So, I picked up Ben at his school, and we went to the elementary school, to get the other kids.

It was a nice day, so we decided to stay on the playground for a while. At one point, I walked by a couple of the mothers of kids in Chris's class, but they were in deep conversation and I don't know them yet, so I did the little nod thing, because this is New England. As I did it, I realized one of the moms was looking at a notice and saying, "Oh! I HATE this!"

Now Chris has the teacher Julia had last year, and she's a teacher who keeps the parents hopping, so I'm smirking on the inside as I head past. I get in the shade, and decide to see if I got a hateful notice, or if that mother is just cricket mother (as in, is it her turn to buy the live crickets the kids feed to the class lizard, or what).

Oh, I got a hateful notice, all right.

There's been head lice at the school.

What did Buffy say? Something like: what about home schooling? You know, it's not just for scary religious people anymore.

(And if it is, well I can get there in a Sabbath's walk.)

Oh, Cindy. That's a pain in the ass. But if I remember correctly, you just have to check them really carefully, and if they don't have it, you're fine. (Although I think you can use the shampoo proactively, too.)

I know you're right. It's just that I'm neurotic, and so the minute I read the notice, I started itching from head to toe. From what I've looked up on the web, you shouldn't use the stuff unless your kids are infected. Chris's hair is easy to check, because it's so short. Julia's hair? Not so much. She's got a bob, and it's really thick and layered. Also, she gets a little dandruff thing going on from time to time, and I have never seen a nit, and so I'm googling, then poring over her hair (and making her completely miserable). I *know* I'm just seeing her regular little hair debris, but am completely doubting myself, because that's my gift.

The good news is, rumor has it that the infection's happened with third graders. Julia and Chris are in first and second grades, and don't even have lunch and recess with the third graders.

One of the other mothers said it went around school at the end of last year, but I never got a notice. I saw the secretary in the parking lot on her way out, and she said that's because there was only one, that time, so I'm thinking this time, there are at least two.

Cindy, if you had a monkey, this would be no problem. IJS.

And if we were all monkeys, I wouldn't have to fix supper, either.

Well, if we were infected, which we're not, except that I have no confidence about stuff like this.

I'm much better at shitology.

Yeah, I think I'd be freaking myself out pretty good. Is that one? Is that?

Hopefully it's just those grungy third-graders.

Hey, anyone have any insight into becoming an actuary? Advice, et cetera?

except that I have no confidence about stuff like this

I know. I get the itch, too, every time I hear there's been a case, but I've been through it so many times. When I worked day camp and an afterschool program in the city we must have done checks at least a dozen times. And the boys have both brought home notices from school or day care before.

I won't tell you that Ben actually picked it up once, but it wasn't really that difficult to get rid of, and none of the rest of us got us. Still, I know it's a squick.

Hey, anyone have any insight into becoming an actuary? Advice, et cetera?

You need to be very good at math. Starting out with calculus and probability/statistics.

Cindy, if you had a monkey, this would be no problem. IJS.

Or a meerkat! And as an extra bonus, the meerkat would periodically perch upright on your kids' shoulders to scan the sky for predators, so you'd never ever have to worry about any of them being snatched by an owl or a hawk.

Admittedly this'd be a more useful protective measure if you and your family actually lived on the Serengeti, but still -- meerkats grooming your children! Effective delousing plus ded of teh cute!

t /not in the least helpful