Here's what I propose: If you are the host of a playdate, and you have had the some-such-itis running through your house, you tell those you have invited into your den of illness, that it has been a den of illness. Let them decide if they want to enter.
If you are a guest at a playdate, and you have some-such-itis running through your house, you think to yourself, "If I had a playdate and a kid showed up with this-typa-itis and potentially infected all the parents and kids in attendance including myself and my own, would I be pleased?" and then you behave accordingly.
We mommies do this bizarre dance around this. Calling each other up and saying, "Hey, so-and-so has such-and-such symptoms and I am wondering if you still want us to come over?" and then mommy-hostess has to do the whole guilt thing, "I don't want to make anyone feel unwelcome, but I don't really want my kid to get sick, but then again I really want to hang out with these folks, but then again if one gets sick everyone gets sick..."
I propose a vote on the above mentioned policy. If you would like to amend it, please do so in the comments. Then, once the policy has been revised according to popular (and logical) vote, I will post the policy, and you can email it to play groups, friends, parents, neighbors, coworkers, aliens, ghosts, fairies, and anyone else you think could benefit from being on the same page. What do you think? Are you in?
While you're noodling on that, why not pop over to It's My Baby Blog and peek at some great father/child pictures, and OF COURSE enter the giveaway that's happening over there for this awesome book:
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I don't even have kids and I agree. I enthusiastically second the motion!!
ReplyDeleteTotally totally in!!! Very good.
ReplyDeleteI think the problem is that we mom's need the outing more than the kids so we don't want to cancel out or take the blame/guilt of backing out. Be strong moms! Another date will probably be much more enjoyable when all are healthy!
ReplyDeleteI have three kids and rarely are all three completely healthy at the same time. Here is my policy: If within the last two days, my child has had a fever, diarrhea, vomit, a rash (other than diaper rash), or unstoppable green snot that just started, then I need to cancel. If it is residual clear snot or a lingering cough (sometimes they last for weeks and weeks!!), I'll take them. If it falls in between, I defer to what type of parents are in the group and the ages of their kids. If the mommies have newborns, then it is a no. If they have older children, I'd probably go. :)
ReplyDelete