this isn't what i had envisioned as a "welcome home" ...
So my darling DD came back after a 2wk holiday with her father. She had a fantastic time (which is way better than last year's holiday, when she came home crying because her father told her he was glad to be rid of her at the end of it -- prick), and I believe the entire family is planning another outing to the military Tattoo again next year.
However ...
/ranting bitch mode on
She also came home with a hideous case of head lice.
Am I blaming the other side of the family for her catching it? Absolutely not. Kids get head lice. Its a horrid fact of life. Kids stick their heads together, trade hats & swim towels, etc etc. Since they were out at a very crowded event for most of their holiday, she could have contracted it from anybody she sat or stood near.
What I am positively livid about is the fact that, even though my daughter has had it before & recognizes the symptoms, even though she went to her grandmother and both her aunts & told them she suspected head lice, each of those people DIDN'T EVEN CHECK HER HEAD BEFORE TELLING HER SHE DIDN'T!! So this case had two weeks to settle into my child's hair -- the irony being that they all put themselves at risk for infection (what kind of DOPE does that?).
I understand parents who have never had to deal with it may not know what to look for. As a parent, however, once of the first things I did when she first contracted it (oh so many years ago) was to talk to my sitter (who had dealt with it), my pharmacist, my doctor, and every other parent I could locate who had dealt with it. I DIDN'T JUST ASSUME SHE DIDN'T HAVE IT BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT HER TO. I DIDN'T JUST PRETEND IT DIDN'T EXIST BECAUSE THE THOUGHT GAVE ME THE CREEPY-CRAWLIES. I DIDN'T JUST IGNORE IT & ALLOW IT TO GET EVEN WORSE & TO CONTINUE TO INFECT OTHERS.
I truly envy parents whose children have super fine hair, because they are less likely to get it. My child, however, has lovely thick locks. Lice love her. So we get the joy of having to deal with this several times a year. Treating head lice can be a bit of a nightmare, but we have an excellent home-made remedy, and have the whole process down to a fine science. In the meantime, however, DD can't go out to play with her friends until I declare her free & clear. She's already been away from them for 2wks & is very disappointed. Also, we can't cuddle the way we want to until she's clear -- one of my greatest fears is getting head lice, as I would likely have to chop off my dreadies to properly get cleared up myself. And the whole house goes on a psychosymatic scratching spree -- even Evil, who has no hair.
I've done my part -- I'm tending to DD & I've contacted the Ex so he can pass along the info that she was, indeed, infected & they could all possibly be infected. I've even offered to give them my home-made recipe & let them know how to deal with it properly. What they do with that info is up to them.
/ranting bitch mode off
In short, I'm very pleased that she had such a wonderful holiday, but I'm truly displeased that the other side was so negligent in this matter.
However ...
/ranting bitch mode on
She also came home with a hideous case of head lice.
Am I blaming the other side of the family for her catching it? Absolutely not. Kids get head lice. Its a horrid fact of life. Kids stick their heads together, trade hats & swim towels, etc etc. Since they were out at a very crowded event for most of their holiday, she could have contracted it from anybody she sat or stood near.
What I am positively livid about is the fact that, even though my daughter has had it before & recognizes the symptoms, even though she went to her grandmother and both her aunts & told them she suspected head lice, each of those people DIDN'T EVEN CHECK HER HEAD BEFORE TELLING HER SHE DIDN'T!! So this case had two weeks to settle into my child's hair -- the irony being that they all put themselves at risk for infection (what kind of DOPE does that?).
I understand parents who have never had to deal with it may not know what to look for. As a parent, however, once of the first things I did when she first contracted it (oh so many years ago) was to talk to my sitter (who had dealt with it), my pharmacist, my doctor, and every other parent I could locate who had dealt with it. I DIDN'T JUST ASSUME SHE DIDN'T HAVE IT BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT HER TO. I DIDN'T JUST PRETEND IT DIDN'T EXIST BECAUSE THE THOUGHT GAVE ME THE CREEPY-CRAWLIES. I DIDN'T JUST IGNORE IT & ALLOW IT TO GET EVEN WORSE & TO CONTINUE TO INFECT OTHERS.
I truly envy parents whose children have super fine hair, because they are less likely to get it. My child, however, has lovely thick locks. Lice love her. So we get the joy of having to deal with this several times a year. Treating head lice can be a bit of a nightmare, but we have an excellent home-made remedy, and have the whole process down to a fine science. In the meantime, however, DD can't go out to play with her friends until I declare her free & clear. She's already been away from them for 2wks & is very disappointed. Also, we can't cuddle the way we want to until she's clear -- one of my greatest fears is getting head lice, as I would likely have to chop off my dreadies to properly get cleared up myself. And the whole house goes on a psychosymatic scratching spree -- even Evil, who has no hair.
I've done my part -- I'm tending to DD & I've contacted the Ex so he can pass along the info that she was, indeed, infected & they could all possibly be infected. I've even offered to give them my home-made recipe & let them know how to deal with it properly. What they do with that info is up to them.
/ranting bitch mode off
In short, I'm very pleased that she had such a wonderful holiday, but I'm truly displeased that the other side was so negligent in this matter.