If DCP Changes Mind About Child Being Sick

[Indoorvoice]

I got a text from a dcm saying she was going to keep infant dcb home tomorrow because he was miserable with a runny nose. It's nothing I would exclude for unless he was really super miserable, but I appreciated her being proactive. About 2 hours later she texts again and said well he's playing fine and seems happy so I guess I'll send him tomorrow. Wwyd?

[KidGrind]

I would text back, “Per my policy once a parent calls out, I do not accept the child into care.”

If you do not have that policy, “Hello ______ Thank you for letting me know."

[hope]

I have had that happen to me a few times and it seems the child usually ends up sick the next day. If you don't have a policy to cover then I would text back saying that you would feel more comfortable having them check tomorrow morning to see how he is doing before making a decision to come.

[nannyde]

She most likely called in sick for tomorrow and then realized it would be a much better day off if she didn't have the sick kid.

omg nannyde always cracks me up

[Play Care]

My policy is that once they are called out, they are out.
So I would have texted back a reminder of that probably using Kidgrind's wording.

If you didn't already have that policy I would implement it ASAP. Twice this had happened to me before I did and both times the child needed to be sent home.

[Indoorvoice]

I definitely didn't have that policy, but will now. I never would have thought of it on my own! Luckily dcm dug herself a hole this morning and told me he threw up last night but quickly added that "it was just from the snot in his throat." I do have a policy for that, and is called no vomit for 24 hours. See ya, dcm!

[Heidi]

I would not say "no backsies" because then, no one would ever call the day before to inform us. They'd wait until the last minute.

As it turns out, you sent him home anyway.

What I would say (if it happens again) is "ok, but just a reminder this is my sick policy...."

[Indoorvoice]

Originally Posted by Heidi

I would not say "no backsies" because then, no one would ever call the day before to inform us. They'd wait until the last minute.

As it turns out, you sent him home anyway.

What I would say (if it happens again) is "ok, but just a reminder this is my sick policy...."

That's a good point, Heidi.

[Play Care]

Originally Posted by Heidi

I would not say "no backsies" because then, no one would ever call the day before to inform us. They'd wait until the last minute.

As it turns out, you sent him home anyway.

What I would say (if it happens again) is "ok, but just a reminder this is my sick policy...."

But, I wouldn't care if they called out at the last minute. I mean, there has been many a time I had a "wait and see" approach with my own kids (being punky on Sunday and waiting to make a call on school) Also, I have the 1 day policy. If mom keeps the kids home Monday and they do okay, they are back Tuesday. But if I send home, they miss most of Monday and all of Tuesday. So it's to their own benefit to be proactive with illness.

But honestly, I refuse to field work calls on the weekend, call me on a Sunday and I don't know you :P

[Ariana]

I would tell her to keep me posted on the situation and text me in the morning about whether or not she was going to send. she probably figured he was too sick and then saw that he wasn't. I'd accept him personally and make sure the mom was available if he needed to be picked up.

[Heidi]

Originally Posted by Play Care

But, I wouldn't care if they called out at the last minute. I mean, there has been many a time I had a "wait and see" approach with my own kids (being punky on Sunday and waiting to make a call on school) Also, I have the 1 day policy. If mom keeps the kids home Monday and they do okay, they are back Tuesday. But if I send home, they miss most of Monday and all of Tuesday. So it's to their own benefit to be proactive with illness.

But honestly, I refuse to field work calls on the weekend, call me on a Sunday and I don't know you :P

Well, the few times I've had to call out sick, I've known the night before (already felt like crap). I then texted the parents to give them a heads up that they may need back up, with a promise to text again in the a.m.

I prefer to know the day ahead, even if it's a Sunday. But, I have 3 children that are pretty early starters (all from different families). All are due at 7:15, but only one is right-as-rain on time. I like to know ahead of time if I have another 10 minutes to suck down my coffee in the a.m.

[KiddieCahoots]

I don't think I would've excluded, but....most of the time when a parent gives me a slight "heads up" about their child not feeling well, it usually ends up being 10x's worse than what they originally gave me "heads up" on.
That's now one of my cues from a parent to be veryyyy waryyyyyy, and more often than not, the child ends up being excused from daycare anyway.

[daycare]

I would have said something like OH no, sounds like johnny is starting to get sick. Let's see how the rest of his night goes and call me in the morning. I can then decide at that time if he will be able to attend or not.

Thanks for the heads up, I will talk to you in the morning.

I don't answer text messages of any kind on the weekend, so I would not have responded until Monday morning, which at that time I probably would have called dcm and talked to her.

I would then take that time to ask all of the questions making sure the child could attend. If the child was able to attend, I would then remind her of my 48 hour exclusion rule. Thank you for that rule BC.

If she sends child and I have to end up sending home, the child will be excluded for 48 hours instead of 24. Of course this also depends on the child's overall health. If they are really sick, they may need to be home longer than 48 hours.