Keep my kid off school so they don’t catch virus?

[fairylightyy]

My DC touch wood isn’t feeling poorly but kids in his class are dropping like flys catching a flu like virus. Lots of school this week and getting sent home.
aibu to keep him off tomorrow? We have a fun weekend planned that they’re really excited about and would be such a shame to catch it and feel
ill?!

Your child simply cannot go through life like this.

Nothing is a guarantee and for all you know, he might already have the virus anyway but without the symptoms just yet.

I'd be tempted that's for sure. Some of these lurgies going around are properly brutal and last for ages.

If they have good attendance otherwise then YANBU to keep them off for 1 day.

Of course you can’t keep him off. Remind him of good hand hygiene and keep your fingers crossed. Teaching kids to avoid situations is never good.

Yeah depends on their overall attendance op - i don't think you'd be unreasonable if it's a particularly important weekend x

YANBU I wouldn’t knowingly expose my child to a particularly nasty virus just before an important event. Keep them off. They’ll end up missing more than one day of school if they catch it.

He's probably already been exposed so not sure if there's much point. Incubation periods tend to be about a week, right?

I wouldn’t do it routinely for every little cough r cold but if it’s a particularly nasty bug and you have plans I’d certainly be tempted. I’d definitely keep them off if it was D&V going around. Nobody’s got time for that.

They have good attendance otherwise!

I can't see how it is likely ro help. He's surely already been exposed, and if he is exposed on Friday and then develops it he probably won't feel bad until well into Sunday and next week. There is an incubation period.

So any time someone gets sick at school they will have time off? seriously?

My kids go to school unless they have a fever. They get exposed to viruses and build immunity and get on with learning. I’d never keep a healthy kid home as a precaution. They could just as easily catch a virus on the bus or at the park etc. and you can’t hide at home forever.

If he's brought up to think he should stay off to avoid illness whenever it's going round, his 'good' attendance won't last.

In fact it could well lead to health anxiety in later years.

If he’s going to get it then odds on he’s already incubating it. Send him in.

He has been exposed already what's keeping him off going to do ? If he is going to get ill he will get ill he might already be incubating the virus,

And how quickly do you think he's going to develop symptoms if he were to catch the virus tomorrow?

He'd be fine for Saturday and Sunday unless he's already caught it.

Have you got health anxiety? I know someone who does this and she clearly needs help. Kids can't build a strong immune system if they're not exposed to bugs and viruses

What age are we talking? Big difference between 5 and 15. Younger primary with good attendance and a nasty virus I probably would. Older or just a cold/snotty virus then no.

Well this thread has been eye opening fpr some of the causes of the attendance issues in schools.

Of course you don't keep your perfectly well child off school for a day on the off chance your weekend might be spoiled if he catches something. Do people seriously think this way!?

yabu. Maybe before a holiday?! Like the day before a flight I wouldn’t want my kid getting chickenpox.

but a cold flu? No you can’t live your life like this

No, unless the big weekend plans include a family wedding or something, I wouldn’t. Chances are if he’s exposed to something it’ll take a few days to manifest anyway, so if he catches something tomorrow he’ll still be fine for the weekend.

Some of the responses here are insane. DS has had one day off since September because he vomited on a Thursday evening. I would get fined for taking him out to go on holiday but others just pull them out 'sick' willy nilly in case they get ill before a fun weekend. Christ.
As for catching chicken pox before a holiday, vaccinate then!

What reason for absence would you give?
If they were vulnerable or immunocomproised I'd consider it but otherwise probably not. What if still doing the rounds ext week?

My thought exactly!

Of course you can’t keep your child home. As others said, keeping him home tomorrow isn’t going to make the slightest difference to your weekend plans. He already has it already and will be sick at the weekend anyway or doesn’t and will be fine/will get sick after the weekend if he’s incubating it.

My daughter’s had coughs and colds all winter, we all have. She hasn’t missed a single day this school year. Obviously I’d keep her home if she was poorly but not for a cough or a cold. Certainly not to prevent her catching anything! You just have to crack on with it.

Please don’t keep them home from school for this!

There'll be no fun weekend planned for next week so school will suddenly be important again...