My daughter is in preschool and her school had a school-wide party this week. Parents, younger siblings, and some grandparents also attended. The party was at 10am during the school day.

I get to the party and sit with some friends and wait for my daughter’s class. Another mom comes in with her child who attends the school. Sits down and says that her kid is with her because he is too sick to go to school today (he has a fever and a bad cough). She says she brought him because he is going to kindergarten next year and she doesn’t want him to miss his last holiday party at preschool.

The school has a policy that kids must be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school and this child had a fever that morning. Plus he looked miserable and his cough was awful. He proceeded to try and play with the other kids and was coughing all over everything (including the food). He was clearly sick and could barely even play,, he ended up laying down in the middle of the floor and crying. The mom just sat there and talked to other parents. A few other parents asked about him and if he was sick and she said yes, he’s sick so she would be taking him home after the party but kids are all over each other anyway so they will all get it anyway.

She said that since a cold has been going around the classroom, he clearly got it from school and the kids are exposed anyway, so why should he miss the party.

I’m really annoyed that she brought her admittedly feverish child to a school event without a care for any of the other kids. The school didn’t think it was a big deal since he was just at the party and not in the classroom, but I think they should have insisted the mom/kid leave the party since he had a fever at the time.

What do you think?