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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Question Please!
jhoward9 11:22 AM 03-05-2012
I have a question from a friend whose son is not in my daycare: The daycare her son attends closed down for a week due to some of her DCK having lice. She said she needed to clean thoroughly and also treat her own hair just in case. My friend says that the DCP expects to be paid for the full week she was closed....just wondering what your thoughts are on this? She thinks paying half price would be fair, I say a week may be extreme and that maybe 2 days would have been enough to close. I also agree that half price would be more then fair So just wondering what all you guys think? How would you have proceeded in this situation?
Blackcat31 11:44 AM 03-05-2012
If I had to close due to lice, I am pretty sure it wouldn't have to be the entire week! 
Never in a million years would I dream of charging the parents for having to close due to that reason.
I might consider charging the family who brought in the lice (kidding...
) but no way would I ever charge any of the other families for something like that.
If I were your friend, I would absolutely NOT agree to even paying half pay for that week. The responsibility of keeping a daycare clean and lice free falls on the providers shoulders (and pocketbook) NOT the families enrolled.
Never in a million years would I dream of charging the parents for having to close due to that reason.
I might consider charging the family who brought in the lice (kidding...
) but no way would I ever charge any of the other families for something like that. If I were your friend, I would absolutely NOT agree to even paying half pay for that week. The responsibility of keeping a daycare clean and lice free falls on the providers shoulders (and pocketbook) NOT the families enrolled.
familyschoolcare 11:50 AM 03-05-2012
I think the parent should only have to pay if it is in the contract the the provider gets paid vaction and that the time count trowards that, or if the contract says that she gets paid sick days then they should count towards that. I think a week is too much when a worked at a provate school that had a realy bad lice problem we contacted the health department and they said the lice can not live with out heat (forget exactly how cold in needed to be) for more than 48 hours. So the center closed for a Friday and the Monday turned the heat off for those days and it did help. I know that might not be possible in a home.
SunshineMama 11:57 AM 03-05-2012
If it were me, I would let the families know that there was a child with a lice outbreak, but that I would be leaving the choice up to them whether or not to bring their child. I would clean all night and do whatever I had to do to remain open.
When I am open and they keep their children home, they pay, and most of my families would probably stay home the next day anyway, so I would be able to clean even more and not miss the income.
Closing for a week is excessive, and asking the kids parents to pay for that week would irk me, unless I was the parent of the child who brought the lice.
This thread is making my head itch
When I am open and they keep their children home, they pay, and most of my families would probably stay home the next day anyway, so I would be able to clean even more and not miss the income.
Closing for a week is excessive, and asking the kids parents to pay for that week would irk me, unless I was the parent of the child who brought the lice.
This thread is making my head itch
jhoward9 11:58 AM 03-05-2012
This is what I was thinking a day or two is reasonable but a week?? A little extreme!
Blackcat31 12:01 PM 03-05-2012
Welcome to the forum by the way! 
jhoward9 12:12 PM 03-05-2012
Thank you! Im only opening my doors in September but this a great forum with lots of info!
Meyou 12:16 PM 03-05-2012
I closed for 1 day when my kids had lice a few years ago. We treated both of them and cleaned the house top to bottom. My dh took the day off work to help. I didn't charge for the day and I wouldn't pay for it in your friend's place.
Heidi 01:08 PM 03-05-2012
I took one day off when there was a lice outbreak here years ago (and I was 8 1/2 month pregnant..yay).
I think my parents all offered to pay for the day (they paid a weekly tuition), but then, I was only closed for the one day, and one of the little tikes brought the little beasts into the house, so it seemed fair. You can do ALOT of loads of laundry in one day, but it is a lot of work!
I think my parents all offered to pay for the day (they paid a weekly tuition), but then, I was only closed for the one day, and one of the little tikes brought the little beasts into the house, so it seemed fair. You can do ALOT of loads of laundry in one day, but it is a lot of work!
CheekyChick 02:19 PM 03-05-2012
I would close ONE day to clean and I would charge the parents for that day.
TBird 02:56 PM 03-05-2012
I would use one of my personal days that I never use....maybe on a Friday (if I could) and use the two weekend days. Two days TOPS!
sharlan 04:07 PM 03-05-2012
I've never had to close due to lice. But, if we had that situation, I'm sure I wouldn't have to close for a full week to clean. I sure wouldn't be charging the parents, either.
Kaddidle Care 04:44 PM 03-05-2012
We've never closed due to lice. If we find them, we send the child home and then it's 2 weeks of head checks while the parent waits each morning. (All children)
If the parent chooses not to send their child, they still pay.
If we closed for a day (or a week) we wouldn't expect the parents to pay.
(we've not had a spread except for 2 buddies that were rarely seperated)
If the parent chooses not to send their child, they still pay.
If we closed for a day (or a week) we wouldn't expect the parents to pay.
(we've not had a spread except for 2 buddies that were rarely seperated)
Meyou 03:37 AM 03-06-2012
I only closed because my kids had them, not the DC kids. I needed the time to both clean and nit pick their looooong hair. *shudder* I need a shower just thinking about that week.
e.j. 04:21 PM 03-06-2012
When one of my dc kids came in with lice, I didn't notice until the end of the day. (She was in kindergarten and came here for lunch and then nap time.) I washed all of the pillow cases, blankets and nap mats. I vacuumed the floors very carefully and wiped down all surfaces and toys. I bagged up all of the stuffed animals and dress-up clothes, etc. It took me several hours and I went to bed very late that night but I did feel it would be okay to open the next day. I warned all of the parents about the lice and explained all of the steps I had taken to prevent the other kids from getting it.
If I had decided to close, I would not have charged my dc parents. A week seems like a long time to close but is it possible there are reasons for it we're not aware of? Since "some" of her kids have lice, I wonder how long she's been dealing with the problem. She may have reached the end of her rope and is tired of thoroughly cleaning her house only to have someone come back before they're completely clear of lice. Maybe she thinks if she charges everyone for that week, they'll think twice before they come back?
If I had decided to close, I would not have charged my dc parents. A week seems like a long time to close but is it possible there are reasons for it we're not aware of? Since "some" of her kids have lice, I wonder how long she's been dealing with the problem. She may have reached the end of her rope and is tired of thoroughly cleaning her house only to have someone come back before they're completely clear of lice. Maybe she thinks if she charges everyone for that week, they'll think twice before they come back?