Today, I was introduced to another parental rite of passage: Staying at home with a sick kid.

Sloan has had a bit of a rough start at her new day care. As is the case with many babies, it is challenging to enter a children’s center and go unscathed the first few weeks. After contracting a cold late last week, Sloan came down with a fever yesterday. The law stipulates that once a child registers a fever, she can’t return until she is fever-free for at least 24 hours.

Because of a fever she contracted, I stayed home with Sloan today.

With the first day of school today for the Horry County School District, Sidney was welcoming her new class of 2nd graders. It made 100% sense for me to stay with Sloan and my employer thought so too, giving me every blessing to work from home.

Before Sidney went off to school this morning, I snapped this photo of her. Have a great year, Mrs. Reser!

It is always a weird feeling when I am at home on a work day. Whether it be because of a weather event, vacation, or my own illness, I feel detached from campus and my co-workers. I feel like I am slacking. I feel guilty.

However, today I didn’t feel the guilt. It definitely felt a little bizarre and out of place staying home with just Sloan but I didn’t have an uneasy sensation inside of me. It all kind of goes right back to the blog post I wrote in late March about how my perspective on life has changed. I value work immensely but when it comes to my daughter it ultimately, in the grand scheme of things, is insignificant. Sloan depends on her parents for her well-being and we will do all we can to provide the care she needs.

Sloan was kind enough to watch me do a little work today.

It was a smooth day. Sloan had shaken her fever off before the morning even arrived. In between feedings, changings, naps, and, of course, playing, I was able to get most of the work finished that I needed to. It was a Wednesday of father-daughter bonding that I really enjoyed. Thanks to CCU for being so accommodating and thank you God for wiping out Sloan’s fever. Don’t Blink.