Stop Sending Sick Kids to Day Care
I am going to say this plainly, because sometimes clarity matters more than comfort
If your child is sick, do not send them to day care.
Not because I want to shame anyone. Not because I do not understand pressure. But because this is about responsibility beyond your own household.
Since the start of this year, our home has felt like a revolving door of viruses. Coughs. Fevers. Runny noses. Stomach bugs. One after another. And I know we are not alone. I speak to parents every week who are exhausted, juggling work, sleep deprivation and repeat infections that never quite seem to leave.
As parents, we have to do better.
The hidden cost of “just a mild cold”
What one parent considers “just a sniffle” can become weeks of illness across multiple families.
One child walks into day care with a virus.
Within days, it spreads through the room.
Then it goes home to siblings. To parents. To grandparents.
Then it circles back again.
This is not theoretical. This is how viral transmission works in shared environments.
For working parents, it means lost productivity and difficult conversations with employers. For vulnerable family members, it can mean something far more serious than inconvenience.
We have already taken significant time off work this year to care for our daughter, and it is only mid February. We are fortunate to have flexibility. Many families do not. For parents with limited leave, this cycle can be devastating.
I understand the pressure
Let me be very clear. I understand that work commitments are real. Mortgage payments are real. Deadlines are real.
But knowingly sending a visibly unwell child into a shared setting spreads illness to dozens of other households. That is preventable.
Childcare centres do their best. Educators are often extraordinary. But they cannot override a decision made at the front door in the morning.
If your child has a fever, persistent cough, vomiting, diarrhoea, or is clearly unwell, they should not be in group care. It really is that simple.
Immunity matters. But responsibility matters more.
As a scientist and clinical nutritionist, I care deeply about immune resilience.
In our household, we prioritise nutrient-dense whole foods. We are deliberate about sleep, recovery and stress management. We also use targeted supplementation, including activated phenolics derived from Australian apples, as part of our broader strategy to support antioxidant status and immune function.
That has helped us recover faster. We are fortunate.
But supplementation is not a substitute for basic public health behaviour.
The first line of defence is not a capsule or a powder. It is common sense. If your child is sick, keep them home.
This is about community care
Day care centres are shared ecosystems. One decision affects dozens of families.
We cannot normalise constant illness as “just part of it.” Children deserve to recover properly. Parents deserve workplaces that understand. Communities deserve consideration. The educators and staff deserve a safe working environment.
This is not about blame. It is about shifting mindset from individual convenience to collective responsibility.
Health does not exist in isolation. It is shared.
And sometimes the most powerful health intervention is not something you add.
It is a decision you make before you leave the house.
We are so grateful for your support, so we’d like to offer you a special Renovatio deal:
PS: Check out my AFTER HOURS Podcast too!