That Parent

I was heading home this morning from our fun yet calmer than the good old days St. Patricks Day weekend when I got the text.

“Reese has a fever of 101”

Made the phone call to my ex and he said she was fine last night but this morning woke up saying her tummy hurt and her head hurt and had a fever.  He gave her something for her fever and headache and she was feeling better and relaxing on the couch.

What to do?  Do I just hope it was just a fluke and she will be better for school tomorrow.  Or is she feeling better because of the medicine and will crash again in a few hours?  But school rules state- “fever free for 24 hours before sending them back” and  I didn’t want to be that parent. And I knew firsthand from kids in my own classroom that a lot of nasty stuff has been going around this year that started with a little fever and spread like wildfire throughout our classroom.  Was not going to be that parent to light that possible forst match.

If she was going to be off school tomorrow which meant I will be off too, the sooner I can work on that the better.  But it was an easy choice. I will get her back tonight and take off school tomorrow.  Sub plans and hope for a good sub here I come. Wasn’t going to be that parent!

I decided I needed to go into work to get thing ready because Friday was conferences and I was not quite sure how well I picked up afterwards because I was just happy to start my weekend.  Also I wasn’t sure where everything was exactly or my wonderful teaching partner would have set everything up for me.  Not the way I wanted to spend this Sunday with the great weather but I didn’t want to be that parent

While I was getting things ready I checked in with Reese and she was much better, no fever and playing.  Maybe I jumped the gun and it was nothing, maybe a bad thermometer or thermometer error.  But that didn’t matter I already canceled with the sitter and got a sub but more importantly I wasn’t going to be that parent.

She is finally on her way back home and I will be able to tell a lot more when I see her for myself but no matter what I am glad that I will keep her home tomorrow with me.

I am glad I won’t be the parent that gives medicine to their sick kid right before sending them out the door so they appear fine (although probably infecting my entire classroom and school) until 4 hours later when the medicine starts to wear off and their sweet little faces turn pale and you can just see the miserableness in their eyes.

I won’t be that parent who will have to scramble to get the rest of my day covered and possibly put out my colleagues to help cover my classroom.  All the while my poor baby is sitting miserably in the nurse’s office at school waiting for me to finally come get her..

Instead I will be that parent who follows not only the school “24 hour fever free rule” but the put my child’s health first rule.  And if more kiddos in her class fall sick this week I will know that I was not that parent that may have caused it.

5 thoughts on “That Parent

  1. Way to go, Mom — and if she’s truly OK, maybe you can be “that parent” that plans a perfect day off together. Enjoy it either way! (And I love your repeating line — I will swiping that idea for an upcoming post, if that’s OK — I’ll be “that Slicer”!)

  2. As a teacher who has had three student go home each, mid-day, for the last two weeks, I thank you for NOT being that parent!
    You made the right choice. (Hopefully you will get to have some down-time tomorrow. That will make all that scrambling to get a sub, set up plans and clean the room all worth it! And hopefully your daughter isn’t sick for reals.)

  3. I’m so very glad you are not that parent. I loved the repetition and how it drove home your message though I do feel for you having to put your day on hold to complete sub plans. It is no easy thing to be away from school, but you totally made the right decision!

  4. Poor Reese! Ugh, that mama/teacher guilt is the worst! You definitely made the right call. I hope you get some extra snuggles tomorrow with your girl.

  5. It’s such a hard call and one I know every parent struggles with. I hope your little one is on the road to recovery and tomorrow is relaxing for both of you!

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