Hellobee Boards

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).

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!

@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?

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

@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.