"Your kid sure is sick a lot, isn't he?"

This comment was just made to me by Copper, the employee whose wife is pregnant with their first child, due in June, and has been so sick during this pregnancy that she can't bring herself to do more than sit on the sofa all day. In fact, when Copper had to work late last Friday during a promotion, his wife called to say, "What am I supposed to do for dinner?"

When I was called to pick The Boy up on Monday, I was there in 20 minutes. His teacher said, "I can't believe how quickly you get here when I call you. The other parents take two hours when I call."

TWO HOURS. Leaving their kid with all the other children, sick and waiting for mommy or daddy to come. Ridiculous.

It's been a tough winter. Last Friday there were only three kids at preschool.

I spent the last two days with a puking kid, who managed to make it to the bathroom every time he got sick, bless his heart. I was especially thankful that he made it when the red juice didn't stay down. Yes, I had to clean the bathroom from top to bottom because mommy forgot to leave the lid up, but that's better than trying to get the red out of the very light carpet.

So, yes, my kid has been sick a lot this winter. He's four years old, and has the right to be helpless and lay on the sofa all day when he's sick.

Suck it, Copper.