Do kids need personal days?

Figuring out if your child should stay home from school is something I struggle with pretty regularly. Both me and my husband come from the mindset that personal and sick days are only to be used if you have just lost a limb or have been hospitalized. But all this changed for me a year ago when David's kinder teacher called me and said "David just wasn't himself".  I jumped in my car and rushed over to see a smiling kid flirting with the school nurse!! But since I was there I followed the usual routine of asking him to jump ten times, he was laughing and jumping, so I sent him back to class. 15 minutes later I get another call from his teacher, David had returned to class only to throw up on the playdough table!!! That is probably my worst parenting moment ever!! I was so embarrassed!! I had just traumatized not only my own kid but an entire kindergarten class!!! Since that day, I am overly cautious, frightened of making another mistake.

So, this morning I needed to make that decision again, but this time it was Lena. Yesterday, Lena came home with a fat lip after being elbowed in the face while playing basketball. At first, it didn't seem that bad but by the time bedtime rolled around my poor baby's bottom lip was HUGE! Now, for anyone this would be embarrassing, but for an 8th grade girl this is the end of the world! This morning when she woke up, the swelling had gone down, but it still was noticeable. So do I send her to school? I didn't share my struggle with her, but I really didn't know what was the best thing to do. At one point she came out of her room with a pink fan and said she was going to ask all her teachers if she could put it over her face during class!! OMG, am I a terrible mom if I send her? Will I traumatize her for life by making her show up with a fat lip? I can't have 2 kids with Playdough stories!!!

I started to drive them both to school, even though I hadn't fully made up my mind. As we are driving, Lena starts to explain to David how she can't even eat because of the swelling. I silently decide today is a good day for a personal day for Lena and start to figure out how I'm going to make it happen when Lena says..."Hey mom, can I stay after school to help out the book fair?"

At least for today, Lena does not need a personal day...

Hugs and Raspberries

L