If you are sick you should stay home - I work with people who have compromised immunity so we should definitely stay home, however you tend to get looked down on if you do. Unfortunately staying home with your kids is seen as even worse - as if it is ****tails and croquet rather than the messy reality. My kids have had an awful gastro bug (with DD in at the RCH today) so I am off for my working week, having said that I rarely ever had sick leave before the kids!