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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Furious - Dose and Drop. Help!
midaycare 06:02 AM 12-11-2014
Yesterday I had a post about dcg throwing up and dcm blaming constipation. Today dcm dropped off and dcg was listless, didn't eat breakfast, has been crying ...

On a hunch I texted dcm and asked if she had any medication this morning because of the above. Dcm said yes she did, and she will pick dcg up when she is done with essential work duties.

This is grounds for automatic termination in my contract. I'm trying to think reasonably. I know dcm has a new promotion with new responsibility, but you can't dose and drop. Dcm has been so good to me, but seriously!!!!

Anybody have any advice on what to say in a calm manner?
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nannyde 06:08 AM 12-11-2014
Just for future... ask at the door not after she leaves.

Tell her to come right now and pick her up.
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permanentvacation 06:11 AM 12-11-2014
You could simply hand her a termination letter when she arrives and remind her that your contract states that dosing and dropping receives an immediate termination.

You could not terminate immediately, but firmly remind her about your dose and drop policy and tell her that as a daycare provider, you are quite able to tell when a parent has given the child medicine before daycare and if this happens again, you will terminate the next time.

You could remind her of the policy and tell her that when they dose and drop, the child is not able to participate in normal activities because of not feeling well and being medicated. If your supervisor/specialist pops in and he's not participating in the activities and just laying around, you will get in trouble for allowing him to lay around.

You could try to get her to care about her child'd feelings more by telling her he was crying/fussing and wanted to be held and just wanted Mommy. And when children feel that bad, they really need their parents to comfort them, not be dropped of to daycare where the daycare provider has to try to make them participate in activities when they just want to be held and comforted by Mommy.
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TheGoodLife 06:23 AM 12-11-2014
I am always wary of dose-and-drops; you rely on a parent being honest. She was honest this time, but you can bet that she won't ever admit again after she got caught and "gets in trouble." I would be furious that she left a child with a potentially serious medical problem in care under undisclosed medication! Did you have the discussion about what throwing up and constipation could mean? Previous "good parent" or not, that would be immediate termination- she put her essential work duties ahead of her responsibilities as a parent and left you in a potentially serious situation. What if something happened and you didn't know to tell a doctor or paramedic that she had medicine in her system? Not OK with me!
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craftymissbeth 06:29 AM 12-11-2014
If it's your policy to immediately term, then I'd tem. She was honest this time, but if you give her the talk about drug and dropping then she could just be sneakier next time, imo.
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Play Care 06:36 AM 12-11-2014
Wow. She went against a policy and is telling YOU when she will get there?!
I can't even say the words going through my head right now.
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hope 06:49 AM 12-11-2014
At the very least she needs to pick up right away. As pps stated yesterday, this can be serious and you do not need that at your home with other children to care for. Call her, do not text, and demand that she picks up immediately or you will call emergency contacts. At oick up let her know you need yo think and will talk later.
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therov 06:59 AM 12-11-2014
In addition to agreeing with others' suggestions for immediate action, I'd also call and let your local licensing office know about her actions. With a contentious relationship that could end angrily, she may call them up trying to accuse you of something. Report the interaction and termination to your licensing office so that they have your story on file, in the event she calls with a different version of events.

Good luck.
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midaycare 07:21 AM 12-11-2014
Ugh. I ended up terming. Next call is to licensing. Dcm begged me to reconsider. Right now, no way.
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craftymissbeth 07:22 AM 12-11-2014
Originally Posted by midaycare:
Ugh. I ended up terming. Next call is to licensing. Dcm begged me to reconsider. Right now, no way.
That stinks you had to term, but it was a good decision.
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Leigh 07:25 AM 12-11-2014
Originally Posted by midaycare:
Ugh. I ended up terming. Next call is to licensing. Dcm begged me to reconsider. Right now, no way.
It sucks to term. You lose money and a relationship. The thing is, once they realize that you don't enforce your policies for them, they think they're special and don't have to abide by any of your policies. It takes a lot of guts to term, but sometimes it needs to be done. Good luck to you-hope you fill that spot today!
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hope 07:41 AM 12-11-2014
This dcm found work more essential than her listless crying child. Terming was needed. Hopefully she will take the dcg to the doctor now.
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midaycare 07:46 AM 12-11-2014
Thank you everyone! I think I would have been a total wuss if I hadn't read your feedback this morning.
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Play Care 08:13 AM 12-11-2014
Originally Posted by midaycare:
Ugh. I ended up terming. Next call is to licensing. Dcm begged me to reconsider. Right now, no way.
Don't reconsider! As you know the mom is only asking this to buy more time. If you accept her back into care, know that she is looking to be able to be the one who "fires" you
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craftymissbeth 08:19 AM 12-11-2014
Originally Posted by Play Care:
Don't reconsider! As you know the mom is only asking this to buy more time. If you accept her back into care, know that she is looking to be able to be the one who "fires" you
Yep. At this point she will just want to stay in your care until she can find someone new.
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LysesKids 08:37 AM 12-11-2014
Originally Posted by hope:
This dcm found work more essential than her listless crying child. Terming was needed. Hopefully she will take the dcg to the doctor now.
I had a nurse that did this too me... I understand the job is important, but the child was sent to the same ER mom worked in because she neglected to tell me how bad her injury at home was the night before - baby is screaming in pain trying to sit and mom refused to come get her (I was 5 minutes from hospital); family ended up not only termed, but took off out of state to avoid cps taking the 2 kids (they were pissed when I notified them of the injury and how it happened - dog bite on 2 yr old child bottom with severe bruising & lacerations) - I don't own dogs because I work with tinies only, and it was obvious the wounds were at least 24 hrs old
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Unregistered 08:39 AM 12-11-2014
Logged out for privacy because I know this is not going to be popular. I wouldn't have termed. With the stress of a new promotion, the upcoming holidays and a child that wasn't feeling well yesterday, it may not have been an intentional dope and drop as evidenced by her saying something when you asked. She didn't try to hide it. She might not have thought anything of it. I would have a serious talk about it and let her know that if she is sick enough to be medicated she shouldn't be there. I especially would not term a parent that otherwise has been good to work with. There are just too many of them that aren't.
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craftymissbeth 09:03 AM 12-11-2014
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Logged out for privacy because I know this is not going to be popular. I wouldn't have termed. With the stress of a new promotion, the upcoming holidays and a child that wasn't feeling well yesterday, it may not have been an intentional dope and drop as evidenced by her saying something when you asked. She didn't try to hide it. She might not have thought anything of it. I would have a serious talk about it and let her know that if she is sick enough to be medicated she shouldn't be there. I especially would not term a parent that otherwise has been good to work with. There are just too many of them that aren't.
Drug and Drop is a serious offense, imo. It's dangerous. It opens providers up to a whole lotta unnecessary liability. She didn't openly mention it and only admitted it when asked... to me, that's hiding it. I very honestly don't give a rat's patootie what's going on in a parent's life... if they give their child medication and then send them to my daycare KNOWING (I have parents sign a separate exclusion policy just so I have added proof that they are aware of my policies) what my policy on medication is... they're gone.
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Cradle2crayons 09:54 AM 12-11-2014
I agree completely with the comments above and I would have termed too.

One thing though, I wouldn't have allowed the child into care today anyway because they vomited yesterday.

But regardless mom wasn't honest. Honest would have been telling you at drop off.

I'd have told her to pick up within 30 minute and termed her on the spot.

Op, you did the right thing!!
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EntropyControlSpecialist 10:02 AM 12-11-2014
Originally Posted by Cradle2crayons:
I agree completely with the comments above and I would have termed too.

One thing though, I wouldn't have allowed the child into care today anyway because they vomited yesterday.

But regardless mom wasn't honest. Honest would have been telling you at drop off.

I'd have told her to pick up within 30 minute and termed her on the spot.

Op, you did the right thing!!
I 100% agree! Holy moly.
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midaycare 11:18 AM 12-11-2014
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Logged out for privacy because I know this is not going to be popular. I wouldn't have termed. With the stress of a new promotion, the upcoming holidays and a child that wasn't feeling well yesterday, it may not have been an intentional dope and drop as evidenced by her saying something when you asked. She didn't try to hide it. She might not have thought anything of it. I would have a serious talk about it and let her know that if she is sick enough to be medicated she shouldn't be there. I especially would not term a parent that otherwise has been good to work with. There are just too many of them that aren't.
Part of the reason for terming today was her dumping dcg with me yesterday and as walking out the door she says, "Dcg vomited last night, but it was from constipation. Bye!" I didn't even get a chance to respond. And today, now this. So I felt like it was 2 days of really disregarding my policies. I let yesterday slip by.

I am very relaxed with dcf's, and I let a lot of things slide. I have good dcf's. 5 minutes late, 10 minutes early, eh, I really don't care in the scheme of things. But this I do care about. There is so much responsibility on my hands if dcg were to have a reaction from the meds.
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craftymissbeth 11:26 AM 12-11-2014
Originally Posted by midaycare:
Part of the reason for terming today was her dumping dcg with me yesterday and as walking out the door she says, "Dcg vomited last night, but it was from constipation. Bye!" I didn't even get a chance to respond. And today, now this. So I felt like it was 2 days of really disregarding my policies. I let yesterday slip by.

I am very relaxed with dcf's, and I let a lot of things slide. I have good dcf's. 5 minutes late, 10 minutes early, eh, I really don't care in the scheme of things. But this I do care about. There is so much responsibility on my hands if dcg were to have a reaction from the meds.


I'm also super relaxed when it comes to most of my policies, but absolutely not flexible when it comes to my exclusion/illness/medication policies.
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Parent 11:28 AM 12-11-2014
What kinds of medicine are we talking about here? While I wouldn't give my kid Tylenol for a fever before dropoff, I can't keep him out for a week while he takes a course of prescription cough syrup. That stuff makes him a little out of it, but he's not contagious and participates, albeit not as much as usual.
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craftymissbeth 11:35 AM 12-11-2014
Originally Posted by Parent:
What kinds of medicine are we talking about here? While I wouldn't give my kid Tylenol for a fever before dropoff, I can't keep him out for a week while he takes a course of prescription cough syrup. That stuff makes him a little out of it, but he's not contagious and participates, albeit not as much as usual.
idk what kind OP's parent gave their child, but if a parent gave their child ANY medication and then failed to document it in their medication log here at daycare they would be terminated.
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midaycare 11:41 AM 12-11-2014
Originally Posted by Parent:
What kinds of medicine are we talking about here? While I wouldn't give my kid Tylenol for a fever before dropoff, I can't keep him out for a week while he takes a course of prescription cough syrup. That stuff makes him a little out of it, but he's not contagious and participates, albeit not as much as usual.
It was ibuprofen. Had she told me about it, I wouldn't have cared, wouldn't have excluded, nor would have termed.

I am very lenient with dcf's and sick kiddos. I understand how hard it is. But masking a fever is not okay in my book. And I do have a separate page in my handbook that is gone over by me and separately signed by the parent. I am very detailed about not dosing and dropping. I sit down with each parent - mother and father - and go over every handbook rule page by slow page.

I believe, although I truly do like dcm, that she did purposely mask a fever this morning and just got caught. When I questioned her about dcg this morning because she was very clingy, dcm told me it was just a "bad mood".

I always ask dcf's "How is dcg or dcb today?" They have the opportunity to tell me when something is wrong, and if they are honest, I usually can find a way to work with them and rarely exclude.
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Kabob 12:01 PM 12-11-2014
Originally Posted by midaycare:
It was ibuprofen. Had she told me about it, I wouldn't have cared, wouldn't have excluded, nor would have termed.

I am very lenient with dcf's and sick kiddos. I understand how hard it is. But masking a fever is not okay in my book. And I do have a separate page in my handbook that is gone over by me and separately signed by the parent. I am very detailed about not dosing and dropping. I sit down with each parent - mother and father - and go over every handbook rule page by slow page.

I believe, although I truly do like dcm, that she did purposely mask a fever this morning and just got caught. When I questioned her about dcg this morning because she was very clingy, dcm told me it was just a "bad mood".

I always ask dcf's "How is dcg or dcb today?" They have the opportunity to tell me when something is wrong, and if they are honest, I usually can find a way to work with them and rarely exclude.
I let parents get away with this in the past and regretted it. We all got very sick often and their children took way longer than anyone else to recover and just were miserable.

It's dangerous to medicate a child and not tell your provider. They could have a reaction to the new medication in their system. They could require medical attention and the provider wouldn't know it. They could have something highly contagious and the provider wouldn't know until they've been exposed to children that wouldn't have been exposed at all if the child had been kept home (some children here are part time so they aren't exposed to children who are sick but have no symptoms so the "well everyone was exposed anyway" excuse isn't true here), and so forth.

If you didn't stick with your policy then what else would she have snuck in?

Also, lying to me in order to break any policy is not okay. It ruins the trust that is absolutely required from both parents and provider in order to make the daycare relationship work.
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Blackcat31 01:03 PM 12-11-2014
Originally Posted by Parent:
What kinds of medicine are we talking about here? While I wouldn't give my kid Tylenol for a fever before dropoff, I can't keep him out for a week while he takes a course of prescription cough syrup. That stuff makes him a little out of it, but he's not contagious and participates, albeit not as much as usual.
Why not? It's YOUR child and YOUR responsibility to manage his physical, mental and emotional condition.

Including times where he is excluded from his child care.

If your provider excluded for something like that it would be YOUR responsibility to find back up care rather than just assume that since you can't take that much time off work or keep your child home that the provider should simply be the one to take care of it.

Providers manage MULTIPLE kids/families as well as their own.

YOUR individual situation has NO bearing on that.
Your individual situation is your issue to manage.

I'm tired of reading posts from parents about how little PTO time they have left or how difficult it is that they have to manage or deal with their child's issues.

It's not MY child so its not MY problem.
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CraftyMom 01:57 PM 12-11-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Why not? It's YOUR child and YOUR responsibility to manage his physical, mental and emotional condition.

Including times where he is excluded from his child care.

If your provider excluded for something like that it would be YOUR responsibility to find back up care rather than just assume that since you can't take that much time off work or keep your child home that the provider should simply be the one to take care of it.

Providers manage MULTIPLE kids/families as well as their own.

YOUR individual situation has NO bearing on that.
Your individual situation is your issue to manage.

I'm tired of reading posts from parents about how little PTO time they have left or how difficult it is that they have to manage or deal with their child's issues.

It's not MY child so its not MY problem.


"My kid is sick, but I can't take time off, so you deal with him being sick and miserable. I'll be at work not having to deal with his misery at all"
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TheGoodLife 02:54 PM 12-11-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Why not? It's YOUR child and YOUR responsibility to manage his physical, mental and emotional condition.

Including times where he is excluded from his child care.

If your provider excluded for something like that it would be YOUR responsibility to find back up care rather than just assume that since you can't take that much time off work or keep your child home that the provider should simply be the one to take care of it.

Providers manage MULTIPLE kids/families as well as their own.

YOUR individual situation has NO bearing on that.
Your individual situation is your issue to manage.

I'm tired of reading posts from parents about how little PTO time they have left or how difficult it is that they have to manage or deal with their child's issues.

It's not MY child so its not MY problem.
Parents can't have both. Many like to come to home daycares because it's cheaper than centers BUT if you want to be guaranteed against emergency last-minute closures that's the price! I have only had to close 2 times with one-days notice, but it could happen at any time. If you know that's something you can't afford to risk, you need to look for other options.
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hope 02:54 PM 12-11-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Why not? It's YOUR child and YOUR responsibility to manage his physical, mental and emotional condition.

Including times where he is excluded from his child care.

If your provider excluded for something like that it would be YOUR responsibility to find back up care rather than just assume that since you can't take that much time off work or keep your child home that the provider should simply be the one to take care of it.

Providers manage MULTIPLE kids/families as well as their own.

YOUR individual situation has NO bearing on that.
Your individual situation is your issue to manage.

I'm tired of reading posts from parents about how little PTO time they have left or how difficult it is that they have to manage or deal with their child's issues.

It's not MY child so its not MY problem.
I agree. Parents sign the contract knowing the rules of group care and then expect us providers to go against our own rules.
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midaycare 03:11 PM 12-11-2014
Today was so eye opening. I'm really glad to have this group because often things come up in this business and I just don't know what to do. I had to get over the shock that a dcm would be so disrespectful to do this. Now that I know they will, my eyes are wide open.
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CraftyMom 03:36 PM 12-11-2014
Originally Posted by midaycare:
Today was so eye opening. I'm really glad to have this group because often things come up in this business and I just don't know what to do. I had to get over the shock that a dcm would be so disrespectful to do this. Now that I know they will, my eyes are wide open.
Was this an immediate term? How did you word it to her? Just wondering so I can make a mental note for the future
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midaycare 03:50 PM 12-11-2014
Originally Posted by CraftyMom:
Was this an immediate term? How did you word it to her? Just wondering so I can make a mental note for the future
It was an immediate term. That is how it is worded in my contract. It says if you drug your child to mask an illness and don't tell me, it is grounds for immediate termination.

I handed her a copy of her signature on that policy (I have a scanner, so I made a quick scan/copy), I told her that while I am quite flexible with things like drop off and pick up times (it's one of my selling points around here), I can not bend this policy, no matter how much I like dcm and dcg. I told her my trust as a dcp was gone and it would be impossible to care for dcg, always wondering if I was getting the truth. I handed her the term notice, listened to her excuses for a few minutes, and told her firmly that I would not accept dcg back.

I can see what happened. Dcg was out sick all last week. Dcm didn't want to miss more work, especially with her new promotion. I might have had more sympathy, but dcm and dcd have extensive family roots here and can find people to watch dcg if they really need to.
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Josiegirl 10:20 AM 12-12-2014
Originally Posted by midaycare:
Part of the reason for terming today was her dumping dcg with me yesterday and as walking out the door she says, "Dcg vomited last night, but it was from constipation. Bye!" I didn't even get a chance to respond. And today, now this. So I felt like it was 2 days of really disregarding my policies. I let yesterday slip by.

I am very relaxed with dcf's, and I let a lot of things slide. I have good dcf's. 5 minutes late, 10 minutes early, eh, I really don't care in the scheme of things. But this I do care about. There is so much responsibility on my hands if dcg were to have a reaction from the meds.
I was ready to side with the one reply of not terming, until I read this part too. Two days in a row of dropping off a sick kid.........ugh. I hope it doesn't now pass through the whole group. Just in time for the holidays.
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Parent 11:31 AM 12-15-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Why not? It's YOUR child and YOUR responsibility to manage his physical, mental and emotional condition.

Including times where he is excluded from his child care.

If your provider excluded for something like that it would be YOUR responsibility to find back up care rather than just assume that since you can't take that much time off work or keep your child home that the provider should simply be the one to take care of it.

Providers manage MULTIPLE kids/families as well as their own.

YOUR individual situation has NO bearing on that.
Your individual situation is your issue to manage.

I'm tired of reading posts from parents about how little PTO time they have left or how difficult it is that they have to manage or deal with their child's issues.

It's not MY child so its not MY problem.

Really? You like getting paid, no? It's a simple equation really. If I take too much time off, I lose my job. If I lose my job then I no longer need your services. I'm not sure why that's such a hard concept.

We're not talking about a walking contagion here. This is a kid who might have some congestion, but is fine with a morning/night cough suppresant.

Do you close your doors every time you (or your kid) has a runny nose? How about while taking the last 7-9 days of an antibiotic? Didn't think so. You act like you want to hold parents to such high standards, but are you holding yourself to the same standards?
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preschoolteacher 11:37 AM 12-15-2014
Originally Posted by Parent:
Really? You like getting paid, no? It's a simple equation really. If I take too much time off, I lose my job. If I lose my job then I no longer need your services. I'm not sure why that's such a hard concept.

We're not talking about a walking contagion here. This is a kid who might have some congestion, but is fine with a morning/night cough suppresant.

Do you close your doors every time you (or your kid) has a runny nose? How about while taking the last 7-9 days of an antibiotic? Didn't think so. You act like you want to hold parents to such high standards, but are you holding yourself to the same standards?
You are misinformed. No provider I've ever met online or in person would exclude a child for mild congestion. Certainly no one mentioned keeping a kid out for mild congestion in this post.

Providers exclude for things like fever over 100, vomiting, diarrhea, unexplained rashes,and so on.

If you signed up with a provider who excludes for a common cold, you knew that going into it.
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AuntTami 11:44 AM 12-15-2014
Originally Posted by Parent:
Really? You like getting paid, no? It's a simple equation really. If I take too much time off, I lose my job. If I lose my job then I no longer need your services. I'm not sure why that's such a hard concept.

We're not talking about a walking contagion here. This is a kid who might have some congestion, but is fine with a morning/night cough suppresant.

Do you close your doors every time you (or your kid) has a runny nose? How about while taking the last 7-9 days of an antibiotic? Didn't think so. You act like you want to hold parents to such high standards, but are you holding yourself to the same standards?
Sure we want to get paid, but we also want to get paid from ALL of our parents, not just one family. Which means we do what is best for the GROUP, which includes not taking sick children.

I personally allow kids to come if they have a minor cold(sniffling, runny nose, dry non productive cough etc) However, if they're coughing up mucous, or their nose is running more than I can keep up with without jeopardizing the safety of ALL of my children, then parents get called for pick up.

It is YOUR responsibility, as a parent, to have a back up provider. That's the price you pay when you sign your child up for an in-home provider vs. a center, you need to have a back up provider because sometimes things happen. We get sick, too!

If I needed to take an antibiotic and my doctor said I needed to stay away from children while I took it, you bet your butt that I would close my doors. If a child went to the doctor and was given an antibiotic, I would exclude until the doctor gave the OK PER a doctors NOTE, not based on parents word, that it would be okay for the child to come back. If thats 2 days, or 2 weeks, that's up to the DOCTOR to decide. I follow doctors orders.
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Parent 11:50 AM 12-15-2014
Originally Posted by AuntTami:
Sure we want to get paid, but we also want to get paid from ALL of our parents, not just one family. Which means we do what is best for the GROUP, which includes not taking sick children.

I personally allow kids to come if they have a minor cold(sniffling, runny nose, dry non productive cough etc) However, if they're coughing up mucous, or their nose is running more than I can keep up with without jeopardizing the safety of ALL of my children, then parents get called for pick up.

It is YOUR responsibility, as a parent, to have a back up provider. That's the price you pay when you sign your child up for an in-home provider vs. a center, you need to have a back up provider because sometimes things happen. We get sick, too!

If I needed to take an antibiotic and my doctor said I needed to stay away from children while I took it, you bet your butt that I would close my doors. If a child went to the doctor and was given an antibiotic, I would exclude until the doctor gave the OK PER a doctors NOTE, not based on parents word, that it would be okay for the child to come back. If thats 2 days, or 2 weeks, that's up to the DOCTOR to decide. I follow doctors orders.
In the situation I'm talking about, I did have a doctor's note clearing him to return. Like I said in my original post, he wasn't contagious. I had kept him out two days the previous week and was a good 3-4 days into the course of medicine.
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Blackcat31 12:12 PM 12-15-2014
Originally Posted by Parent:
Really? You like getting paid, no? It's a simple equation really. If I take too much time off, I lose my job. If I lose my job then I no longer need your services. I'm not sure why that's such a hard concept.

We're not talking about a walking contagion here. This is a kid who might have some congestion, but is fine with a morning/night cough suppresant.

Do you close your doors every time you (or your kid) has a runny nose? How about while taking the last 7-9 days of an antibiotic? Didn't think so. You act like you want to hold parents to such high standards, but are you holding yourself to the same standards?
Still not connecting YOUR parental responsibilities to them being MY issue.

If your child is excluded from care for whatever reason, it's YOUR responsibility to have a back up plan so that you can work.

NONE of that has ANYTHING to do with your child care provider.

As for my own children, yes....every single time they were excluded from their care provider I found a back up provider if I needed to be at work and yes, for the record, you can search my posts but I have ALWAYS advocated for providers to follow their own illness policies so please don't assume that I require my clients to follow different standards than I myself follow.

If you read the handbook/policy book your provider has and it says your child will be excluded from care for xxx illnesses and conditions and you can't manage that, then find another provider. It's not a hard concept.

I am VEYR strict with my illness polices and my clients know AND agree with them......or they wouldn't have signed on with me.

Their job retention due to caring for their own child has ZERO to do with me.
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permanentvacation 12:13 PM 12-15-2014
Parent,

Yes, the simple equation is... sick child=stays home. There's your equation. The amount of time a parent takes off work is not the provider's problem. Parents need to have back up child care if they are not able to take off work themselves whenever their child is ill.

In my area, the law states that a child must be home while ill PLUS be home while HEALTHY for 24 hours before they can return to daycare. It's for the health and safety of EVERYONE in the child care environment. The fact that some parents only think of themselves and not the health of the other children in the daycare or the health of the daycare provider is horribly selfish and irresponsible. Yes, I understand that the parent needs to work, but not at the risk of other children's health.

Picture this...
You are one daycare provider with 6-10 kids (different states allow different amounts of children), you and the children are sitting on the floor in circle time. Johnny, who you just knew didn't feel well and were sure his mother doped him up with medicine that morning, with no warning throws up spewing puke on another child and yourself. Now, you have puke on 3 people that you have to clean up, puke all over the floor, Johnny and the other child he threw up on are crying, you have throw up all over your lap, all over the floor, and the other 4-8 children start retching as if they are going to throw up now. You have to stop the activity you were doing, undress the two children (one at a time), wash them off with diaper wipes, put their messy clothes in bags, dress them in their spare clothes (often, at this moment, Johnny will throw up a second time), and you are still wearing puked on clothes! You certainly can't take a shower, so the best you can do is quickly change clothes and wipe your self off with a rag, paper towels, or diaper wipes as quickly as possible as to not leave your children unattended too long. You also have to clean the throw up out of the carpet where you were sitting for circle time. While you are washing and redressing the 2 children, getting yourself cleaned up and redressed, and cleaning puke out of the carpet, you also have to keep the children calm and occupied. You have to call Johnny's parents to tell them to come get him, and you have to call the other child's parents and explain that Johnny threw up on their child! Do you want your child to be thrown up on at daycare by another child who's mother KNEW he was sick that morning but sent him to daycare anyway? I don't think you do!

So, yes, it is REQUIRED that you keep your sick child home.
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Heidi 12:18 PM 12-15-2014
Originally Posted by Parent:
In the situation I'm talking about, I did have a doctor's note clearing him to return. Like I said in my original post, he wasn't contagious. I had kept him out two days the previous week and was a good 3-4 days into the course of medicine.
Most of us here try to be reasonable, really. It's usually a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or unable to participate in activities (think glassy eyed kid who whines all day..now imagine caring for 5-8 other ones). The OP's situation was that the parent used medication to try to HIDE the fact that she was bringing a sick child to daycare. A child TOO sick to be at daycare.

If your child was sick, but had a lingering cough, most of us would not exclude him knowing that you'd been to the doctor, and that you'd be giving him cough medicine per the doctor's instructions, and that he was behaving like a well child.

Knowing it is important, because any type of medical emergency could (hopefully would never) come up, and one of the first questions emergency personnel would ask is "has he taken any medication?". Obviously, a provider giving the wrong answer could endanger the child.

BC got a little feisty because we get a lot of "well, I can't take any more time off work". Well, they are NOT our children, and therefore, that part really isn't our responsibility. As other's have said, our responsibility is to the group, and that includes the provider. If we close because we're now sick due to a dope-and-drop, then EVERYBODY gets ticked off.
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Heidi 12:23 PM 12-15-2014
Originally Posted by permanentvacation:
Parent,

Yes, the simple equation is... sick child=stays home. There's your equation. The amount of time a parent takes off work is not the provider's problem. Parents need to have back up child care if they are not able to take off work themselves whenever their child is ill.

In my area, the law states that a child must be home while ill PLUS be home while HEALTHY for 24 hours before they can return to daycare. It's for the health and safety of EVERYONE in the child care environment. The fact that some parents only think of themselves and not the health of the other children in the daycare or the health of the daycare provider is horribly selfish and irresponsible. Yes, I understand that the parent needs to work, but not at the risk of other children's health.

Picture this...
You are one daycare provider with 6-10 kids (different states allow different amounts of children), you and the children are sitting on the floor in circle time. Johnny, who you just knew didn't feel well and were sure his mother doped him up with medicine that morning, with no warning throws up spewing puke on another child and yourself. Now, you have puke on 3 people that you have to clean up, puke all over the floor, Johnny and the other child he threw up on are crying, you have throw up all over your lap, all over the floor, and the other 4-8 children start retching as if they are going to throw up now. You have to stop the activity you were doing, undress the two children (one at a time), wash them off with diaper wipes, put their messy clothes in bags, dress them in their spare clothes (often, at this moment, Johnny will throw up a second time), and you are still wearing puked on clothes! You certainly can't take a shower, so the best you can do is quickly change clothes and wipe your self off with a rag, paper towels, or diaper wipes as quickly as possible as to not leave your children unattended too long. You also have to clean the throw up out of the carpet where you were sitting for circle time. While you are washing and redressing the 2 children, getting yourself cleaned up and redressed, and cleaning puke out of the carpet, you also have to keep the children calm and occupied. You have to call Johnny's parents to tell them to come get him, and you have to call the other child's parents and explain that Johnny threw up on their child! Do you want your child to be thrown up on at daycare by another child who's mother KNEW he was sick that morning but sent him to daycare anyway? I don't think you do!


So, yes, it is REQUIRED that you keep your sick child home.

She is NOT making up this scenario. Every single seasoned daycare provider has had this exact same thing happen at least once, if not more. But, she forgot about the infants who immediately crawl over to see what's going on, and then crawl THROUGH the mess.
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CraftyMom 12:24 PM 12-15-2014
Originally Posted by permanentvacation:
Parent,

Yes, the simple equation is... sick child=stays home. There's your equation. The amount of time a parent takes off work is not the provider's problem. Parents need to have back up child care if they are not able to take off work themselves whenever their child is ill.

In my area, the law states that a child must be home while ill PLUS be home while HEALTHY for 24 hours before they can return to daycare. It's for the health and safety of EVERYONE in the child care environment. The fact that some parents only think of themselves and not the health of the other children in the daycare or the health of the daycare provider is horribly selfish and irresponsible. Yes, I understand that the parent needs to work, but not at the risk of other children's health.

Picture this...
You are one daycare provider with 6-10 kids (different states allow different amounts of children), you and the children are sitting on the floor in circle time. Johnny, who you just knew didn't feel well and were sure his mother doped him up with medicine that morning, with no warning throws up spewing puke on another child and yourself. Now, you have puke on 3 people that you have to clean up, puke all over the floor, Johnny and the other child he threw up on are crying, you have throw up all over your lap, all over the floor, and the other 4-8 children start retching as if they are going to throw up now. You have to stop the activity you were doing, undress the two children (one at a time), wash them off with diaper wipes, put their messy clothes in bags, dress them in their spare clothes (often, at this moment, Johnny will throw up a second time), and you are still wearing puked on clothes! You certainly can't take a shower, so the best you can do is quickly change clothes and wipe your self off with a rag, paper towels, or diaper wipes as quickly as possible as to not leave your children unattended too long. You also have to clean the throw up out of the carpet where you were sitting for circle time. While you are washing and redressing the 2 children, getting yourself cleaned up and redressed, and cleaning puke out of the carpet, you also have to keep the children calm and occupied. You have to call Johnny's parents to tell them to come get him, and you have to call the other child's parents and explain that Johnny threw up on their child! Do you want your child to be thrown up on at daycare by another child who's mother KNEW he was sick that morning but sent him to daycare anyway? I don't think you do!

So, yes, it is REQUIRED that you keep your sick child home.


And this isn't an exaggeration.. I literally had this happen to me! During circle time, child throws up on me, himself, and the child next to him. I have to loudly yell FREEZE as kids start freaking out and stepping in the vomit. Sick child is crying and vomits again. I quickly stripped everyone contaminated down and let them be in their diapers for a while, and sent them in the other room with tv while I cleaned, except the sick child who I laid on his mat. Called the mom then quickly changed my clothes. At this point the child has a fever now.

Very stressful situation to say the least. I do not desire to clean your child's vomit and then clean his friends who have been vomited on and ran through it, and clean myself. Not to mention the horrible stench that lingered.

Permanent Vacation, it's like you were in my home that day

All could have been avoided, mom says "Oh yeah he said he wasn't feeling well this morning, I thought he was exaggerating"
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Cradle2crayons 12:34 PM 12-15-2014
Originally Posted by CraftyMom:


And this isn't an exaggeration.. I literally had this happen to me! During circle time, child throws up on me, himself, and the child next to him. I have to loudly yell FREEZE as kids start freaking out and stepping in the vomit. Sick child is crying and vomits again. I quickly stripped everyone contaminated down and let them be in their diapers for a while, and sent them in the other room with tv while I cleaned, except the sick child who I laid on his mat. Called the mom then quickly changed my clothes. At this point the child has a fever now.

Very stressful situation to say the least. I do not desire to clean your child's vomit and then clean his friends who have been vomited on and ran through it, and clean myself. Not to mention the horrible stench that lingered.

Permanent Vacation, it's like you were in my home that day

All could have been avoided, mom says "Oh yeah he said he wasn't feeling well this morning, I thought he was exaggerating"
You forgot to mention.... You fall the parents and they refuse to pick up, say they can't miss work, they'll try to call the auntie, etc etc etc
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Parent 12:38 PM 12-15-2014
Again, I point to my original statement. "While I wouldn't give my kid Tylenol for a fever before dropoff, I can't keep him out for a week while he takes a course of prescription cough syrup."

I will keep him out when he's sick and/or actively contagious, and especially if he's puking. I got puked on for the first time a few weeks ago and it sucked. But, I just can't keep him out because he's finishing up a course of cough syrup/antibiotics. If I've seen the pedi and the kid has been cleared to go back to daycare then I have to go back to work.

My job actually requires a copy of the doctor's note. If I have a note that says he's cleared to return to day care on Monday then my boss requires me to be there on Monday. Not on Tuesday, or Wednesday, or next Monday when my kid finishes the entire course of meds. I only get 6 sick days a year, and only three of them are paid. If I'm lucky I can find backup for a day or two, but I don't have anyone who is available for a week at a time for something like this. Exclusion simply for being on a medicine would wipe me out by Feb 1.

I do understand that there are more families than just mine that you have to think about. However, I seriously doubt that these families are going to pay my bills if I lose my job.
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hope 12:47 PM 12-15-2014
Originally Posted by Parent:
Again, I point to my original statement. "While I wouldn't give my kid Tylenol for a fever before dropoff, I can't keep him out for a week while he takes a course of prescription cough syrup."

I will keep him out when he's sick and/or actively contagious, and especially if he's puking. I got puked on for the first time a few weeks ago and it sucked. But, I just can't keep him out because he's finishing up a course of cough syrup/antibiotics. If I've seen the pedi and the kid has been cleared to go back to daycare then I have to go back to work.

My job actually requires a copy of the doctor's note. If I have a note that says he's cleared to return to day care on Monday then my boss requires me to be there on Monday. Not on Tuesday, or Wednesday, or next Monday when my kid finishes the entire course of meds. I only get 6 sick days a year, and only three of them are paid. If I'm lucky I can find backup for a day or two, but I don't have anyone who is available for a week at a time for something like this. Exclusion simply for being on a medicine would wipe me out by Feb 1.

I do understand that there are more families than just mine that you have to think about. However, I seriously doubt that these families are going to pay my bills if I lose my job.
Hire a nanny. Hope that nanny is willing to also do sick care. Many will not. Have a family member or friend watch your sick child. Care.com has sick babysitters. There are options out there. You chose to hire a daycare provider that requires sick children to be kept at home for the safety of the group. You chose group care verses a nanny. You chose the job that requires a doctors note. None of that is your daycare providers choice. She chose to run a business with rules that you agreed to and no longer like.
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midaycare 12:51 PM 12-15-2014
Originally Posted by Parent:
Again, I point to my original statement. "While I wouldn't give my kid Tylenol for a fever before dropoff, I can't keep him out for a week while he takes a course of prescription cough syrup."

I will keep him out when he's sick and/or actively contagious, and especially if he's puking. I got puked on for the first time a few weeks ago and it sucked. But, I just can't keep him out because he's finishing up a course of cough syrup/antibiotics. If I've seen the pedi and the kid has been cleared to go back to daycare then I have to go back to work.

My job actually requires a copy of the doctor's note. If I have a note that says he's cleared to return to day care on Monday then my boss requires me to be there on Monday. Not on Tuesday, or Wednesday, or next Monday when my kid finishes the entire course of meds. I only get 6 sick days a year, and only three of them are paid. If I'm lucky I can find backup for a day or two, but I don't have anyone who is available for a week at a time for something like this. Exclusion simply for being on a medicine would wipe me out by Feb 1.

I do understand that there are more families than just mine that you have to think about. However, I seriously doubt that these families are going to pay my bills if I lose my job.
I am not aware of anyone's policies who are that strict. I am the OP on this thread. I administer meds to kids; I have no problem with it. I am very sympathetic to parents and missing work.

I am not sympathetic to dose and drop.

But keeping into consideration your sick days and lack of backup care, you are probably a lot better fit for a daycare center.
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Blackcat31 12:51 PM 12-15-2014
Originally Posted by Parent:
Again, I point to my original statement. "While I wouldn't give my kid Tylenol for a fever before dropoff, I can't keep him out for a week while he takes a course of prescription cough syrup."

I will keep him out when he's sick and/or actively contagious, and especially if he's puking. I got puked on for the first time a few weeks ago and it sucked. But, I just can't keep him out because he's finishing up a course of cough syrup/antibiotics. If I've seen the pedi and the kid has been cleared to go back to daycare then I have to go back to work.

My job actually requires a copy of the doctor's note. If I have a note that says he's cleared to return to day care on Monday then my boss requires me to be there on Monday. Not on Tuesday, or Wednesday, or next Monday when my kid finishes the entire course of meds. I only get 6 sick days a year, and only three of them are paid. If I'm lucky I can find backup for a day or two, but I don't have anyone who is available for a week at a time for something like this. Exclusion simply for being on a medicine would wipe me out by Feb 1.

I do understand that there are more families than just mine that you have to think about. However, I seriously doubt that these families are going to pay my bills if I lose my job.
My handbook/contract CLEARLY states that I do NOT accept notes from a Dr clearing a child to be re-admitted to care.

The Dr is not the one caring for the child, I am so it is MY call to make. Also, I am curious as to what type of cough a child can have that is not contagious?

IME, coughs are caused by viruses and as long as the child is coughing, he IS contagious.

Also, I have pretty strict medication policies and I don't normally allow children needing medication to make it through the day to be in care. Too much liability.

In your case, you said a prescription cough medicine...which means the child's cough was severe enough that medication was warranted to help eliminate the cough. If the cough was severe enough to be disruptive to the other kids, I would exclude for that as well.

I understand that you have limited PTO days, some which are even paid....which is a lot more than most providers get. If we get sick and close, we put out more than just one family so my point was YOUR needs/situation do NOT over ride the needs of the group as a whole.

If you could not arrange for a back up provider for the times in which your child is excluded, then you need to be finding a daycare provider that is willing to work with you instead of trying to convince me that YOUR situation is MY problem.

I don't mean to sound snarky or rude to you... I am just making a point that we all have responsibilities and sometimes they are hard to manage but you do what your have to do when you are a parent. This too will pass and your child wont be little forever.
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Parent 12:53 PM 12-15-2014
Originally Posted by hope:
Hire a nanny. Hope that nanny is willing to also do sick care. Many will not. Have a family member or friend watch your sick child. Care.com has sick babysitters. There are options out there. You chose to hire a daycare provider that requires sick children to be kept at home for the safety of the group. You chose group care verses a nanny. You chose the job that requires a doctors note. None of that is your daycare providers choice. She chose to run a business with rules that you agreed to and no longer like.
LOL. You actually think that a job that only allows for 6 sick days a year actually pays enough to hire a nanny? In what world are you living?

And for the record, I was actually commenting on the attitudes here, not my own care situation. As long as the kid is cleared to return then he can come back. I'll let her know that he's on X, Y, or Z meds, but unless he's going to spread his germs then he gets to stay.
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Sugaree 01:00 PM 12-15-2014
Ouch. While there are a few things I dislike about my center, at least they are associated with my job and tend to understand our mission requirements. I get mad about being called for stupid stuff (although that has ceased since he moved into a new class), but also can't imagine having that little time off. That is rediculous.
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hope 01:03 PM 12-15-2014
I have a dcm that when considering to have a 3rd child or not, took into consideration how many sick days both her and her husband had per year. She figured adding another child would also add more sick days they would have to take. Parents who have 5 or 6 children would be sending their sick children to care all the time under your logic. They would have one sick day per kid so it must be the providers responsibility to take them and care for them when sick.
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Rockgirl 01:07 PM 12-15-2014
Bottom line, if a potential daycare provider's sick policy doesn't work for you, don't enroll there. Definitely don't enroll there, then try to sneak a sick/medicated child into daycare, when it's clearly against policy.
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preschoolteacher 01:13 PM 12-15-2014
Yes, I agree the job that Parent has sounds unfriendly to families and has harsh PTO policies overall. And it's likely that Parent's daycare provider may be more strict than normal regarding the illness policy (if it's true the child is excluded for a mild, non contagious cough and is otherwise healthy).

I'd recommend finding a new job, a more flexible daycare arrangement (center, maybe) or both.

It is very hard because parents always say they can't take more time off. They always worry about illnesses. I've been open a year and have had in my daycare 6 puking incidents, about the same incidents with diarrhea, Hand Foot and Mouth, and five solid months of permanent runny noses--and that's with a strict illness policy that I follow with zero exceptions. I can't imagine how sick everyone would have gotten if I was lax on my illness policy. I'm also proud to say I have never closed for illness because I simply haven't gotten ill. If I had, the parents would be in for a worse situation than just keeping their kid home in the first place...
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Play Care 01:29 PM 12-15-2014
Originally Posted by Rockgirl:
Bottom line, if a potential daycare provider's sick policy doesn't work for you, don't enroll there. Definitely don't enroll there, then try to sneak a sick/medicated child into daycare, when it's clearly against policy.


I'm not even sure why there is a debate here. Bottom line, the client did something against policy (two days in a row) and was fired. The end.
People can think it's unfair (and again this seems odd given the fact the person who seems to have the most issue with it doesn't seem to have issues with her child care arrangement) or whatever they like. But at the end of the day, being the boss of your own business means you get to make policies as you see fit. And parents can like it or lump it, really.

One of the reasons I started my child care was because my job was not family friendly.
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nannyde 03:19 PM 12-15-2014
Originally Posted by Parent:
Again, I point to my original statement. "While I wouldn't give my kid Tylenol for a fever before dropoff, I can't keep him out for a week while he takes a course of prescription cough syrup."

I will keep him out when he's sick and/or actively contagious, and especially if he's puking. I got puked on for the first time a few weeks ago and it sucked. But, I just can't keep him out because he's finishing up a course of cough syrup/antibiotics. If I've seen the pedi and the kid has been cleared to go back to daycare then I have to go back to work.

My job actually requires a copy of the doctor's note. If I have a note that says he's cleared to return to day care on Monday then my boss requires me to be there on Monday. Not on Tuesday, or Wednesday, or next Monday when my kid finishes the entire course of meds. I only get 6 sick days a year, and only three of them are paid. If I'm lucky I can find backup for a day or two, but I don't have anyone who is available for a week at a time for something like this. Exclusion simply for being on a medicine would wipe me out by Feb 1.

I do understand that there are more families than just mine that you have to think about. However, I seriously doubt that these families are going to pay my bills if I lose my job.
Your employer may require a doc note for "clearance" but most providers don't ask for nor accept a Doc opinion on readmission into care. We only want the diagnosis, whether or not the doc feels the child is contagious, and the treatment given to the child.

We don't care if your doc believes the child can return. You should let your boss know that the Doc doesn't make the decision. The daycare does.

Now if your daycare allows your doc to make the decision then it's all good.

I agree if a child isn't contagious, is on medication that doesn't affect his ability to participate and doesn't require ANY additional care, then the provider should allow readmittance.

Side note, we don't care about how many paid days off you have or if your kids illness will affect your job. We can't. We do what is best for the group, ourselves, and our kids TODAY. If you have a kid and can't take time off when he is sick, you have a problem. YOU have a problem. If you need ill kid care, it has NOTHING to do with well child care. You may want to look for a daycare that DOES ill child care. It's going to be a tough thing to find. The liability is more than your kids tuition.
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KidGrind 04:05 PM 12-15-2014
Originally Posted by Parent:
Again, I point to my original statement. "While I wouldn't give my kid Tylenol for a fever before dropoff, I can't keep him out for a week while he takes a course of prescription cough syrup."

I will keep him out when he's sick and/or actively contagious, and especially if he's puking. I got puked on for the first time a few weeks ago and it sucked. But, I just can't keep him out because he's finishing up a course of cough syrup/antibiotics. If I've seen the pedi and the kid has been cleared to go back to daycare then I have to go back to work.

My job actually requires a copy of the doctor's note. If I have a note that says he's cleared to return to day care on Monday then my boss requires me to be there on Monday. Not on Tuesday, or Wednesday, or next Monday when my kid finishes the entire course of meds. I only get 6 sick days a year, and only three of them are paid. If I'm lucky I can find backup for a day or two, but I don't have anyone who is available for a week at a time for something like this. Exclusion simply for being on a medicine would wipe me out by Feb 1.

I do understand that there are more families than just mine that you have to think about. However, I seriously doubt that these families are going to pay my bills if I lose my job.
Why would they pay your bills if you lost your job for not having adequate back-up? That is your responsibility as a parent. And you’re not going to pay all my bills if I lose my other clients due to you dropping off your sick kid. Why should you? I have a policy in place and should enforce it. It’s my goal to keep my responsible clients and weed out the irresponsible ones quickly.
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CraftyMom 06:43 PM 12-15-2014
Originally Posted by Parent:

We're not talking about a walking contagion here. This is a kid who might have some congestion, but is fine with a morning/night cough suppresant.
Here's the thing. In my own daycare experience I've never had a child prescribed cough medicine. If so it must be a dousy of a cough and not something I would want in my home... a cough SO BAD that the child needs a prescription cough syrup to control it.

Cold and cough medicines OTC are not supposed to be given to kids under 4. ALL my daycare kids are 3 or under, so no, I would not want a child here who is needing cough meds since it is highly discouraged by the CDC.

Don't forget, most of us LIVE in our daycare homes. My illness rules are to protect the rest of the group, but also to protect my family of 5 who live here and are then breathing in everything your child coughed out! Yes we choose to have daycare in our homes and it comes with drawbacks, but I will not risk my family's health because a daycare family did not follow policy and have a backup that can watch the child when sick.

You keep saying that you can not take that many days off...no one is saying a parent has to take the time off...we are saying you need a backup person who will take care of your sick child when you can not take the time off. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, neighbors...

If a family is not able to have a backup person, I will not enroll them. Even at a center you are required to have a backup
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KIDZRMYBIZ 07:46 AM 12-16-2014
Originally Posted by TheGoodLife:
Parents can't have both. Many like to come to home daycares because it's cheaper than centers BUT if you want to be guaranteed against emergency last-minute closures that's the price! I have only had to close 2 times with one-days notice, but it could happen at any time. If you know that's something you can't afford to risk, you need to look for other options.
I've actually had a few DCFs interview BECAUSE they were tired of their big centers being closed often with no notice for clean-ups following lice, pink eye, HFM disease, and flu outbreaks. Apparently, it happens a few times a year.

I wish I could close the next day to clean without the worry of facing angry dcfs. Instead, I have to throw away my whole evening to wipe down toys and shampoo the carpet before bed, sometimes to do it all again the next day.
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SSWonders 12:29 PM 12-18-2014
Originally Posted by CraftyMom:
Here's the thing. In my own daycare experience I've never had a child prescribed cough medicine. If so it must be a dousy of a cough and not something I would want in my home... a cough SO BAD that the child needs a prescription cough syrup to control it.
I have had children on a cough med for asthma. It has albuterol in it. Not a contagious cough. But I am also one that is comfortable caring for children with asthma.
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CraftyMom 02:01 PM 12-18-2014
Originally Posted by SSWonders:
I have had children on a cough med for asthma. It has albuterol in it. Not a contagious cough. But I am also one that is comfortable caring for children with asthma.
Well, I could see that. Asthma is one thing, but a sick cough is another.
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nannyde 02:02 PM 12-18-2014
Originally Posted by SSWonders:
I have had children on a cough med for asthma. It has albuterol in it. Not a contagious cough. But I am also one that is comfortable caring for children with asthma.
Albuterol isn't cough medicine. It's a bronchodilator.

I can't remember the last time I had a kid given a cough medicine. Phenergan with Codeine used to be commonly prescribed when the OTC meds were taken off the market.
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MOM OF 4 LOGGED OUT 12:43 PM 12-19-2014
Originally Posted by Parent:
LOL. You actually think that a job that only allows for 6 sick days a year actually pays enough to hire a nanny? In what world are you living?

And for the record, I was actually commenting on the attitudes here, not my own care situation. As long as the kid is cleared to return then he can come back. I'll let her know that he's on X, Y, or Z meds, but unless he's going to spread his germs then he gets to stay.
That is really not the DCP's problem. YOU guys need to find jobs that can support your having children. Placing your problems on everyone else is not acceptable.
Sorry, but sometimes, people just expect way too much out of people and need to look to THEMSELVES to find better circumstances FOR themselves.

DCP's should not have to put up with a dose and dash parent. DCP's should not really have to administer abx to a child, that is a PARENT'S JOB. SCHOOLS do not do that. They administer EMERGENCY meds and/or life-sustaining meds ONLY (inhalers, diphenhydramine, epi etc). All others (OTC, abx, topical ointments) are a parent's responsibility to figure out.

Being SICK with a contagious/communicable disease is MUCH different than having a chronic illness such as asthma, and frankly, Parent, you should be embarrassed that you're trying to COMPARE it. NO ONE WANTS TO SHARE the "love" of strep throat or bronchitis!!!
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Leigh 03:24 PM 12-19-2014
Originally Posted by nannyde:
Your employer may require a doc note for "clearance" but most providers don't ask for nor accept a Doc opinion on readmission into care. We only want the diagnosis, whether or not the doc feels the child is contagious, and the treatment given to the child.

We don't care if your doc believes the child can return. You should let your boss know that the Doc doesn't make the decision. The daycare does.

Now if your daycare allows your doc to make the decision then it's all good.

I agree if a child isn't contagious, is on medication that doesn't affect his ability to participate and doesn't require ANY additional care, then the provider should allow readmittance.

Side note, we don't care about how many paid days off you have or if your kids illness will affect your job. We can't. We do what is best for the group, ourselves, and our kids TODAY. If you have a kid and can't take time off when he is sick, you have a problem. YOU have a problem. If you need ill kid care, it has NOTHING to do with well child care. You may want to look for a daycare that DOES ill child care. It's going to be a tough thing to find. The liability is more than your kids tuition.


I couldn't even count the times that I have heard from a doctor that "it's nothing" and have it turn into something big. Last time it happened, my son's doc said that he was fine and he was hospitalized that evening (about 7 hours after the doc said there was nothing wrong with him). doctors are usually providing their best guess.
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Leigh 03:27 PM 12-19-2014
Originally Posted by Parent:
LOL. You actually think that a job that only allows for 6 sick days a year actually pays enough to hire a nanny? In what world are you living?

And for the record, I was actually commenting on the attitudes here, not my own care situation. As long as the kid is cleared to return then he can come back. I'll let her know that he's on X, Y, or Z meds, but unless he's going to spread his germs then he gets to stay.
I think it's HILARIOUS that you think that you have the right to make the decision that "he gets to stay"! I think that decision lies with the business owner usually, doesn't it?
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Josiegirl 03:57 PM 12-19-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I don't mean to sound snarky or rude to you... I am just making a point that we all have responsibilities and sometimes they are hard to manage but you do what your have to do when you are a parent. This too will pass and your child wont be little forever.
This is it, in a nutshell. IMO once you have a child that child should be your #1 priority. All else takes 2nd place. I know...you have to work to pay bills. Most of us do! We find a way to make it work for us. That's probably why most of us here do childcare.
It wasn't all easy being a child care while my 3 kids were little. Let's see, my kids caught chicken pox, colds, stomach bugs, lice, scabies, 1 of my dds got bronchiolitis at age 18 months. You ever have your 18 month old toddler stabbed with needles trying to find a vein because a dcparent didn't think bringing their sick child to dc was harmful? And this dcp was a doctor! Not only that, while I was in the ER with dd, this stupid doctor dcp came in to ask me if I was going back home so she could bring her dd back. Did you ever have to give your 9 month baby some kind of crap to get rid of scabies because dcps brought it into your home?? I turned my former dcm away when she brought her dd in and said 'I think she has pink-eye'. I looked at her and said why is she here?
While I wouldn't have a problem taking a dck who was taking prescription meds. for a cough, as long as he'd been on them a couple days and was showing improvement( you can tell so much by how a child acts!) I am much more careful now about what I will or will not tolerate as far as sickness goes.
As was mentioned there is a group to consider. And that groups' siblings, parents, grand-parents, and on and on.
Honestly, I don't understand why people that are that sick don't stay home more often instead of going and infecting everyone else. Sorry, just a pet peeve of mine. And I understand some employers are not very compassionate.
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Unregistered 06:14 PM 12-19-2014
Originally Posted by Josiegirl:
This is it, in a nutshell. IMO once you have a child that child should be your #1 priority. All else takes 2nd place. I know...you have to work to pay bills. Most of us do! We find a way to make it work for us. That's probably why most of us here do childcare.
It wasn't all easy being a child care while my 3 kids were little. Let's see, my kids caught chicken pox, colds, stomach bugs, lice, scabies, 1 of my dds got bronchiolitis at age 18 months. You ever have your 18 month old toddler stabbed with needles trying to find a vein because a dcparent didn't think bringing their sick child to dc was harmful? And this dcp was a doctor! Not only that, while I was in the ER with dd, this stupid doctor dcp came in to ask me if I was going back home so she could bring her dd back. Did you ever have to give your 9 month baby some kind of crap to get rid of scabies because dcps brought it into your home?? I turned my former dcm away when she brought her dd in and said 'I think she has pink-eye'. I looked at her and said why is she here?
While I wouldn't have a problem taking a dck who was taking prescription meds. for a cough, as long as he'd been on them a couple days and was showing improvement( you can tell so much by how a child acts!) I am much more careful now about what I will or will not tolerate as far as sickness goes.
As was mentioned there is a group to consider. And that groups' siblings, parents, grand-parents, and on and on.
Honestly, I don't understand why people that are that sick don't stay home more often instead of going and infecting everyone else. Sorry, just a pet peeve of mine. And I understand some employers are not very compassionate.
Exactly! When my child gets sick because dcps think its ok to bring their sick child to daycare making all kinds of excuses, I get so upset. My ds has been sick so many times that he had to take antibiotics, borderline pneumonia, puking at night, all because of dcps being selfish. My husband and I work it out so he can stay home with our ds when he is sick. I don't and can't understand why others can't do the same. It's scary having your child so sick.

Now I am very strict with my illness policy and I don't care what you or your doctor said it is. As long as your child is coughing uncontrollably nonstop, constant runny yellow/green mucous, etc your child needs to stay home. And if you want to play the clueless dcp bringing your child back and still has problems you bet I am calling you for pick up. If you are not happy with my illness policy, you are welcome to find a different daycare. My family's health and wellbeing is much more important than your money!
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Mom of 4 logged out 07:01 AM 12-20-2014
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Exactly! When my child gets sick because dcps think its ok to bring their sick child to daycare making all kinds of excuses, I get so upset. My ds has been sick so many times that he had to take antibiotics, borderline pneumonia, puking at night, all because of dcps being selfish. My husband and I work it out so he can stay home with our ds when he is sick. I don't and can't understand why others can't do the same. It's scary having your child so sick.

Now I am very strict with my illness policy and I don't care what you or your doctor said it is. As long as your child is coughing uncontrollably nonstop, constant runny yellow/green mucous, etc your child needs to stay home. And if you want to play the clueless dcp bringing your child back and still has problems you bet I am calling you for pick up. If you are not happy with my illness policy, you are welcome to find a different daycare. My family's health and wellbeing is much more important than your money!
Agreed.

And as a now-DC PARENT of children that goes to daycare so I can work FT and go to school FT, I don't like when parents dose and dash and then MY kid gets their child's illness. The parents lack of respect and lying affects more than just the provider, too. It affects ALL of us other families. I would NEVER do that to my provider! I don't want HER getting sick or her little babies or her own kids. And when parents dose and dash, and my kid gets sick, they're sure not thinking about MY sick time (or lack thereof) or my school being missed. THANK GOD I have older kids to which for a few hours, the oldest can babysit, but if I didn't, I wouldn't be able to work or go to school because of a few lying parents.
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Josiegirl 09:13 AM 12-20-2014
Another aspect I had never thought about but the issue came up many years ago when it seemed every kid got chicken pox.
I learned one of my dcks had broken out with chicken pox and as a courtesy to the dcps, I called each one to alert them and ask them if they minded their child being exposed. Believe it not, back then a common attitude was 'oh let's get this over with; they're gonna get it anyways'.
But when I called a PT dcm to let her know, she said she could not let her own child be exposed because on her off days she cared for a child with leukemia.

So parents, it's not because we as providers are looking to earn free money while your kid isn't attending. It's not because we're looking to make your life difficult. It's not because we have control issues or using our business for power play. It's because you never know how this can trickle down and affect everybody else.

Besides, and I don't know if this was mentioned or not, BUT IMO child care is about the child. And where do you think a sick child wants to be when they're sick?? Surrounded by 5 or more other kids, crying infants, forced to join in activities, chaos, noise, hustle and bustle of daycare? NO. They want to be home, taken care of, indulged, in a quiet place with the people they love the best.
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SignMeUp 10:28 AM 12-20-2014

Originally Posted by Josiegirl:
Another aspect I had never thought about but the issue came up many years ago when it seemed every kid got chicken pox.
I learned one of my dcks had broken out with chicken pox and as a courtesy to the dcps, I called each one to alert them and ask them if they minded their child being exposed. Believe it not, back then a common attitude was 'oh let's get this over with; they're gonna get it anyways'.
But when I called a PT dcm to let her know, she said she could not let her own child be exposed because on her off days she cared for a child with leukemia.

So parents, it's not because we as providers are looking to earn free money while your kid isn't attending. It's not because we're looking to make your life difficult. It's not because we have control issues or using our business for power play. It's because you never know how this can trickle down and affect everybody else.

Besides, and I don't know if this was mentioned or not, BUT IMO child care is about the child. And where do you think a sick child wants to be when they're sick?? Surrounded by 5 or more other kids, crying infants, forced to join in activities, chaos, noise, hustle and bustle of daycare? NO. They want to be home, taken care of, indulged, in a quiet place with the people they love the best.

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CraftyMom 04:35 PM 12-20-2014
Originally Posted by Josiegirl:
Another aspect I had never thought about but the issue came up many years ago when it seemed every kid got chicken pox.
I learned one of my dcks had broken out with chicken pox and as a courtesy to the dcps, I called each one to alert them and ask them if they minded their child being exposed. Believe it not, back then a common attitude was 'oh let's get this over with; they're gonna get it anyways'.
But when I called a PT dcm to let her know, she said she could not let her own child be exposed because on her off days she cared for a child with leukemia.

So parents, it's not because we as providers are looking to earn free money while your kid isn't attending. It's not because we're looking to make your life difficult. It's not because we have control issues or using our business for power play. It's because you never know how this can trickle down and affect everybody else.

Besides, and I don't know if this was mentioned or not, BUT IMO child care is about the child. And where do you think a sick child wants to be when they're sick?? Surrounded by 5 or more other kids, crying infants, forced to join in activities, chaos, noise, hustle and bustle of daycare? NO. They want to be home, taken care of, indulged, in a quiet place with the people they love the best.


Yes, there are MANY aspects that we as providers are thinking about, whereas parents are just concerned with missing a day of work and think we are being nit picky...soooo not the case!
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