An Inconvenient Puke

Ah, December in Alaska. Snow on the ground, lights on houses and frolicking in preschool.

Okay - the last one not so much. We've had so many kids out sick this week it's sad. Some have the poo-poo tummy, some have a hacking cough and others just have fever and crankiness.

They have been sent home in the middle of the day, or their parents keep them home to avoid infecting others (thank you).

This is the time of year when parents start to question whether or not preschool is worth it (it is and I'll explain why further down). They have big meetings planned or huge projects to finish on deadline, and then we have to call them to say "Pick up your kid - she's got projectile fluids from all bodily exits and she needs to go home." Or something to that effect. Kids never pick your day off to be sick, either. It's like they know...

It's true that some things like runny noses and peculiar diaper contents are just a fluke, but in our experience these kids eventually develop something worse and they are contagious on some level. Besides, they're uncomfortable and need to be home in their own surroundings to heal more quickly. Still, it doesn't make it easier for parents to explain to their bosses that they can't come in today because their kid is sick.

When a child is sick for the fifth time this year, a lot of parents wonder if preschool is worth it. I can tell you it is, and not just because I work in one and have seen the dramatic changes and growth in kids who have been isolated and then are with other kids. It's good for kids to be around other kids and good for parents to be with other grownups, even if it's for a few hours a day.

When my own daughter started preschool, she got sick a couple of times (and I did, too). My friend, a child psychologist, reminded me then that it's better my kid was sick in preschool than when she started Kindergarten. She built up her immune system and now is in 4th grade. She misses about a day of school every year and that's it. This is anecdotal, of course, but there is something to be said for getting the kinks out of a kid's immune system before they begin public school.

I do wish workplaces were more supportive in general of parents whose kids are sick. This is not really the place to debate workplace change, but isn't one purpose of technology to make it easier for us to work in other locations? There are programs that allow you to access your work computer from home and vice versa. I participated in a teleconference just this morning, since I woke up with a cough and didn't want to pass it on. Surely there are ways to work at home when our kids are sick that an employer can agree to. Just a thought.

Anyway, preschool is worth it because of the cognitive and social benefits, too. We work with our 4-year-olds on Kindergarten readiness. This does not mean our graduates can read, write, recognize the Periodic Table of Elements and win science fairs. It means they can recognize letters, find their name from a list, put on their own shoes, dress themselves, feed themselves, clean up after themselves and generally follow directions. Of course, we work on shapes, colors, letters and numbers, but we really work on social and self-care skills.

So, in spite of the inconvenience of a child's sickness on the day of your big presentation, preschool is worth it. Keeping your child healthy is worth it too. Stay home when they're sick and help them get better. We miss them at school and want them back as soon as possible.

Happy Holidays,

Miss Tara and Miss Leah