Kids get sick. It's an inevitable, albeit far from fun, part of parenting that we'll all experience many times over. But the rules for having a sick kid — should they go to school, can they attend a birthday party, etc. — aren't exactly black and white. We've all been to a playdate with a child who looked like they would be better off lying on the couch with some fluids and a box of Kleenex by their side — and maybe that kid has even been our own.
While no one wants their children to be exposed to illness, we also know it's impossible to keep a kid quarantined every time they come down with a mild cough or a case of the sniffles. However, there are some pretty clear guidelines about when a sick child should be kept at home — and what they need to be taught in order to be out in the world, interacting with others. Here are seven rules every parent should follow when your kid is a little, or a lot, sick.