Argh! Sick child!

Respond!

Hi! Just a sec!

Oh. Huh. As E's parents, I would quit my job and be a stay-at-home mom. Oh wait, that's as the sozlet's parents.

Still, it means I have a hard time getting into their head. "Stay at home with the sick kid" is a no-brainer, but I know I've been a hard-ass when employees had a... wait, no. I was a hard-ass about other things, but if a kid was sick, a kid was sick, and the parent could stay at home to take care of the kid.

This is even required (that employers allow it) as per the FMLA (Family And Medical Leave Act.)

In terms of your job, I dunno. It's somewhere between parent and daycare worker. If you were a parent I'd say it was clear that you would stay with her, if a daycare worker, clear that you wouldn't.

This has never come up before? Not part of a contract or anything?

Well, they certainly expect you to take full care of their child. I find however that there is a fine line between everyday sicknesses and colds, upset tummy and all out..I want my mommy sickness...of which I think a parent should respond to, or be in proximity for if at all possible. But, heck, thats just me. Perhaps they both have very important things to do at work, and heck, the less they are around this sick child, the more their chance of not becomming sick, and if they can put the sick child in your care...why not.
Its not something you or I might consider however, it seems they would.
Sorry gal...wish I could help.

Yeah you know..one thing I pretty much say...go home for is if #1 child is sick, #2 you are sick...I have no problems with this, why is it that other people do anyway?

Just shows how different we all are.

Called my sister, she says one reason people have nannies instead of daycare is for just this scenario. Nannies work through kid's ailments. Of course, my sister does whatever she can to stay home with her daughter when she's really sick. But, Silvi's different. She gets more sick than I do when we get the same bug. E does not.

Thanks Soz and Quinn

Have you considered changing careers?

Thanks New Haven

Good luck, littlek. Take a lot of vitamin C. Think you could get away with wearing one of those SARS masks?

Id put on a whole hazardous suit just before the parents came home...heck..they want you to work in those conditions...what else can you do?

My sister said to wear a mask too. She knows, of course, that I don't own a mask.... she said - scarf? Bandana? Would a scarf or bandana keep out the virus?

Phew - Just got the call back. They'll stay home today.

Littlek--

You've already spent some time with "E" this week? Relax. You've already been exposed to whatever she's got.

So your mother managed a dubious C-minus in Nurturing Sick Children. While she was doing this you were coming home infected with every new germ that came down the pike or popped up in the classroom or charged across the schoolyard. You've probably already had "E's" ailment.

If you haven't you can improve your chances of staying healthy by washing your hands every single time you deal with the sordid aspects of "E's" misery.

The kid probably is miserable. Mommie or Daddy would probably be her first choices for home nurses, but if they have opted out, all she has is you. Your sister's right--this is the difference between a Nanny and a Day Care Worker. A Nanny is paid to put "E" first.

When you get home from the pest house tonight, have a long, hot bubble bath, a glass of wine and a restorative evening. Clever "E" to schedule the majority of her recovery time over the weekend when her parents are willy-nilly available.

Hold your dominion--and wash your hands.

AWRIGHT!

That's great.

Oh... just saw Noddy's post... she's quite right about exposure. Hmm.

I will say that I get sick probably only 10% of the time that the sozlet gets sick.

Yep, Noddy. I have the curse of being able to too well see both sides of an issue. But, when I put the cards on the table it just makes more sense to have me stay home. To me and to E's family and my sister's family (I care for kids in 2 different families, seperately). I haven't been with E since thursday.

I'm thinking this is a fast stomach bug. Maybe she contracted it on thursday or wednesday and it has a fast gestation time? It's not a cold. It sounds like a flu. Maybe just MAYBE I wasn't already exposed to it.

Hope not. But especially, even if you were exposed doesn't mean you will become sick, because of your immunities vs. hers.

Could also be something she ate.

Her immunities are at least as good as mine. It's amazing really.