Would you keep a child home from school if they don't appear sick? Here's what other parents said
BOSTON - Most parents would keep their child home from school if they were vomiting or had a high fever, but what if your child says they don't feel well and there are no obvious signs of illness.
A team at the University of Michigan polled parents of middle and high school students and found they often weigh whether they think their child can make it through the day, whether their child will pose a risk to others, and whether their child needs a mental health day.
In the end, about half would keep their child home to be on the safe side, a quarter of parents would send their child to school and "hope for the best," and a fifth of parents would allow their child to make the decision.
Interestingly, nearly two-thirds of parents said their children worry that missing school due to an illness will have a negative impact on grades, which could suggest their child is striving to do well, but also could reflect anxiety about school performance.