Whipping Cough

Usually Ethan takes a long time to come out after school. He's social and has to talk to people. Plus he's usually left his stuff all over the entire school, so he has to go from class to class to pick  up pencil's books, notebooks, coat, etc. But Friday he came scooting out of the school before the bell had even stopped ringing. He ran strait to me with panic all over his face, and gasped, "Mom! There's a Whiping Caugh outbrake at school!" He was terrified! After talking to him more in depth about his fears (And hearing him tell me about his friend Benny who's dad "gave him a whipping cough and he couldn't sit down for two weeks") we finally got to the bottom of things. He thought that an outbreak was kind of like a prison break. And whooping cough (which is what we were REALLY dealing with) was whipping cough. So basically in his head some scary prisoners had broken out of jail and were running around the school whipping kids until they cough. We talked about it, and things got worked out, but that didn't stop him from asking everyone who even cleared their throat around him if they had the Whipping Cough. He also took the paper that the school handed out and was a public safety announcement to everyone we met. He approached all kinds of people, showing them the information, and giving them advice - avoid going places if you start coughing, cover your mouth with a tissue, then throw the tissue away, wash your hands with soap often... Just doing his community service you know. The city of Blanding is safer and healthier with Ethan around!