Would you be pissed off or am I overreacting???
By Tanika
@Tanika (632)
Australia
April 28, 2007 11:49am CST
Yesterday I saw a friend of mine whom I haven't seen in a long time. We were best friends for many years. I hadn't seen her because her and my lifestyle are not compatible anymore.
Anyway after we had been together for a good hour, and after numerous hugs between our kids, and a few between us - I notice that her kids are INFESTED and i mean seriously infested with head lice.
I mentioned it to her casually and she said 'yeah i know, its bad hey!'. WTF!!! I know that kids getting nits is a thing of life, but I just don't understand how she could not mention it to me before it was definite that we got them too. I'm really pissed off because even though having nits is embarrassing, I myself would have made the effort to get rid of them before seeing someone and if I thought there was a possibility that I may still have them I would mention it so that we didn't hug and to minimize the chance of them getting it. RAH!
I have really really thick hair and nits are an absolute nightmare for me. My daughter has thick hair too but I see it as something I just have to do now.
Am I over-reacting?? Please people, tell me what you would do or have done when your kids get nits - do you mention it to people or are you to embarrassed??
Thanks in advance if you respond, Tanika.
10 people like this
23 responses
@jennifer611 (2514)
• United States
28 Apr 07
I would probably be pretty mad too.. when I was younger I remember alot of us at school getting it.
if your head is just so itchy you cant stand it, you might want to go to the store and just grab a couple boxes of some type of lice treatment stuff... my mom used to buy one called nicks (or something close to that name) and it was the best thing. if u have them make sure you check your daughter and see if she does and do her too and anyone else in the house or that u have been around since... you will need to wash your blankets and pillow cases and clothing..
Im lucky that my kids have not got them yet but if they did I would use that nicks stuff..
dont be embarrassed, this stuff happens.
4 people like this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
29 Apr 07
I know exactly how you feel. It has happened to us many times. That is the bad thing. I would be pissed off too becuase now ou have to go out and buy sprays shampoos for your car and house. It is costing you money. She shouldn't have did that I mean she could have let you know ahead of time and you could have sheduled a meeting of some type when she got rid of the lice. It is only common sense you'd think anyhow alot of people don't even mention that they have lice until someone says something about it they hide it like it is a big dirty secret. and all the while they are spreading it about. So no your not over reacting at all. Although it is not a sin to have lice it might be to spread it..lol. I wouldn't be embarassed because it is almost a natural thing to happen. It's not like you putting stuf on saying here licey licey.I hope you get things under control and I hope that you don't shun your frined you haven't seen in a while because of the lice. God forbid we lived back in th eold days before lice solutions..
2 people like this
@herownsociety (32)
• United States
29 Apr 07
You definately did not over react. And she had the nerve to say 'its bad' Well if its so bad, you shouldn't leave the house if you can help it. Yea, its common, but why make others suffer?? That was not fair of her to warn you. If you can see how bad it is, it must be bad. When children are sick, parents take care of it and keep them away from other children because of how contagious they are. The don't let them play with others just because its common and everyone gets it. Your friend was very wrong.
1 person likes this
@beaniegdi (1964)
•
29 Apr 07
She should have told you as it seems like she knew and was not suprised by it. One of my sons got them once but as soon as I knew he had them I bought the special lotion that gets rid of them. After that I bought a special nit comb and everytime I washed their hair, everyday in the bath, I put conditioner on their hair and used the comb as it stops them getting them again.
I hope she has made the effort to sort her children out by now.
@rodeotexas (1153)
• United States
28 Apr 07
Nope you're not overreacting at all. She should have told you or mentioned it first and beforehand. That was wrong in her not to and wrong for her to be so oh yea they have it. Like it's not important or a big deal. I wouldn't have been very happy.
2 people like this
@thepromptwriter (474)
• United States
29 Apr 07
You are NOT overreacting. Head lice is no laughing matter. She could have mentioned something about it, as a respectful courtesy if nothing else. I'm not sure if she realizes it or not, but they don't just go away on their own. It takes a lot of medication to completely get rid of them.
You, as a mother, have every right to be pissed off. I know I would be.
1 person likes this
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
29 Apr 07
oooo-- I'd be annoyed. I got them a couple of times when I was a kid, and I assure you, I was not allowed to go out of the house until my mom had combed, washed, shampooed, laundered just about everything in the house that I could have come into contact with. I still remember having my hair combed with one of those special, tiny combs, so my mom could check my head. And her teaching me how to do it on my little sister. The whole process takes forever.
I don't understand how she could have not at least told her kids not to come into contact with other kids until she'd dealt with it. Wasn't she at all concerned that your kids might get them too?
1 person likes this
@Stephanie5 (2946)
• United States
29 Apr 07
I'd be ticked too! I don't think you are overreacting! It costs money and lots of time and patience to get rid of it! Obviously, that's probably why her kids still have it!
I can't believe that she would just let her kids walk around with it and just act like it's no big deal! That's quite disgusting! I'm sorry that you have to deal with it!
Wash your children's hair with dog shampoo for a couple days if you are unsure whether or not they have gotten it! Lice do not like it for some reason, so maybe it will keep them from getting it! Good luck!
@vanities (11395)
• Davao, Philippines
29 Apr 07
If my kids got it especially the girls i will be ashamed and will not tell anyone unless discovered, but of course i will give some remedies for the lice.. but it will not be over in an instants i guess it needs days and constant treatment.
@stefan_diego (556)
• Canada
29 Apr 07
Well I wouldn't get embarrassed, because it would be more embarrassing if other people will get infected and that it would come from you right? I would inform others not too close not until the problem would be taken care of. I'd rather they just say high to each other for now. I wouldn't want others to feel inconvenient on my expense.
1 person likes this
@prttynpnkw83 (444)
• United States
29 Apr 07
I would be extremely pissed. I mean how stupid and rude could you be not to mention that. I know its embarassing but you don't want anyone else to get them because of your family i mean that would be way more embarassing. I would let her know that was rude and how upset that made you to be honest. You wont feel better till you tell her something. Now it would have been different if she hadn't known that her kids had them. OMG just the thought is making my head itch lol.
But in regards to getting ride of them my mother (back in the day when i was a child) used several different methods. She used peanut butter on my hair supposed to suffocate them also mayo. Then there is vinigar. You could also try the store bought stuff but i don't like using that because they stink and they can be harmfull. I hope this helps.
1 person likes this
@charlestchan (1415)
• Malaysia
29 Apr 07
i think it's pretty common to get nits.. you don't have to over react..and yes.. some people.. they don't think much when they talk.. they're just too straightforward.. and there's nothing you can do to stop them.. unless you tell them that they're hurting you by telling you that...nits are not just nightmare to you.. but i believe to many of us.. and we spend much time figuring how to get rid of it right? ...furthermore.. you can't say that you won't go out just because you have nits.. and you can't blame her kids for having nits too.. maybe they're more open minded.. and they don't feel embarassed about it? :)
1 person likes this
@misskatex (25)
• United States
29 Apr 07
I would be severely pissed! I understand it might be a little embarrassing that you/your children have lice but that doesn't mean to sit back and be all quiet while your kids hug all over someone else's kids and infecting them with lice. That's not cool. I can't really say what I'd do since I only had lice once when I got it from a neighbor and my mom treated it the night I got it so I never saw anyone else other than my family. My mom checks my brother and sisters hair frequently since she was a public nurse and knows how lice can spread like crazy with children.
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
29 Apr 07
No you aren't overreacting. I would have been livid. It's one thing if the woman hadn't known but since she did she should have either postponed the meeting or just kept it between you and her. She should not have exposed you and your children to them. That was wrong on her part. In my opinion she was way out of line. At the very least she should have kept it so that the hugging and such didn't happen. I would have told her so too right before leaving. I know how miserable it is to get lice and how hard it is to remove especially from long and thick hair.
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
28 Apr 07
How gross. She should have told you before . I hope she did not come to you house and sit on any upholstered as they can jump on to them as well as to other people.
1 person likes this
@kathy77 (7486)
• Australia
28 Apr 07
Hi Tanika, My goodness what is wrong with your friend and if she really was your friend then surely she would of told you not to hug her and her kids due to the children having nits and now you most probably all have these dreaded nits. Oh no you are definately not over reacting here as I would definately of felt the same way like you do in regards to this. When my children did get nits during their school lives then I got rid of them asap and did not let them go to school until they were all gone and I just stayed inside until mine had gone as well as I did not want to spread them to other friends and people I meet.
@gemini1960 (1161)
• Philippines
29 Apr 07
Im not so concerned about it , maybe because im a male not a female, but reading from it i will still give comments on that issue, i will be embarrased to be knowned that my children got lices on their head so that i will not informed my friend about, unluckily it was knowned, but im not going to be apologetic or something because its normal for kids to have that especially girls with long hair, maybe you are a little bit over reacting on this things.
1 person likes this
@Michele21 (3093)
• United States
28 Apr 07
I think that is REALLY rude of your friend not to say anything!! If my kids had lice I would have been like, "Oh don't hug her she has lice"...I wouldn't want someone else to get it!! That is totally gross and mean on her part not to say anything!! You have every right to be upset!!
1 person likes this
@mama4kids (690)
• United States
29 Apr 07
i would have been mor than pissed off!! i get angry when people come over clearly sick and just act as if it is ok for them to be around my kids sick. that drives me crazy. lice is one of my biggest fears in life. sounds sad but it is true. we have been lucky so far but i still get very nervous as every school year starts. now how ignorant is this fried? sorry but i had to ask. why didnt she take care of this problem asap regardless of if she was going over to see you or not. she is either extremely ignorant or just a nasty bi*ch. why would she want to get your house infested? that is just wrong. if i were you...i would never speak to her again. i am so angry right now for you!!! i am really boiling up over here..lol. i would be sooooooooooooooo pissed!!!! OMG...I am so angry for you!!!
