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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>The Dreaded Sick Kid Who Nobody Will Pick Up...
newtodaycare22 09:04 AM 12-17-2010
I've been open about 5 months now -I've been very lucky with parents (After some horror stories I read on here! ) But today, I feel your pain...

Mom brings in the kid at 9:45 and says he has a stomach ache but doesn't feel warm. He was obviously a little sick but was still cracking jokes (3yo). This is generally a responsible parent so I believe that he really wasn't too bad or running a fever at home.

He did circle time with us and then it was time for free play. He basically layed on top of a large stuffed animal and said " I just want to play nap....". Poor guy! After 15 minutes, his cheeks were suddenly bright red. Obviously the fever had hit, so I broke out the thermometer. 101.3. I call mom's four different numbers. No answer. Call dad. No answer. I mean, if you know he's not feeling well....ANSWER YOUR PHONE! I started calling about 11. Got a call back at 11:15 from mom. "Dad just went in a meeting but he'll be by after." I said, "Well, he has a fever. He needs to go home." The mom says, "Oh, I know. Dad will be there as soon as he can."

I mean, what do you guys do with this?? All I can say is pick him up...it's like my hands are tied. It's 12:43 and I have not seen dad. Poor kid has been sleeping about an hour and a half....and the other 4 kids have been exposed now (great!). Happy Friday
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meli829 09:17 AM 12-17-2010
Ugh I feel for you. I would tell mom next time that if he no one can pick him up within the hour, you will be calling the emergency contacts to come pick him up. I'm redoing my contract and adding something about this because of how long the parents leave their sick kid here once I have called them. I would also mention that the reason is so that the other kids aren't exposed any longer than they need to. Good luck and hope she picks up soon!
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marniewon 09:25 AM 12-17-2010
Originally Posted by meli829:
Ugh I feel for you. I would tell mom next time that if he no one can pick him up within the hour, you will be calling the emergency contacts to come pick him up. I'm redoing my contract and adding something about this because of how long the parents leave their sick kid here once I have called them. I would also mention that the reason is so that the other kids aren't exposed any longer than they need to. Good luck and hope she picks up soon!
Exactly the above.
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dEHmom 09:26 AM 12-17-2010
Unfortunately, from the moment he walked into that house, and probably for a few days prior to this, the others have been exposed. I agree he should've been picked up immediately, but a few minutes, or hours, won't make much of a difference. Although if he starts vomitting that's not fun!

Tell the other parents the situation when they come for their kids, tell them to up the orange juice/vitamin C, and pray!

On a similar note, I am usually the first one to get sick when it's cold/flu time. My great Aunt ate a piece of garlic daily, and she lived to 101 yrs and NEVER got sick. EVER! Since I don't feel like smelling like garlic 100% of the time, I decided to give the garlic pills a shot about a year and a half ago. Although the only thing it lists about these is the cardiovascular health, I have to admit, I haven't had a single cold or flu, even when it has hit my own household.
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MG&Lsmom 09:27 AM 12-17-2010
Yep, exactly that. I just don't get the mentality that you can't leave work when your child has an emergency (unless you're performing surgery or in law enforcement or something like that). Family emergency. Nope can't go the boss will be angry. Parents and employers both need to get a clue.
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e.j. 05:49 PM 12-17-2010
Having been a working parent with a child in day care, I do understand how hard it can be to just up and leave when you get the call that your child is sick -- although I always did it! I had a relatively supportive boss but I know not everyone is as lucky as I was. That said, it's frustrating when you have a sick child on your hands and the parent doesn't share the same urgency we do of getting that child home. In this case, I think I would have explained to the mom that this could not wait until after the meeting and that the child needed to be picked up asap. I would have asked if she could call a trusted friend or relative to pick the child up sooner. I think Baybee has a point, though, when she says the child probably has been contagious before he showed signs of illness and it probably won't make much of a difference at this point.
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momofboys 06:29 PM 12-17-2010
Originally Posted by newtodaycare22:
I've been open about 5 months now -I've been very lucky with parents (After some horror stories I read on here! ) But today, I feel your pain...

Mom brings in the kid at 9:45 and says he has a stomach ache but doesn't feel warm. He was obviously a little sick but was still cracking jokes (3yo). This is generally a responsible parent so I believe that he really wasn't too bad or running a fever at home.

He did circle time with us and then it was time for free play. He basically layed on top of a large stuffed animal and said " I just want to play nap....". Poor guy! After 15 minutes, his cheeks were suddenly bright red. Obviously the fever had hit, so I broke out the thermometer. 101.3. I call mom's four different numbers. No answer. Call dad. No answer. I mean, if you know he's not feeling well....ANSWER YOUR PHONE! I started calling about 11. Got a call back at 11:15 from mom. "Dad just went in a meeting but he'll be by after." I said, "Well, he has a fever. He needs to go home." The mom says, "Oh, I know. Dad will be there as soon as he can."

I mean, what do you guys do with this?? All I can say is pick him up...it's like my hands are tied. It's 12:43 and I have not seen dad. Poor kid has been sleeping about an hour and a half....and the other 4 kids have been exposed now (great!). Happy Friday
You talked to the mom. So why was she unable to pick up? Why did dad have to do it? Was mom too far away? Obviously she was available by phone. So when did dad come to get him?
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Tags:contagious, pick up sick child, sick
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