When are our children too sick for Kindy?

After reading a very opinionated article written by an Early Childhood Educator regarding the 'annoyance' of children attending Early Childhood Education facilities when they are unwell, I began to reflect upon my own feelings about; working, parenthood, my children and the children in my care while I am working.

Like in all settings, my colleagues and I bring in our own 'baggage' to the work place. As do our children that come through our doors. As do their wonderful family members that bring them in. 

My 'baggage' looks a bit like this; I have my two boys who come to Kindy with me. I love my job. My job is a busy one and I get behind if I take time off. My children-the ones in my room-deserve and demand consistency so when I take a day or two off it impacts on them. My family requires me to work. My weekly income is a necessity for my household to do such adult things like pay bills and buy food. I need to work and days off to look after my beautiful children when they are sick can sometimes be stressful. I don't have family members on the Gold Coast that could help in this situation-we all work and all have young children. I work when I am unwell to save days for when my children are unwell. I do not love my children any less because I feel stressed when I need to take a day off work in order to keep one (or both) of my boys at home.

As a Mum and as an educator, I do believe that when you're children are unwell, they should be kept at home. Out of respect for the needs of your own child, out of respect for the needs of the rest of the children who attend the same learning space, out of respect for the educators and also from the simple perspective that unwell children need the comforts of home and the care of a close family member in a space that they can rest and recover. Sometimes, this is less black and white as it should seem.

I am lucky. My work place is very understanding when it comes to moments when my children are unwell and I need to stay at home with them. So despite the factors that influence my decisions when evaluating when and when not to send my children to Kindy due to illness, never is one of those factors anything to do with pressure from the work place. In such an instance my shift would be relieved without question. Many are not as lucky as I am. Regardless of this support, I would not have a whole week away from work to keep one of my boys home with a lingering cough or a slightly runny nose.

"Gastro" is always black and white. It is easy for a parent to know that they have no choice but to keep their child, who is throwing up or has diarrhoea, at home. Never have I experienced a parent trying to send a child, who already has the tummy bug, to Kindy. 

It's the lingering coughs and the week long battle with snotty noses that can be hard to make a call on. Temperatures that can be brought down by Panadol or Nurofen, also seem to be grey areas for some families when it comes to making decisions regarding whether or not a child should or could handle a day at Kindy. In the past, I have brushed aside a "teething temp" or two, however, after a conversation with my family doctor a few months ago about teething and temperatures this is more of a black and white area for me now. He explained that when a child is teething, their immune system is effected. They are more susceptible to bacteria and virus. Therefore the temperature is actually the body fighting off a bug of some sort at the same time in which the child is cutting teeth. Again, this is according to my family doctor. Ever since hearing this, I am a bit more conscious of "just a teething temp". When making the decision of whether or not my children stay at home, it is a definite sick day if they require Panadol or Nurofen the morning of a Kindy Day. 

The coughs and the snots are what, as a working Mum, get me thinking along the lines of whether or not my child is "sick enough to stay at home". This is the tricky part. This can look different for different people. This can also be influenced by how stressed a parent is by their own 'baggage'.

As a Kindergarten Teacher, one of my many roles is to provide a high level of care for the children who come through our doors. When a child arrives into a learning space and is unwell, it is essential that they are met with compassion and care. If this looks like blowing noses, providing additional opportunities for rest and giving out a few more extra hugs then that is just how it is. As part of ensuring a high quality of care for the children that enter into a learning space, I also maintain the hygiene and general cleanliness of that space. As a Kindergarten Teacher, it is my responsibility to ensure cleaning procedures are followed as to avoid the spread of germs that come through the door.

At times, it is also my role to be the one to make the decision about whether or not a child in my care needs to be picked up and taken home due to illness. This decision must be made in a compassionate manner, free of judgment and respectfully for the child and their parents. And that shouldn't be perceived as a big deal either. Sometimes children become worse during the day. Some children arrive "well enough" only to need picking up at midday. Some arrive having had medicine in the morning and come midday need picking up as the effect of that medicine has worn off.

When I reflect on my outlooks I guess I arrive at a place of acknowledgment of that we are all people whom, most of the time are just trying to do our best. Our priorities can often be challenged by the pressures of adult life and at the end of the day, who am I to judge? As a working Mum, I do my best to manage the balance between the demands of home and work. As an educator I support families and I provide an environment where children feel secure and are able to access materials and spaces where rich learning can take place. When they are unwell, this looks a little different.

These are my own feelings. I feel this way because of who I am as a working Mum and as a Kindergarten Teacher who loves her job.

I didn't want to include a photo of my boys unwell so instead, I took one of the range of medicine in our fridge.