In addition to disinfecting the enviroment u should also replace their toothbrush after a bacterial infection (like strep). You should already be replacing them every three or four months anyway due to bristle wear. Make sure the bunny tucks one in with ALL the candy and that one is in their trick-or-treat bag and one in thier Christmas stocking and u've got most the year covered. So, just come up with another occasion - how about a birthday toothbrush - ok maybe that's taking it a bit far! I never have gotten the kids to buy into that! I also read some disturbing stuff supposedly on Mthy Busters that toilet flush water can pass on gi (stomach) infections!. Glad my toothbrush is far away from the toilet!!! So replace urs today!

I do volunteer work so when the kids are sick I need to also find someone to fill my volunteer slot. That is of course the least of my worries. When the kids are sick seeing the looks on their faces and the life seem to be plucked from their usually quite active bodies is the worst. Holding them and and comforting them is about all you can do to raise their sprits. It gets easier with the older ones because they can actually tell you and communicate all that they feel so they can get the treatment they need. The younger ones even the preschoolers have a hard time letting you know just what makes them not feel well. When the kids are better and going back to school they always have to play catch up which is hard on them. Usually a sibling or a firend will bring home school work while they are home but if your kid is truly sick then having them do school work in between throwing up or trying to read through a massive headache is just cruel. Catch up on homework stresses both child and parent because usually when you send the child back to school they still need that bounce back time to feel 100%. As for the flu shots and antibacterial agents they only protect so far. The flu shot was given to all my children last year as well as all previous years and 2 of my school aged children had been infected with a strain of flu that apparently was not in the shot. The pediatrician had assured me though that getting the flu shot had helped them overcome the illness faster. Just an FYI.

You spray the lysol all over the house hoping they won't catch something, but they do anyway. You use a bleach solution after they do get sick. I hate seeing my baby sick. He just lays around, doesn't do anything. It's too quiet.

Stressful any way you slice it. My kids always come first and I hate to see them sick but it's so stressful when I have to miss work when they are sick. Our whole family just got flu shots and we are doing anything we can to keep the germs out of our house... trying to get the kids in the habit of washing their hands the minute they get in the door. Also Just bought them anti-bacterial wipes for their back packs.