I’m trying to write more here about issues that affect me and my profession, without alienating potential clients with rants about, well, the patriarchy usually. (Why yes, I *am* a Gen X intersectional feminist stereotype!)
So this morning’s rage is for all the working parents out there. This may become one in a series.
I just received a letter from my kids’ school that they ‘continue to be concerned’ about my little boy’s attendance and have called us in for a meeting.
For context, I have 5 year old twins in the same class in our village school. Unfortunately my beautiful boy is prone to catching every single bug that’s going round. This time last year we ended up spending a week in hospital on an antibiotic IV drip because he caught Covid and RSV at the same time, AND developed cellulitis around his eye (life threatening) after also catching conjunctivitis. He’s also prone to glue ear, so – naturally – we’re extra cautious with both our kids’ health.
Now. The reason my kids pick up all the germs is that other parents send their kids into school when they’re sick, and teachers keep working when they’re sick. And bearing in mind 5 year olds are still at the age of licking everything and hugging everyone (love the latter, hate the former), everything spreads. Everything. Every. Thing.
Why do parents send their poorly kids into school? Why does the school care more about perfect attendance than welfare? Because the parents’ employers don’t give them time off to care for them, or offer sick leave. (No parent-blaming here – we’re all in this together.) Because none of us can get GP appointments. Because there’s no ‘village’ for parents anymore. Because – as a late stage capitalist patriarchal society – it’s ‘normal’ to prioritise work over family and community. Because we’ve learnt nothing from the pandemic.
I’m lucky enough to be freelance, and work from home (for lovely, understanding people), so I can and do take care of my kids when they’re poorly AND avoid spreading their germs any further. They have far too much screentime on sick days, but they get well faster. I’m raising them to take care of themselves and their community. (Be the change and all that.)
I’m really looking forward to solving these society-level issues when I see their headteacher next week so my kid can get his perfect attendance score. I love being ‘that’ parent.
And would you look at that, I did manage to rant about the patriarchy.