloer · 19/10/2021 09:46

I totally lost it one morning when DD was poorly and DH just logged onto his laptop clearly expecting me to be the one taking a day’s leave despite no discussion. I absolutely screamed at his and stamped off to set up my own laptop, saying DD was in bed and I wouldn’t be seeing to her that day so he may as well ring in absent. The lack of sleep and stress really put us on the rocks. Luckily after that we alternate absence days if she is sick & he got the message.

reluctantbrit · 19/10/2021 09:51

I am feeling down since mid-September when DD brought a cold home. I do hybrid working now but there is the odd week I don't go into the office as I just can stand the commute by public transport. Most evenings I just fall into bed. Stress at work is not helping. I. am so glad I have the two weeks half term off and can just sleep.

DD said her year group is coughing and sneezing like hell. It calmed down a bit when the head asked them to wear masks for two weeks in the communal areas.

On top of the ever loving cold we had DD's Pfizer jab and feeling sluggish for 2 days, her having a go-kart. accident resulting in whiplash for a week and me straining my left thumb and wearing a brace.

Argh.

maddening · 19/10/2021 09:52

We have been v lucky and ds only had one mild cold so had 2 days off for pcr. We are lucky to wfh so no issue ds being off as he is 10 and able to chill out in the lounge with minimal supervision.

themanicyears · 19/10/2021 09:57

You are not the only one we are suffering here too. Just waiting for covid again now and that will be the icing on the cake.

Tbh though I think we are in need of it. We've been stuck inside for a year isolating and our immune systems haven't had the chance to work and fight off the usual bugs and viruses, I'm not surprised everyone is struggling at the moment with it. I feel the more exposure the quicker we will all recover from it.

It's not nice being ill though, our work is suffering too and my boss has flat out refused to return to work since last April and left us running the place, she's not quite so understanding of us 'all being off sick at the same time' as she's been fine!! Really frustrating.

Lightswitch123 · 19/10/2021 10:07

100% agree! Think it's double whammy this year as didn't really mingle for last 2 winters so lots of regular bugs are hitting us a bit more than normal.

Lightswitch123 · 19/10/2021 10:08

It's good for us though. We 100% should be exposed to these things to keep up healthy immune systems.