We had our family Christmas dinner last night. A short time after finishing, one of my nephews was lying on the floor saying he felt like he was going to throw up. Not too much later he was outside vomiting. After, he came inside, he was sitting in my daughters chair, then grabbed the remote to turn the channel, etc. He kept trying to talk to and play with my 2 year old, but I discouraged it and actually refused to put her down. All I could think about is 'why are they not leaving, and why is he hanging out with all the other kids still?' Once he left, I wiped everything down with bleach water, and threw out all the ice (he filled all the cups with for dinner.) I assume it would die in ice since most germs are mesophiles, but why take a chance.
I started thinking....Does this mean I am going to be a terrible nurse? Am I lacking compassion? I felt bad for him that he was sick, and gave him a coke to sip...turned the fan on, made sure he was comfortable,etc....But my primary thought was my 2 year old, and 5 year old (who are queens of vomiting with everything) catching this. Thankfully, my kids won't be in my workplace!
I know the absolute last thing we want is to see them suffer, but if your child doesn't a little exposed to illness and germs now, you will be in trouble when they get to school. Everything will hit them and you 10X worse. I see it with my niece and nephew every single Christmas. I keep telling my mom I am going to throw a little dirt on them because they have the worst immune systems I have ever seen in my life. lol
My 5 year old is in school now and sick ALL THE TIME! I know it is because she was never exposed, had a nanny (not daycare), and I was very careful not to expose her, as you said. I did let her eat dirt and lick the dog (so to speak) but it wasn't the same as regular exposure to build her immunity. I hope this builds up my younger child's immune system, so we don't repeat in 2 years. My two year old has caught two colds, and influenza twice - in her entire life...that is all! The older one has caught more than I can count (just this year) and needs breathing treatments with respiratory illnesses. I do not wipe down, bleach, etc. except when gastroenteroitis might be involved. The two share drinks, sleep together, etc. It amazes me how their resistance and immune systems are so different.
I call this obsession "the Purell culture" and I have vehemently opted out! It drives me crazy how my kids get sick in the winters, but I've noticed that I almost never get sick as an adult. I remember being sick a lot as a kid, and I've noticed my 16 year old isn't as sick as much as when she was little. Anecdotal, true, but there is scientific backup for the idea that kids' immune systems need to be worked so they become as effective as possible. I would never do pox parties or anything like that, but I'm not going to get nuts about run-of-the-mill germ exposures either.
Ditto. I know my mom looks down a me a bit because I have my kids in day care so I can go to school whereas as she broke her back to work jobs overnight and during the day so she never ever had to hire a babysitter. But since starting day care my kids have been sick at least 3 times in the last 4 months. Oh well, I figure better get exposed now while the little one is still breastfeeding than when they start school.
andiescandies
49 Posts
My 5 year old is in school now and sick ALL THE TIME! I know it is because she was never exposed, had a nanny (not daycare), and I was very careful not to expose her, as you said. I did let her eat dirt and lick the dog (so to speak) but it wasn't the same as regular exposure to build her immunity. I hope this builds up my younger child's immune system, so we don't repeat in 2 years. My two year old has caught two colds, and influenza twice - in her entire life...that is all! The older one has caught more than I can count (just this year) and needs breathing treatments with respiratory illnesses. I do not wipe down, bleach, etc. except when gastroenteroitis might be involved. The two share drinks, sleep together, etc. It amazes me how their resistance and immune systems are so different.