I was just wondering how many here follow their sickness guidelines for themselves? If you had some of the same syptoms that a child would be sent home for do you close or do you push through and work?

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Hmmmmm, never thought about it but I suppose if I was teething or whiney and just not able to function normally I would stay home.

Sorry, couldn't help it....


I can't answer because in all honesty, I am never sick. Haven't taken a single sick day in 20 years. I get a bit of a runny nose once in a while but nothing else. I am sure I will pay for it in my old age but so far so good.

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I call in backup, when possible, or close.

It really only happened in my first few years.

My immune system is super charged, now, so I rarely get "exclusion" sick.

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No. I am an adult and don't spew my germs everywhere. PLUS I wash regularly and parents wouldn't like me to be closed that often.

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If I'm vomiting or running a high fever then I won't open but that has never happened (*knocksonwood*).

Otherwise, I do work through colds.

My illness policy isn't just about not spreading illness. My illness policy is made with MY workload in mind, as well as the comfort of the child. This is also why I exclude my own children from adhering to my daycare sick policy.

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I work through all but the worst. I take care to wash my hands alot, wear gloves and sanitize surfaces I'm using regularly. They give it to me anyway so it's not like I'm going to give it back.

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I don't get sick often but I work through it usually. I know to wash my hands and sneeze into my elbow so that makes a big difference between me and the darling little 2 yr old the germ sprayers.

If I get extremely sick I will close. Hasn't happened for a long time though.

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I always work through it, even well, you know! I dont think the parents would have sympathy, but if they knew I was you know, I think they would blame me if their kid got sick! cant win! dont get sick often though either! 16 yrs of kids slobbing on me has paid off!!!!!!

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I've had the flu bug twice during my 3 years. My assistant came in and ran the show for me.

I've had 2 debilitating migraines and asked families to pick up early if possible. Everyone did but it was only a half hour before my regular closing time.

Otherwise, I've had a sinus infection (nothing that kept me down to the point I couldn't work.)

And my first year I had a same day surgery. I close that Thursday and Friday and was back at it Monday. I couldn't do a lot of lifting for the first 2 weeks so my assistant helped a lot more than normal.

I'm seldomly sick. My psoriasis will flare before I get sick so I usually get a couple days heads up to double up on the vitamins and orange juice. And, (as gross as they are), I will occasionally just get a cold sore rather than getting sick. I hate them, they do nothing for my self esteem but I'd much rather have (what feels like) an appendage on my face than have to deal with itchy, watery eyes, a cough, sore throat, sinus issues, etc.

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I need to knock on wood, behold karma,

I have never been too ill too operate during DC hours. I have had sinus infections, (non contagious) and once had tore a muscle in my lower back trying to be a super hero. But I have never closed for an illness.

I would however follow my rules and do follow them for my own child...

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I have only closed once for my own illness(except Maternity leave). I get an occasional migraine but it has always worked out that it was either towards the end of the day, or my hubby was able to come home and stay with the kids so I could go to the dark room, until it passed. My parents know about my migraines and have been pretty understanding. One time I got one at the end of the day and one of my DCM could tell I was in agony. She offered to take my DD to swim lessons for me until my husband could make it there.

As for the illness I dont usually get sick. Besides having TONS of immunities I swear by the kids Immune boost gummies. And for my DCKs that get sick alot - I recommend them too.

Most of my sick closures are for my own kids but really that has only happened a handful of times over 10+ years. I usually just exclude my own kids and let it be up to the DC parents to decide whether to bring them. I have one DCF that gets really upset by this and thinks I should close, the rest would cry if I closed every time one of my 4 kids was really sick. But they are pretty healthy kids too and dont get anything that is ever too serious.

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It really depends upon what I have. If I have the same thing the kids have had for the last two weeks - no, I don't close. Once I thought I was coming down with strep and I gave the parents the option. Another time I had a severe kidney infection with high fever and I could NOT function enough to take care of kids. I closed for a whole week.

I'm hoping the next year goes better.

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I have had the stomach flu 3 times since 1998, once called off, once I called for early pick up and once DH took over. I did have foot surgery once and hired back up for the day of surgery, a Friday, and my daughter helped for a few days the next week.

OT: One of my daycare boys was just learning to walk and dcm took him to the dr for his check up. Dr was concerned as to the unusual way he was walking. Dcm started laughing cause he was mimicking the way I walked with my surgical boot on.

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I am RARELY SICK...but.. occasionally it has happened...
About 8 years ago a stomach flu went through the daycare... and.. I got it.. I was up through the night.. but was hopeful that I could make it ...so I didn't contact my clients...
I just HATE having to call all of them.. the MORNING OF... and say.. gee. sorry..I'm closed...but I have had to do it a handful of times over 20 years...
This day.. my first client arrived... 7:30.. and I was sitting in my rocking chair.. as she walked in.. I knew I was a goner... I looked up at her and said.. I am so sorry.. I have the virus.. I thought I was going to be able to make it...but.. I'm about to throw up now... she said.. Oh.. ok.. I better just not leave her.. I felt so bad for letting her get all they way to my daycare...
while she was preparing to leave.. another parent arrived.. I had to tell her same thing.. and.. as I walked them both toward the door.. another parent arrived... I felt just awful.. but I knew there was NO WAY I was going to be able to work...
I had to call all the other clients.. before they got here...

About 4 years ago I woke in the night with a crushing headache.. I was awake from about 3 a.m. on.. just crying.. my head hurt so bad I thought I was having an aneurysm.... no kidding...
I finally called all my clients... I really hated making that call..but I thought I was dieing...
I went to the doctor's office at opening time... they said it was a tension headache.. gave me pain pill and muscle relaxer...and sent me home with prescriptions.. after the meds kicked in..the headache was gone.. like it never happened.. I felt kind of silly closing the daycare... but the fact was.. there was no way I could have worked that day either...

I can work through colds.. sinus congestion... sniffling.. drainage... etc.. no problem...
but.. if I run a high fever.. ( about 6 years ago.. strep throat... 103 fever).. or if I have stomach flu... that's it.. I close down.. The good news is .. it happens once every few years...no more often than that..

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We muddle through when one of us is sick. I don't get sick often, but am actually just getting over a flue-y something!

I stay open, but I DO let parents know when one of us may be under the weather. It's up to them if they want to risk bringing their kids and they know that if their child DOES get sick, they can't blame me and they have to follow my policies on sick kids.

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I closed one day from a wicked GI bug. I couldn't leave the bathroom for fear of vomiting or popping my pants. It was awful. One day in 3.5 years isn't too bad.

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I definitely close if I have a stomach virus. I just can't watch other people's children when I have to spend most of the day in the bathroom and feel like I am going to die. Fortunately, that has not happened very often. I think the last time I had one it hit on the weekend...lucky me.

I also closed once because I woke up at 2 in the morning with a pounding headache. I do get headaches a few times a month (I think it may be one of my many lovely peri-menopause symptoms) but they usually subside when I take my prescription rx. This one was going nowhere though, I took the meds and managed to go to sleep for a little bit but the headache would not stop and had me in tears. I couldn't even get out of bed so I mass-texted my parents (they are all young parents who rely on cell phones for everything) and told them there was no way I could watch anyone that day. That was a really bad one...hoping I never see one like that again!

I guess I would close if I had a fever but I don't seem to get fevers...maybe my flu shop is paying off.

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