Staying Home from Church or School?

When it comes to the best places to pick up diseases I believe church is the MOST PERNICIOUS of them all! Think about it: shake hands; hugs and kisses; kids with drippy noses; sharing the Last Supper (bread and water or wine); sharing bathrooms; the guilt that pushes teachers to come even if they don't feel well. In grocery stores you only touch your food, your cart, and your money. At work you have your own workspace but nobody is going to be bringing really sick kids in to spread slime on all the surfaces.

The SECOND best place to claim disease as your own is a school (public or private). Day care fits in this category. When I worked in the elementary schools in my home town I couldn't stay well to save my life. Children are sent to school sick because Mom and Dad can't afford not to go to work and can't have the child home alone. So kids wipe their noses on their hands and then touch desks, pencils, paper, friends, doorknobs, etc. They can't help doing that because they are kids.  There are always going to be parents who don't have the option to keep their kids home from school. There are always going to be parents who don't care if their kids are contagious as long as they are not actually needing to lay down and will take them to school with sniffle or out shopping.

So whether the disease is Ebola, the flu, a cold, pink-eye or whatever; parents it is up to you to use good judgment about what social functions or establishments to participate in or visit when you are sicks! It is up to you to analyze and decide what situations you are comfortable with as far as exposure to any nasty bug! Don't wait for the CDC or some quack doctor to tell you what is safe and responsible. You are your own agent, act like it. Don't let guilt or social pressure swerve you away from your control over your own life and family.

To end, please don't be that parent to disregards other families and children by taking your own sick child (or yourself) out in public. Have enough groceries and other short or longterm goods stored in your home that if you have a cold or pinkeye you can be responsible and stay home!!!