Not doing it today

So I went to bed last night feeling super gross, but I had a busy evening going to my niece's graduation so assumed I had done just a little too much. Evening activities are always a bit rough cuz my cup is not runneth over with any energy whatsoever. 

Well I woke with a yucky sore throat, the usual hot sweaty/cold shivery bit, and feeling yuckier than normal. So I said, "Nope. Not doing it today."  I am keeping this butt in bed. All day long. 

I feel a great deal of guilt accompanying this decision. But I also know that if I were working at this moment, things would NOT be going well.  

I don't have a fever. I'm not vomiting or anything like that. I think it's just a garden variety plain 'ol COLD. I can't tell you how many children recently have put their faces in front of my face and said to me "Ms Reynoldz. My throat hurts. Do I hafta play today?"

To which I respond (after expressing that I'm sorry to hear they aren't feeling well today, but...) "You WILL get out your instrument. I WILL at least see you fingering along with the music today.  Nobody has permission to do nothing in my class."    They usually pout at me and hate my guts for about 10 minutes.  What often happens: One of two things, they end up remembering their love of music and participate as normal forgetting all about their throat. Or, they refuse to do absolutely anything at ALL and I write them a pass to the office/nurse "If you can't function normally at school, you need to be at home."  

Like me. At home. With a sore throat that one of you children presumably gave me.