Wednesday, October 6, 2010

I must have done something wrong.
I must have had a perfect childhood.
I must not have enough to worry about.
The stress Gods must sense that things have been going pretty smoothly at our house.
*
This is the letter that came home from the elementary school yesterday:
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Dear Parents,
There is an outbreak of lice in your child's classroom.  All the children in the class have been checked.  I am including a pamphlet with information.
Please call with any questions.
Sincerely,
[The School Nurse]
*
NO, School Nurse, YOU may feel free to call ME.  Because the only question I have is WHY??  Regarding any other lice-related questions, I have become the expert.  I do know that the months of August, September, October and January are the peak months for lice infestations... but why oh why do parents continue to send their children back-to-school with lice to share?
And WHY does it keep happening in my little town?
In MY childrens' classrooms?
Why is it, that in ALL of my childhood and early adult years, I NEVER experienced this ugly phenomenon?
Why must we continue to be plagued by the fear of  this pestilence?
This enormous affliction?
This epidemic that leaves us paranoid?
WHY this curse?
WHY must we live with this scourge?
This blight?
Lice outbreak:  I shake my fist at you!
(and while we're at it, I shake my fist at YOU, cold and flu germs!)
I say NO!  You are NOT welcome here.

P.S. My kids do NOT have lice.  They ARE going to school with tightly braided hair smelling of coconut and tea tree oils.  This is where I really begin to ponder the benefit of online courses.  Do they offer those for elementary school subjects?...

10 comments:

ellen said...

Were you praying for challenges again?

rebecca said...

I'm glad your family is plague free for now. Lice is a doozy.... a sign of the times ;)

Anonymous said...

In Utah, they had an article about lice stating that Listerene really does work, but it takes at least 2 weeks. I would also wash them in Listerene...

I do hope you will escape it this year.

mom

Melanie said...

I got lice one in elementary school. I loved it; I got to stay home from school and I didn't even feel sick!

I'm AMAZED that I didn't get it on my mission. My companion had long, thick curly hair that she used to shake around. Once, when her head started itching, she asked me to check for lice. I saw a little brown bug, but thinking for some reason that lice are white, I told her I didn't see any lice. A few days later, after the pharmacy-purchased liquid burned her scalp, the ward mission leader's wife and I spent at least an hour picking eggs off of her hair.

LL said...

i'm ITCHY just reading this...
UGH!
We have yet to get a letter like that from the school. But I am shaking my fist at the flu bug. I've had two home this week with fevers. Still fevers are better than lice! yuck

shirlgirl said...

Oh my goodness!! I can't even imagine this again so early in the season. Glad your girls are free from such infestation. I know the problems you had last year, and that was terrible. Ewwwww!! Hopefully your family will continue to be lice-free.

Jo Jo said...

Ack is an appropriate label! Oh dear. Listerine sprayed on like hairspray will repel as well. Our school changed their policy and kids can come to school with lice. Because they're not sick.

Becky said...

Good GRIEF! That's all I'm sayin'.

Emily said...

Well, this is going to "BUG" you even more! They are saying on GMA and the Today show and even at our schools that kids who get lice SHOULD go to school regardless. As long as no one plays with others hair or shares brushes and combs and such, they shouldn't get lice. You have to be CLOSE to get it. I still say keep your kids home! That drives me nuts!

Alana said...

Just breath there Mama lice-executioner. You have conquered before, you shall triumph again.