My chat with the principal ... and school nurse

Yesterday I had a little 'discussion' with the principal of Sera's school. Ha ha, I actually feel like a parent now, not a fussy one but just a concerned one actually. As you all know, Sera has been feeling down in the dumps, especially so since she started school. Of course, the weather at the moment doesn't help since viruses are usually more rampant in hot weathers ( I think so?). Anyway, I wanted to find out from the principal (and to make sure we're both on the same page) about some of their so-called sick child policy. You see, I've noticed that on any given day in Sera's class, there would be at least two kids with runny noses. I'm not talking little dribbles but more like big dribbles from the nose to the mouth to the chin. Ha ha. I'm trying to paint a clear picture here.

So yes, I have been slightly disturbed that these 'not so healthy' kids are at school, probably infecting the rest. Why aren't they resting at home? And I'm getting fed up that Sera just can't seem to recover from her runny nose, which has been running for several weeks, and now has succumbed to a nasty cough. So yah, I'm annoyed.

Anyway, I waited patiently for the principal while she finished her sales tour of the nursery to some prospective parents. The principal is fairly young and attractive and dresses, well not so typically principal-like. Well, not the principals I've had during my school days. But I detract here, because I should know better to equate dressing with one's abilities. So I shall share a snippet of the conversation and you decide ...

Me: "I was wondering, when is a sick child considered 'sick' enough to be sent home?"

Principal: (She doesn't answer immediately so I decide to elaborate for her)

Me: "I mean, is a sick child only sent back if she has a fever?"

Principal: "Yes, the nurse would take the temperature and if it is high, we would send the child back. The child would then stay away from school for 24 or 82 hours."

(err ... 82 hours, I think she got her multiples of 24 wrong here)

Me: "I see, so if a child has a runny nose, she is allowed to attend school?"

Principal: "Yes, as long as the mucous is not green or yellow."

(Then, she tries to assures me with the following comment)

Principal : "Actually, it is very common for the children at the nursery to fall ill, because there are many viruses in the school ... (blah, blah, blah. I kind of lost her there because I just knew she was going to drop that line on me.)

Me :"I can understand that, but there must be SOME CONTROL in the school. I'm not going to send my daughter to school, knowing that she's going to get sick just because there are kids in her class with bad runny noses?"

Principal :"Yes, of course ... "

Me :"Just this morning, I saw three kids in my daughter's class with runny nose, and one of the kid's had yellowish-green mucous. Why is he is school?"

Principal: "Oh that boy has been taking antibiotics for the 5 days already, so he is not contagious."

(ok, I'm no doctor so I don't really know if what she said was true. Why then was his mucous coloured?)

Me :" I thought there was an in-house nurse that checks on every child, every day?"

Principal :"Yes, there is ... oh, here she is."

(With that, she motions for the nurse to come over and I actually notice her relax when the nurse in her 'white nurse coat' Ha ha, I have to laugh, comes over)

So again, I find myself having the same discussion with the nurse who is appeared very happy and smiley. I was starting to like her even, until she made a silly remark.

Nurse :"Madam, it's normal for parents to worry about their child but you know, it is also good to expose children to germs."

(ok, she was going to get it from me!)

Me :"I may be coming across as paranoid but I'm not. I know it's inevitable for my daughter to be exposed to some germs in school. All I'm asking is really for some basic control measures taken by the school - to send sick children back home so as not to get the others sick. To make sure the air-conditioning is not too cold, and that it is cleaned regularly. That the toys are cleaned, every single piece since little toddlers like to put toys in their mouths. I'm not going to send my daughter to school if I know she is going to fall sick each and every time."

(I promise, I didn't raise my voice or even sound stern. I just made my point, clearly)

Nurse: "Yes, yes ... we do ALL that, madam. Ah, madam, maybe you can get a humidifier for your daughter's room."

(Huh??? Just to indulge her, I said I would consider and even asked where I could purchase one)

I looked at the time, and realised I'd 'wasted' an hour waiting and talking to these lovely ladies. I thanked them for their time and made my way to the Jeep. I'd completely forgotten what the goal of my conversation was. Sigh. Anyway, I said my peace to them, and hopefully Sera won't get sick so often after she recovers from this bout of cold and cough.

On a lighter and happier note ... some photos I took this morning!

Sera helping me choose some 'pitas' (potatoes) for the soup I was making for lunch

Sera is in this 'copy-cat' stage where she likes to imitate what we do and say. Here she is imitating me putting the laundry to wash


And ... presenting, some of Sera's artwork from school ...