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So. Keep my mouth shut? Be discrete? Or turtles?

I am not aiming this to be a debate. So please. Say nice things and answer my questions. Or a plague on all your houses.

FI has a cousin with a 14 month old son whom she has chosen not to vaccinate. He is currently living in an area where there is a measles outbreak (or maybe was in the last two weeks?). We have twin boys attending our reception that will be right around two months old. So they are not vaccinated. I know that if these two boys get sick because I didn't attempt to keep space between the kids, I will feel so awful. I would just be beside myself.

I don't know what to do. I don't think it's my place to police parents(which I totally know it's not) but like I said, if these boys get sick... Or at least maybe let the mom of the twins know "hey, I know there's a little boy who does not have his vaccines (there will be multiple little boys, so I'm not singling out this one boy) so whatever you choose to do with that info...." Meaning leave the twins at home or all of the family chooses to stay at home.

Or if this entire thing is a nonissue and I need to go back to worrying about hotel bags and ceremony music. I honestly feel like I'm running some sort of animal hotel "Excuse me ma'am, does little Lassie have all her shots? No? Well she can't come and play." Ugh.

And the little boy in question is not sick or exhibiting. I asked my friend who is a virologist though that he could have it in the incubation phase by the time they come to the wedding. And to my knowledge, he has not been exposed. - just for some background. So like I said, this is probably a nonissue.

I just need a beer. Or seven.

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Re: So. Keep my mouth shut? Be discrete? Or turtles?

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    There is no way that I'd allow an unvaccinated child around any too-young-to-be-vaccinated children, even if they weren't my kids (but I was hosting the event). I wouldn't be rude about it, but I'd just be like "Hey Jane, I'm excited to see you at the wedding. I do feel like I need to mention that there will be a lot of babies, so Little Jimmy won't be able to come due to health reasons. But we look forward to seeing you!"

    Would I feel like an asshole? Yes. But imo, THEY are the one being an asshole for putting me in that position.

    The problem is, they are traveling via plane to get here. So he is not in his home base so his ability to stay with a babysitter is zero as all family will be at the wedding.

    The whole situation sucks. And I hate that I JUST thought about this like two days ago.

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    Oh man. Yeah, I have to agree with Jenny. Actions (or in this case, inactions) have consequences. For me, that consequence will be that Jimmy can't come to the wedding.

    I assume invitations already went out? Ugh. Yuck.

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    yogapants said:

    Is the 14-month-old unvaccinated because he can't be for medical reasons, or is he unvaccinated because mommeigh doesn't believe in science?


    Honestly, if this little boy is unvaccinated because his mom thinks big pharma is out to get her or the MMR vax causes autism or these diseases are natural and vaccines are "unnatural", I wouldn't be above telling her that you're uncomfortable with him putting other young guests at risk. But I have no patience for the anti-vax movement whatsoever.
    He is 100% unvaccinated because of #vaccineinjuryisreal. This is not a medical choice.

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    yogapants said:

    Is the 14-month-old unvaccinated because he can't be for medical reasons, or is he unvaccinated because mommeigh doesn't believe in science?


    Honestly, if this little boy is unvaccinated because his mom thinks big pharma is out to get her or the MMR vax causes autism or these diseases are natural and vaccines are "unnatural", I wouldn't be above telling her that you're uncomfortable with him putting other young guests at risk. But I have no patience for the anti-vax movement whatsoever.




    Yea, I agree.

     

    And I kinda wouldn't even feel bad about telling her this after all tickets and hotels are paid for, because I feel like it should be kinda obvious that if her kid is potentially a walking disease factory that he shouldn't be brought to events where there could be other unvaccinated people. I mean, that's HER bad.

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    yogapants said:

    Is the 14-month-old unvaccinated because he can't be for medical reasons, or is he unvaccinated because mommeigh doesn't believe in science?


    Honestly, if this little boy is unvaccinated because his mom thinks big pharma is out to get her or the MMR vax causes autism or these diseases are natural and vaccines are "unnatural", I wouldn't be above telling her that you're uncomfortable with him putting other young guests at risk. But I have no patience for the anti-vax movement whatsoever.




    Yea, I agree.

     

    And I kinda wouldn't even feel bad about telling her this after all tickets and hotels are paid for, because I feel like it should be kinda obvious that if her kid is potentially a walking disease factory that he shouldn't be brought to events where there could be other unvaccinated people. I mean, that's HER bad.

    Hey, she's free to go get him vaccinated tomorrow if she wants to bring him that badly.

    Let's hope so! Because I love weddings and wouldn't want to miss one for a stupid and easily fixable reason that will benefit literally EVERYONE.
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    Well @mikenberger, you'll have something to add to the "Confessions of a wedding etiquette nature" when you tell your FI's cousin that actions have consequences, and the consequence of this is that her kid has to sit this one out. It won't be the last time this happens to him because of his mom's terrible parenting choices.
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    If the parent of the two month old is in the position to get a babysitter, then I would warn them so they can make an informed decision.

    Note:  I am only saying that because according to your ticker you are four days out and presumably airline tickets have already been purchased.  Had this come to my knowledge earlier, I would have had no problem putting the onus on the parents of the unvaccinated child to find alternative arrangements.  It may be your right to not vaccinate your child, as much as I disagree with it, but it is also my right to not put other members of my friends and family at risk because of your choices.
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    Yikes. I would just tell her that he can't come because there will be babies at the wedding and it is a risk that you are not willing to take. I would feel incredibly rude doing that, but it's her own fault. Also, she might as well get used to hearing it since there's a lot of places her unvaccinated Jimmy won't be able to go in the future. 

    Oh, I didn't realize you were so close and had already invited folks. In this case, I would do this, minus the feeling rude part. Putting everyone else at risk because you don't understand/refuse to believe science is what is fucking rude.
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    Oh shit I'm on mobile with no tickers so I didn't realize you were 4 days out.

    I recommend beer. Lots of beer.

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    Oh man. Yeah, I have to agree with Jenny. Actions (or in this case, inactions) have consequences. For me, that consequence will be that Jimmy can't come to the wedding.

    I assume invitations already went out? Ugh. Yuck.

    Yes, we are four days away.

    Like I said, I'm so angry at myself for just thinking about this. This particular side of the family tree lives 20+hrs from us and I have unfollowed the mother from Facebook because she drives me fucking crazy with all this stuff. I only thought about this because "we got him a suit! He's so excited to wear it!"

    Ughhhhhh fuuuuuuuuuuuck.

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    Please don't forget to come back with results. I hate anti-vaxxers and I wanna hear her response.
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    I would not invite the unvaccinated boy.  That said, what about the other kids that are there? Do you know that all the others are vaccinated?   I guess you could put it on the RSVP card as a question to screen people.  I kid, I kid.   I'm just playing devil's advocate.
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    JoanE2012 said:

    I would not invite the unvaccinated boy.  That said, what about the other kids that are there? Do you know that all the others are vaccinated?   I guess you could put it on the RSVP card as a question to screen people.  I kid, I kid.   I'm just playing devil's advocate.

    Haha :) I know for certain out of the 20 kids under 12, 11 are my nieces and nephews. And I know all of them are vaccinated and up to date on their shots. The other 5 are, to the best of my knowledge, vaccinated. Or if they aren't, they surely don't clog up my newsfeed with that bullshit. The other 2 are not because they're under a year and then the last 1 is the unvaccinated cousins son.

    Beer. Please.

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    APDSS22 said:

    lolo883 said:

    Oh man. Yeah, I have to agree with Jenny. Actions (or in this case, inactions) have consequences. For me, that consequence will be that Jimmy can't come to the wedding.

    I assume invitations already went out? Ugh. Yuck.

    Yes, we are four days away.

    Like I said, I'm so angry at myself for just thinking about this. This particular side of the family tree lives 20+hrs from us and I have unfollowed the mother from Facebook because she drives me fucking crazy with all this stuff. I only thought about this because "we got him a suit! He's so excited to wear it!"

    Ughhhhhh fuuuuuuuuuuuck.


    "Good, just as soon as you vaccinate him, I'd love to see him in it!"
      I mean really, why do anti-vaxxing parents think that their decisions have no consequences? 


    This ^^

     "Great! So glad you decided to vaccinate him. Oh you didn't? Well then...."
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    We didn't invite one cousin and her 5 or 6 (idk) unvaccinated kids. Not entirely for the vaccination issue, but it certainly didn't help. And if they try to show up uninvited to a family holiday after Tidbit is born (sometimes my aunt brings a few of them) I'll have no problem telling then they can't come in my house/be around my baby.

    Have you told the mom of the twins what's up? Any chance she might say "oh nbd, I'll get them a sitter"?

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    Ugh, that's a tough one. Unfortunately, it's a risk you take these days. Normally I'd say uninvite the kid. In this situation, I'd probably give the mom of twins a heads up so she acts accordingly and knows to keep her babies far away from the little germ monster, and his mom (ESPECIALLY his mom. Ha). 

    My bff's family is like this and nothing bad ever came of it, but this was back in the day when herd immunity was actually a thing. 

    Or you could say change of plans! Our wedding will have an apocalypse theme and your kid would look soooo cute in this isolation suit!
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    I would not keep my mouth shut about this. If there is any risk of something to those two babies and I as the mom found out you knew that it could have been avoided I'd probably be beside myself. So I'd say something to both moms. Tell the mom with the 2 2-month olds that another mother is bringing an un-vaccinated child and then mention to the anti-vax mom that you would appreciate if she holed her kid away somewhere that wasn't anywhere near people (old and young) who could risk get sick - possibly her hotel?
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    OP, this, fortunately, is not a hill you need to die on. Infants have passive immunity, passed through the placenta, and for measels, that immunity lasts for one year. The babies will be fine as long as their mother was vaccinated. That lady is still crazy, but I think you can let this one go.
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    I would tell anti-vax mom that the walking germ bomb is not welcome because there are children who are not old enough to be vaccinated. And I would warn the Mom of the twins so she can make an informed decision. 

    And you should have ALL THE BEER.
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    Blergbot said:

    OP, this, fortunately, is not a hill you need to die on. Infants have passive immunity, passed through the placenta, and for measels, that immunity lasts for one year. The babies will be fine as long as their mother was vaccinated. That lady is still crazy, but I think you can let this one go.

    Um, no. What if those babies or someone else at the wedding is otherwise immunocompromised? Not a risk worth taking, ever. Anti-vaxxers, as the bad decision makers, are the ones who need to deal with the consequences. Not the people doing the right thing.



    If someone attending the wedding is immunocompromised and was unable to receive the MMR vaccine, then, of course, that is a good point. But OP seems fairly certain all other children were vaccinated. Of course the onus is on the crazy anti-vaxxer lady. It just doesn't seem necessary in this case. But there may be some risk to someone, it's true. Just as much risk as in the general population.
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    FiancB said:

    Ugh, that's a tough one. Unfortunately, it's a risk you take these days. Normally I'd say uninvite the kid. In this situation, I'd probably give the mom of twins a heads up so she acts accordingly and knows to keep her babies far away from the little germ monster, and his mom (ESPECIALLY his mom. Ha). 


    My bff's family is like this and nothing bad ever came of it, but this was back in the day when herd immunity was actually a thing. 

    Or you could say change of plans! Our wedding will have an apocalypse theme and your kid would look soooo cute in this isolation suit!
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    Blergbot said:

    Blergbot said:

    OP, this, fortunately, is not a hill you need to die on. Infants have passive immunity, passed through the placenta, and for measels, that immunity lasts for one year. The babies will be fine as long as their mother was vaccinated. That lady is still crazy, but I think you can let this one go.

    Um, no. What if those babies or someone else at the wedding is otherwise immunocompromised? Not a risk worth taking, ever. Anti-vaxxers, as the bad decision makers, are the ones who need to deal with the consequences. Not the people doing the right thing.



    If someone attending the wedding is immunocompromised and was unable to receive the MMR vaccine, then, of course, that is a good point. But OP seems fairly certain all other children were vaccinated. Of course the onus is on the crazy anti-vaxxer lady. It just doesn't seem necessary in this case. But there may be some risk to someone, it's true. Just as much risk as in the general population.
    I believe she said there would be a few kids too young for vaccines there? mebbe
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