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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To keep my daughter off school for the final week to properly recover?

53 replies

RealLifeClanger · 12/12/2025 12:35

My daughter (year 5) is currently battling yet another virus and has now had 3 in less than 3 months. I'm loathe to send her back in when she's still not 100%, ie, no fever or vomiting but still congested and a bit tired. She hadn't fully recovered from the last thing when she got this current thing and with flu being rife, I feel sending her in will likely compromise her health. She needs time to properly rest and recover. I figure they won't be doing much learning during the last week anyway. Would it be unreasonable to keep her off even if she is technically capable of going in?

OP posts:
Ineffable23 · 13/12/2025 08:21

What about definitely keeping her off for an extra 24-48 hours after she's better, and if that means she misses the whole week, so be it. And if it doesn't, she's goes back in for a couple of days?

towhoknowswhere · 13/12/2025 08:22

EndorsingPRActice · 12/12/2025 12:54

I’ keep her off and get her teacher to explain what she’s missed and would go over this with her next week and in the holidays

Wow.
And imagine if a teacher had numerous children off? Which they will have this time of year.
Folks sense of entitlement and their inability to see beyond their own life never ceases to amaze me!

Londonrach1 · 13/12/2025 08:23

My dd is in year 5 and honestly she can't wait for next week. It's all fun. Yes your daughter won't be missing much education but socially she be missing alot. I'd see how she is and go with that. Hope she better soon

Sometimeswinning · 13/12/2025 08:36

EndorsingPRActice · 12/12/2025 12:54

I’ keep her off and get her teacher to explain what she’s missed and would go over this with her next week and in the holidays

What??? 🤣🤣 That laughing face is me if a parent asked this of me. Especially to allow their child time to recover (laze around at home)

PermanentTemporary · 13/12/2025 08:37

Yes keep her off. Bloody hell, she’s 9 years old. Not a cog in the industrial machine just yet.

Bellsbeachwaves · 13/12/2025 08:46

There's a lot going round this past three weeks. Mine have been on and off down with something or other. Send her in! How can you plan for her to have the whole week off in advance?! 🫣

Isobel201 · 13/12/2025 08:59

I wouldn't be able to do anything if I had a fever - temperature only needs to go up two degrees and it sends me light headed and unable to do any tasks. Her immune system is actually doing its job, so I'd let it do its job and have her rest until its down, then next week see how she feels.

Run30 · 13/12/2025 09:03

Temperature and vomiting = no school.

  1. she needs to rest to recover
  2. no one else wants this virus, just in time to ruin their family Christmas.
BobblyBobbleHat · 13/12/2025 09:06

Id have a restful weekend and see how she is on Monday. The last week isn't all fun nowadays, maybe the last day or so will be with the odd activity on the other days, but there will still be learning going on. Also, won't she miss being able to do the last day fun things with her friends, I think the social side is as important as the learning anyway.

lonelynewname · 13/12/2025 09:08

Trust your gut OP, you’re her mom.

If it were my DD, being in year 5. It’s not something I’d worry about on the last week of school before the Xmas break. I’d see how she feels Monday and make your decision then based only on how she feels.

Violetparis · 13/12/2025 09:12

Your daughter will soon have two weeks to rest and recover, send her in if she has no fever/no sickness otherwise you are teaching her that school is optional.

ShodAndShadySenators · 13/12/2025 09:22

See how she is on Monday. If she's not being sick over the weekend, make sure she rests well anyway and if she's OK on Monday, send her in. They do still do lessons in the last week as well as the fun things, it won't be nice for her to miss out on the fun things then have to do extra work to catch up on what she's missed. It sounds like she's missed quite a lot of learning this term, I don't think it would be wise to voluntarily miss more. She's got a nice break coming up...

Macaroni46 · 13/12/2025 09:24

Why not keep her off on Monday or Tuesday? But the whole week is excessive.
And don’t ask the teacher for work! They’ve got enough to do as it is.

Monty34 · 13/12/2025 09:27

If your daughter is still ill you should keep her away from school.
Sending her to school ill will not be appreciated by other parents nor teachers. Nor is it very nice for her.
But if your daughter is continually poorly, get her checked out by the GP for anything else underlying.
And trust your judgment ! You know your daughter.

user789543678885432111 · 13/12/2025 09:27

I would send her in, but maybe just ensure she isn’t outside at lunchtime, or take her just for the mornings. You might find it’s really hard to get her back in after the holiday if she has been away so long.

Littlefish · 13/12/2025 09:42

I would decide day by day whether she’s well enough to go back. I definitely wouldn’t decide now that she’s going to be off all week.

LlynTegid · 13/12/2025 09:44

Littlefish · 13/12/2025 09:42

I would decide day by day whether she’s well enough to go back. I definitely wouldn’t decide now that she’s going to be off all week.

I agree and if at all possible, be in school the last day of term.

stichguru · 13/12/2025 09:51

See how she is on Monday. They will still be doing lots of learning in the last week, as well as fun activities she will probably enjoy with her friends. It will also count towards her attendance record just as much as any other week. Obviously if she's still sick don't send her in, but don't be thinking it matters less.

Whoevenarethey · 13/12/2025 10:01

I wouldn't be planning to keep her off unless she is still unwell. If she is still not right on Monday then yes stay home..but if it's just to let her rest then I would be sending her in.

Whoevenarethey · 13/12/2025 10:03

Also in year 5 there won't be loads of Christmas activities and lessons will continue, especially things like maths and English.
I know people think that the last week of term not a lot happens but that doesn't seem to be the case in my children's school and as they got older the time they do more 'fun' stuff has decreased (they do still do bits here and there, but it isn't the whole week/even the whole day of doing 'nothing')

snugasabug75 · 13/12/2025 10:14

You posted this at 12:35pm on a Friday, yet you're already deciding she'll be unwell. Decide Monday morning, then make a decision each day- if she has a temp, is vomiting etc. not because she's been tired ffs

GagMeWithASpoon · 13/12/2025 10:47

Whoevenarethey · 13/12/2025 10:03

Also in year 5 there won't be loads of Christmas activities and lessons will continue, especially things like maths and English.
I know people think that the last week of term not a lot happens but that doesn't seem to be the case in my children's school and as they got older the time they do more 'fun' stuff has decreased (they do still do bits here and there, but it isn't the whole week/even the whole day of doing 'nothing')

It massively depends on the area/school. In DD’s case the last two weeks were full of Christmas production rehearsals, then the actual performances,making Christmas cards, panto day (takes up the whole morning session and late lunch), church service, party day and so on. No learning took place.

Whoevenarethey · 13/12/2025 12:56

GagMeWithASpoon · 13/12/2025 10:47

It massively depends on the area/school. In DD’s case the last two weeks were full of Christmas production rehearsals, then the actual performances,making Christmas cards, panto day (takes up the whole morning session and late lunch), church service, party day and so on. No learning took place.

Show quote history

Wow mine only did this when they were little. They don't make Christmas cards in KS2, they don't do the nativty or play, not a religious school so no church services, so sounds dull in comparison!

Original poster
RealLifeClanger · 14/12/2025 11:09

For all those saying that she'll miss fun stuff, most of the major things have already passed. Xmas party she sadly was poorly for, Xmas assembly is done, Xmas fair is done etc,etc. She is still snotty and coughing, still not fully got her appetite back so atm I doubt she will be in tomorrow anyway.

The main reason I'm considering keeping her off is due to the severity of the current flu strain, given she's had 3 non-flu viruses pretty badly already this term, I really don't want her to catch flu just before Christmas, obviously I don't want her to catch it at all but before Christmas would make her so sad. Given her immunity seem to be quite low atm I would hate to see what flu does to her. We are seeing the gp next week to discuss potential immunity issues as she's had a particularly bad time of it this term. She's had high temps and vomiting with every virus so several days of not eating properly and losing weight. Last year was nowhere near as bad.

OP posts:
Bunnycat101 · 14/12/2025 12:03

Thing is she has to go back at some point. January won’t necessarily be any better. If she’s not right I wouldn’t be rushing back but I also wouldn’t be giving her a week off just ‘because’.