Sarah Gay

Last Fall, I shared some of the challenges of parenting a medically high-risk child in hopes that our story would provide a personal connection for anyone still undecided on the matter of mandating vaccines — and more broadly, public health decisions — for public school students. In the weeks following that publication, I had raw, wonderful conversations with coworkers, community acquaintances, and even a few journalists and policy-makers.

Every day as a parent is filled with countless choices that can result almost instantly in either joy or tragedy. Do I let my kid bike to a friend’s house, or do I give them a ride? Do I pack fruit snacks they will definitely eat for lunch, or cucumber slices they may ignore? Do I let them wear that disgusting “lucky” sweatshirt again, or do I secret it away to the washing machine?