https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:12:43 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-faking-sick#post-2925720 Tue, 07 Dec 2021 11:44:20 +0000 ElbieKay 2925720@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Corduroy: Yes, this place accepts insurance if you have it, but is free regardless. And I think the reason they are fast is that they have a lab on site. The PCR does not take that long to run, but most places send it out to a lab which causes the delay. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-faking-sick#post-2925719 Tue, 07 Dec 2021 11:38:24 +0000 Corduroy 2925719@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ElbieKay: I found some two hour testing sites near us but in the $200-$300/test range. Pretty steep but it might have been worth it last week to not struggle for four days. Do you have rapid tests covered by insurance? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-faking-sick#post-2925715 Mon, 06 Dec 2021 22:11:38 +0000 ElbieKay 2925715@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>1. We have a place near us that returns COVID PCR results in approximately two hours. Try to find one of those in your area!</p> <p>2. When I was a child, I got strep throat all the time. One day I felt like staying home from school, so I lied to my mom and told her my throat hurt. She took me to the doctor. They took a throat culture, and the result was positive. I was really shocked! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-faking-sick#post-2925713 Mon, 06 Dec 2021 19:27:07 +0000 hellobeeboston 2925713@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My older son used to do this... he's one of those kids that went to see the nurse A LOT, but she was on to him and knew if he was REALLY sick, or just looking for a little extra attention and a break from the classroom.</p> <p>What worked for me was that he HATES taking medicine, so having to take tylenol/advil whatever was enough to get him to stop embellishing... ALSO, any time he would say he was sick he would have to miss sports that afternoon/evening. I made him miss a few times knowing he wasn't really sick and he regretted it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-faking-sick#post-2925699 Sun, 05 Dec 2021 08:35:16 +0000 ALV91711 2925699@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Last school year DS (grade 2 at the time) came home a few time with a stomach ache. The first couple times I didn’t think much of it. Then it happened a couple more. I started to ask more questions and found out that he had been hit or kicked by a friend when they were playing outside. </p> <p>I talked to the mom, we both talked to our kids. I told DS he had to tell us if this was the reason he was feeling unwell. After our talk it happened one more time so I got their teacher involved. He had a talk with the boys and there wasn’t a problem again. </p> <p>I think you’ve got to talk to them. Find out why they want to come home, is something going on. I like @poppygirl15: idea of a free pass day for mental health. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-faking-sick#post-2925695 Sat, 04 Dec 2021 18:21:17 +0000 bhbee 2925695@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My oldest has done it … I’m not sure it was totally intentional, but she felt a bit off (happens often with an anxious child!) and got sent home but was totally fine. I think when they’re younger they might just want mom and comfort if anything is off, even if it’s not realllly being sick. But it never became a pattern and she’s kind of grown out of that phase now. </p> <p>I agree if it becomes a pattern make it not fun! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-faking-sick#post-2925692 Sat, 04 Dec 2021 17:10:13 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 2925692@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Corduroy: yeah I get it. And if he had a case of the Mondays that seems fair enough. I don’t think it has to be something big. Granted I have had a big change of heart over the years. And so much of the school experience is not ideal for a lot of kids- having to sit more than is natural for kids, not getting to choose what they are taught, having to ask permission to go to the bathroom (?!) and just being told what to do all day. Even for kids that love school I think it gets hard, ya know? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-faking-sick#post-2925689 Sat, 04 Dec 2021 13:10:05 +0000 mrswin 2925689@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Corduroy: When my daughter did this I did exactly what @poppygirl15 suggested and made it not fun to be at home “sick”. I had her rest in her room and play quietly with her dolls. I also kept her home from her activity that night since I explained that if she was too sick to go to school then she was too sick to go to gymnastics. Needless to say she hasn’t done it again. I think it is like everything else at this age (6)… just boundary testing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-faking-sick#post-2925688 Sat, 04 Dec 2021 11:29:26 +0000 Corduroy 2925688@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Baby Boy Mom: I'll try probing more about an issue but my gut says he just wanted to be home. Both times were after extended breaks so I think they just had a case of the "Mondays". My daughter did it the Monday after Spring Break and my son did it after his Thanksgiving break. He had a full week vacation and then three days of quarantine on top of that. He did get a cold over break but I didn't seek out a PCR test over the holiday weekend (a decision I regret but own). He was fully better by Sunday but he technically needed a test to return to school and I wanted to comply with policy. He didn't get clearance from school until Thursday. He had been begging to go back to school and he was so excited to finally be back. He went to school for two hours, did recess, and I guess decided he was done. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-faking-sick#post-2925687 Sat, 04 Dec 2021 09:05:23 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 2925687@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would try to investigate why they didn’t want to be at school. I remember doing this as a kid and there was always a reason. They may not be able to explain it easily but I don’t believe kids do stuff like this for no reason or to make your life more difficult, so give them the benefit of the doubt. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-faking-sick#post-2925686 Sat, 04 Dec 2021 08:53:18 +0000 poppygirl15 2925686@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oooo, that's a good question. If you think it's going to be a trend, then I would probably make playing sick as "not fun" as possible. First step would be to go get a Covid test, then make them help around the house (maybe you say they have to do the laundry to make sure they have clean, not germy clothes, clean the bathroom to get rid of germs on surfaces, etc). Just pretty much anything but sitting around and watching TV (which is what you get to do in our house if you're actually sick). </p> <p>On the other hand, maybe you could also tell them that mental health days are fine and let them know that they can each have one free "hall pass" per term/year/whatever. Ask them to tell you in the morning that they don't want to go to school and let them stay home. Because some days, we all need a break. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/kids-faking-sick#post-2925683 Sat, 04 Dec 2021 01:13:07 +0000 Corduroy 2925683@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Have your kids played around with the serious power they have in the phrase "I don't feel well"? </p> <p>Both my kids (8 and 6) have told their teachers they don't feel well with unverifiable symptoms (sore throat, headache, nausea). Then I rush to pick up the kids, accept my over the top shaming from the office staff (I cried this time, not my finest moment), and bring them home only to see they are 100% fine. What do you do to prevent this?? </p> <p>It's only happened once each but I'm worried it will happen again because the power to control your parents for three days and sit at home seems too tempting to pass up. </p>