OMG 2 YO DCB was playing with a stick in a puddle of water with the other DCKS. They were splashing the water a bit and pretending to fish. He lost his balance and just went head first into the puddle....I figured he was so upset because he was so wet and dirty. I cleaned him all up and he was still screaming. I asked what was wrong and he kept pointing to his arm...it was swollen. I called DCP and they brought him to emerg...it was fractured!! He has only been here a week I am devastated! This is why I hate doing childcare in my home. I just feel so done. I know it was an accident but I worry what they probably think...I mean honestly how do you break a friggin' arm by just falling on it from toddler height???

When DH arrived I just fell into his arms and started crying....

Reply

Awe-
It happens!! Fractures aren't uncommon from catching yourself falling forward. I'm sure the parents know it was an accident and you let them know so they could get him care-
Hang in there!!

Reply

Sooo sorry! The freak-I-ish things happen to kids and what innocent fun you were having!

Reply

First, big

Second, if you haven't already document the incident and call your licensor.

Third- do NOT fall all over yourself trying to apologize, or "make it up" to the family. I know some will disagree, but from the description of the incident this was a TRUE accident. You were supervising a fun, SAFE activity and this freak thing occurred. This doesn't sound like the "I let the kids climb to the top of a tower and only turned my back for a minute!" type of situation. I would show caring, concern, and kindness to the family, but I would also keep it in perspective. A horrible thing happened but this was actually no ones "fault."

Reply

Ditto PlayCare

My nephew broke his metatarsal (bone in his foot) just from tripping over the threshold between carpet and hard floor. He was about 2/2.5 at the time.

Reply

So sorry this happened! It has happened to me as well. 5 yr old dcg tripped while running after a ball and broke her arm. Thankfully I had had her for several years before. Since it was a new child it makes it harder on you. I did have to claim it on my business insurance because they said it happened at daycare when they went to the emergency room. It was months later but their own health insurance contacted me for my business insurance info. My insurance company has a no fault $5000 coverage. They came to investigate the incident and said it was not my negligence, but my insurance still paid out due to this no fault coverage.

One of the crappy things about doing home daycare.

Reply

Try not to worry about it, it's hard not to! In June 2009 I had a little girl since I opened (6 months at the time) fracture her finger. We were at the science center using the restroom I was washing everyone's hands. She tried to be helpful and open the door for me. I told her to come back, she let go of the door and pinched her finger. I felt absolutely terrible! The mom understood it was an accident. She left 2 years ago to go to school.

Reply

Sorry this happened, but it sounds like you handled it well.
Hopefully the parents are understanding...these things DO happen to kids!

Reply

I had a child have her finger broken playing duck duck goose!!! she had her hand back leaning on it and someone stepped on it... It happens

Reply

these things happen! I'm sure dcp are understanding and know it was an accident. These kinds of things happen ALL the time! Don't be overly sweet going forward though, trying to please them. You don't need to walk on eggshells, just keep doing what you're doing. puddles don't usually break arms lol

Reply

So sorry that happened!

Reply

These things happen and unfortunately there is nothing you can do about it. My 7 year old DD fractured her hand yesterday. She fell from the top of the tiny Little Tikes slide in our yard (probably knee height). Fractures can happen easier than you would think, especially if the child is trying to break a fall. Hopefully the parents are understanding and realize it was just an accident!

Reply

I had a 4 year old child get 6 stitches in his head from sitting down..I kid you not. We were waiting for his mom to arrive (she was running late) and he was still here along with his siblings. Their shoes/snow gear were on and they were supposed to wait and watch TV (which is something we never do here except in late pick up situations. Anyway he kept getting up and I kept asking him to sit down, about the 3rd time of me asking him to sit back down (he kept getting up and down) he plopped down, like his legs did the criss cross applesauce thing in mid air and on the way down hit his head on the wall. He didn't hit it hard nor did he cry and when he landed he was sitting. I stood there watching him waiting for him to get up again and I noticed something drip on his shoulder, it was blood! It all turned out fine even though I was plenty stressed. Kids get hurt and it sounds like you were watching him but letting him be a kid. IMO kids get hurt a lot less these days than they did when I was a kid. It seemed someone always had a broken bone, stitches etc back then!

Reply

ITA.

The worst injury I have ever had was a child in care 2.5 at the time, newish to care (first month) run for his Mom at pickup and trip over the molding between the hardwood floors in the playroom and the ceramic tile in the entryway, he bit his lip straight through and chipped his front tooth. He needed 6 stitches and no pediatric dentist would fix a small chip in his baby tooth, so unfortunately it's still chipped (and a year later he is still in care) I covered it with my daycare liability insurance and sent him balloons since he was home the following day. He came back the next week and Mom thanked me for the balloons and volunteering the insurance since they didn't have health insurance at the time. No mention was ever made to it, except now they call dcb chip. Same dcb has broken his wrist, gotten three stitches over his eye and a TON of bloody noses and nasty bruises. Thankfully the rest of that was on Mom's watch.

Reply

unfortunately accidents happen....some kids can fall from a higher point and bounce back unharmed and other trip on their shoelaces and break a bone...go figure

Reply