Off Days

Yesterday my son was off school complaining he felt sick, ok fine, there's been a bug going round and I had it last week so can sympathise with him. Although by 10 am he'd made a miraculous recovery lol

Today my daughter is feeling poorly and not gone to school, as they're not usually trying to truant I do believe that both of them aren't feeling great, although Cameron went off to school this morning only to be sent home as he has a cough. The teacher sent a note which said "The boy is sick and must go to a doctor, come back to school only when healthy".

I do agree that children who are poorly shouldn't be in school, if only to stop the spread of any infection. Coughs and colds are about at this time of year and sometimes can't be helped. The Bulgarian's seem to think that medicine is necessary for any illness and I disagree. Their children are wrapped up all of the time and rarely allowed to play out in the winter in case they get a cold. They also think that if you have a cold drink in cool or cold weather you'll get a cough! Some "Old wives tales" are still very much believed here, whereas I'm different and know that given time and rest a cough/cold will generally run it's course.

I believe that too many lotions/potions and courses of antibiotics are unnecessary and can do more harm than good. Children should be encouraged to play outside to enable them to build up a good natural immunity. Yes it's good to stay warm but being overly warm is not a good idea either. I must add that my mother was a nurse and possibly my ideas came from her. Certainly the way I was brought up never harmed me and I was ill less than my school mates. If a friend had chicken pox/measles/mumps I was sent over to play with them in the hope that as a child I'd either get these infections or build up a resistance to them - for me it worked, I've had none of them and even when my own children got chicken pox I showed no signs or symptoms.


So what do you think is best? Opinions are more than welcomed.