Photo source: Stuart Miles

My daughter had a holiday party at school before Christmas break and I couldn’t believe what I saw in her classroom.  Sick kids. Several of them.  Coughing, red-faced, snotty nosed 5 and 6 year olds.  I was beside myself.   Why had these kids parents sent their kids to school sick.  One girl was coughing so much she had to go to the nurse while I was there and several more kids had garbage cans right next to them to throw their snotty tissues in because they were blowing their noses so much.  My daughter had just gotten over a cold and I kept her home for 3 out of 5 days the week prior because I (a) wanted her to recover and (b) didn’t want her to get anyone else sick.  Why don’t all parents have the same consideration?  I guess there can be extenuating circumstances such as not having anyone to care for the child while the parent is at work but still, kids need to stay healthy and not pass these nasty bugs/viruses around so please keep your child home if they are not feeling well.

I understand that when a child is sick, it is sometimes tempting to send them to school anyway.  With many parents working either outside the home or from home,  household chores and other tasks are often accomplished while children are at school.   There are times, however, that a child is considered too sick to attend school, I believe.  There are a number of reasons, both for the child and the other students, why a sick child should stay home.

Here are four reasons why a child not feeling well should stay home from school:

• Cough - Excessive coughing would not necessarily include the symptoms caused by asthma. Although asthma with excessive symptoms should be checked by a doctor.
• Fever - A child with low grade fever should be kept home from school as well. Fevers are transmittable whether they are low or high.
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting

A few more things to consider before sending a sick child to school:

The child may be contagious.
By sending a child to school if he or she has a cough, fever, or has had diarrhea or has vomited in the last 24 hours, the risk of other children catching the same illness whether it’s a cold, flu, or other illness, is substantially higher than keeping the child home.

Something that Bothers the Daylights out of me! When is a Child too Sick to go to School? is a post from: The Mommy Insider. It looks like you are reading this post in your favorite RSS reader. Don't be shy..hop on over to check out our current giveaways, coupon codes, and to share your comments!

I asked the question on Twitter this morning “Two more days until my 11 yr old is out of school. Do you get excited about your kids being out of school, stressed, or both?” and was thrilled to get a good mix of answers includes those below..

Yes, I am super excited that my 5 year old daughter is already out of school and that my 11 yr old son will be out of school is T-24 and counting.  But I also get a little stressed when I think about trying to run a business (AtlantaMoms.com too), transport my son to camp, cook, clean, play, travel, etc..

Here’s what I’m most excited about:

• Not having to wake up at or before the crack of dawn to get the kids off to school.
• Being able to jump in the car and go to the park (or where ever) whenever we want.
• My son experiencing some amazing summer camps.
• Going to the beach with my family for a week.

Here’s what I’m least excited about:

• Not knowing from minute to minute when my 5 year old is going to come into my office or whatever room I happen to be working in at the moment, and ask for a snack, help with a toy, or for me to play a game
• The money I’m going to spend on gas for transporting my son to his four summer camps.
• Having to take the kids everywhere I go.. grocery store, etc..

What are your most and least favorite things about the kids being out of school for the summer?

P.S. Follow me on Twitter here.

Are you Happy or Stressed that the Kids are out of School for the Summer? is a post from: The Mommy Insider. It looks like you are reading this post in your favorite RSS reader. Don't be shy..hop on over to check out our current giveaways, coupon codes, and to share your comments!

Homework Tips Needed!

My eleven year old son is in 5th grade and is experiencing a bit of what I call “Homework Anxiety” lately.   He already appears to have what I call “Test Anxiety” as even though he does (or did) well on his homework, he would not always do well on his test scores.  I had test anxiety so severe in high school, my teachers put me in a room by myself during tests.  That’s pretty strange now that I think about it 20 years later.

Anyway, I hate for my son and I to be stressed during homework time every day and it’s been happening for a few weeks so I’m trying to make some changes but could really use some other parent’s advice on this as well.

How I’m trying to help my son:

• Communication –  I emailed his teachers to let them know that we are working hard on getting him back on track and to ask them if they have any tips and advice for me regarding homework time.
• Scheduling – I am trying to adhere to a more strict schedule with him so he knows when he has to sit down to do his homework and won’t get upset about it because he’s expecting it.
• Stay calm – I’ve noticed that the second I start to get worked up and stressed about his homework, he would do the same. I’m trying to keep my cool and let him know that he needs to do the same.

Do you have homework tips you can share with me? Please leave them in the comments below.

Elementary School Homework Anxiety – What can I do about it? is a post from: The Mommy Insider. It looks like you are reading this post in your favorite RSS reader. Don't be shy..hop on over to check out our current giveaways, coupon codes, and to share your comments!

Looks healthy, but really?

Today I decided that grapes, crackers, carrots, and ranch dip might not be a delightful lunch for Madelyn to take to school every day.  It’s a little boring I think.
So I Googled “preschool lunch ideas” in hopes of finding a sandwich that doesn’t require jelly or meat as Madelyn’s not too fond of either.. on bread at least.

I can’t believe some of the things that the resulting parenting websites/magazines are telling parents to prepare and pack in their kid’s lunchbox!

• Cauliflower soup (eeeewww!)
• veggie mac & cheese
• sandwiches shaped into funny faces

Yes, I’ve heard of all of those things before and they are cute and healthy but pllllease!!!, is a busy mom really going to make cauliflower soup (yes or no?) even if just once  week then refrigerated, to put in her preschoolers lunch box?  I’m not.  Despite the fact that I work from home, I’m barely home (and not working) for more than 2 hours a day.  I don’t want to spend my time with my kids making cauliflower soup or cutting sandwiches into funny faces.  Albeit, these are GREAT ideas and I do feel bad saying that I won’t do it, but these sites have done  nothing for me except make me feel less adequet as a mother and like I’m lazy and unwilling to do what I can to send my child to school with a healthy lunch.

So.. I guess we’re back to last year’s school lunch:

Hummus, crackers, and carrots, apple slices and/or grapes, and a cheese string.  Madelyn never complained and most days she ate everything.

Do you have any jelly-free sandwich ideas? Madelyn might tolerate a sandwich with meat on it but she’s not fond of ham and cheese sandwiches.

What does your preschooler take to school for lunch?

What do you pack for your child’s school lunch? I need ideas! is a post from: The Mommy Insider. It looks like you are reading this post in your favorite RSS reader. Don't be shy..hop on over to check out our current giveaways, coupon codes, and to share your comments!

To celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, My Class Essentials is offering FREE SHIPPING on all 6,000 plus classroom supplies through May 8. This is a great way to help teachers get the supplies they need to ensure their students receive a great learning environment. Some of the most popular items include:

• Flash cards – Learning the basics should be fun
• Markers & Pencils  - Spring inspired crafts will look even brighter
• Free time reading books – Free reading time has moved outdoors
• Bulletin Boards – Teachers need space to display your kids’ artwork

Teacher Appreciation Week is the perfect time to thank our kids’ teachers. Now more than ever, our kids teachers need supplies and this is a great way to get them.  If you can’t buy supplies this week just try to send your child to school with supplies for his/her teacher by the end of the school year.  Teachers need our help!

Teacher Appreciation Week – unique gift idea is a post from: The Mommy Insider. It looks like you are reading this post in your favorite RSS reader. Don't be shy..hop on over to check out our current giveaways, coupon codes, and to share your comments!

I love food storage items.  I have a cabinet packed with all types of food storage products and one of my favorites is Easy Lunchboxes’ combo lunch and snack containers (AKA food storage containers).  Easy Lunchboxes’ Compartmentalized BPA-Free Plastic Food Storage Containers are colorful, convenient, and BPA-free. 

My 3 year old takes lunch Wednesdays and Fridays and these combined with her Citizenpip lunch bag make packing her lunch a breeze and easy for her to carry.  I usually put hummus in one compartment, carrots or crackers in another, and fruit and cheese in the 3rd compartment.  EasyLunchBoxes.com sells a lunch box cooler which is great for day trips and for older kids who take their lunch to school but my 3 year old has to fit her lunch box in her school bag and the Easy Lunchboxes’ lunch cooler is too big to fit in her bag.

Easy Lunch Boxes’ features:

• dishwasher safe
• microwave safe
• refrigerator and freezer safe
• secure snap-on lids
• 4 bottoms with 3 compartments each
• 4 lids – each a different color
• very sturdy.. these are more sturdy than typical food storage containers
• BPA-free

GIVEAWAY!

• EasyLunchboxes.com is giving one lucky reader a set of containers and a lunch bag!
• To enter, tell me what your child’s favorite school lunch is in the comments below.
• Entries accepted through February 20th.

EasyLunchbox Food containers and Carrying Bags is a post from: The Mommy Insider. It looks like you are reading this post in your favorite RSS reader. Don't be shy..hop on over to check out our current giveaways, coupon codes, and to share your comments!