sahm2three 06:34 AM 12-08-2010
I had a couple kids come to daycare last week hopped up on tylenol, and were SICK. Once I realized how sick they were, I called mom and she came and got them. I feel bad for her because she is a single mom with a deadbeat dad who isn't helping her. So if she doesn't work, she doesn't make any money and still has to pay me. So I get WHY people do what they do. Does it make it right? No. Anyway. Everyone was exposed, including me and my family. I closed on Monday to get myself well enough to take care of the kids and not expose them further. Today a couple of the kids are sick and not going to be here. The brother/sister pair that I have had only the girl show up this morning. Mom tells me that the boy is sick, dad has to take a day off, and he is most likely going to be on a neb/breathing treatment because he got sick here. Sorry! What do you want me to do?! I need a lie detector test to put on parents as they come thru my door so I can get a true statement out of their mouths about whether or not their child is well enough to attend daycare, or whether or not they hopped their kid up on meds before they came. UGH! SO, I guess I just get used to it being MY fault. Whatever!
DanceMom 06:38 AM 12-08-2010
It's our fault for everything...they arent sleeping at night = they are taking too long of naps here. They are sick = they got sick here. They have a lot of energy at night = they arent being run enough here. They say a swear word = its being said here. They are acting out at home = there is something going on here.
list goes on and on and on...I try so hard to blow it off but there are times that I have to get remind them they get these things EVERYWHERE and not just here !!
missnikki 06:58 AM 12-08-2010
Sounds like it's time to send out a reminder of your sick policy that starts off with "Due to the number of illnesses going around, the sick policy will be strictly enforced in order to minimize spreading. Please remember to have backup arrangements in the case that your child exhibits any of the following and cannot attend daycare: (List your policy) "
Give it to all parents, and assess each child at dropoff before the parent leaves. Let them know you are taking it very seriously. That way, they get the screening procedure too, and cannot possibly say you haven't done everything possible to keep the sick out. They will be thanking you before they blame you. (OK, I was kidding about that last part.)
Lilbutterflie 07:28 AM 12-08-2010
Easier said than done, I try not to take it personally. It's a fact of daycare in general... kids around other kids = spreading illness! Not too much more you can do than to sanitize as much as you can and enforce your illness policy. Before I was a DCP, my ds was sick was constantly sick as a baby and having nb treatments for asthma symptoms. His doctor always blamed the daycare and gave me a guilt trip for sending him there! Not really much I can do, Dr! I have to feed and cloth my children, so I have to work... and have no one else to watch him! Daycares sure do get a bad rap; but it's really not the fault of us as daycare providers, but just the situation of BEING a daycare!
Blackcat31 07:36 AM 12-08-2010
Live and Learn 09:58 AM 12-08-2010
In any situation were a parent knowingly sent their kids to me sick and "disguised" with meds ....I shame them. I would be sure and tell the parent that you got sick, a dck got sick and needed treatment, and dck dad got sick too.....I tell them that I run a small operation so we need to live by the golden rule. Yes this time she would have had to stay home and miss work/pay but if every parent did this.....sent their kid to you with a fever then she would miss a whole lot more work because her kid would be sick all the time. I would tell her that she is so fortunate that your other dc families protect her son's health by keeping their kids home when sick and you expect her to do this in the future.
I know that some dc providers term for sending kids to dc on Tylenol and such.
....encourage this parent to network to find someone to watch her kid when sick if she "can't miss work".
sahm2three 10:43 AM 12-08-2010
I just got a message from the dcb's mom and she just said, "With X's history, I am really going to have to watch him. It may just be a chest cold to you but with his history he may end up needed albuterol treatments if it gets worse." Ok. #1, I had no idea of his history. They have been with me for about 6 months and this is the first sickness they have gotten while here. What else can I do?!?! I closed on Monday so that I could recoup, and clean the house and sanatize everything. What else is expected of me?! Sheesh!
countrymom 10:55 AM 12-08-2010
I don't charge for sick days, maybe thats why when the kids are sick they stay home with their parents because they know they don't have to pay me, listen, I will take the reduction in pay rather then have them here get everyone sick, and then I would be out more money because more kids would be sick. Its worked so great for me. If this kid has some kind of history, why wasn't it disclosed to you.
Unregistered 11:19 AM 12-08-2010
Originally Posted by sahm2three:
... It may just be a chest cold to you but with his history he may end up needed albuterol treatments if it gets worse."
Try not to take it personally; she's probably just worried about her son and unfortunately, she's taking it out on you. The quoted statement, though, is out of line and after her son is feeling better and she's feeling less anxious, I think I'd have a talk with her. I'd start by telling her she should have discussed his medical history with you long before now -- not that it would have made much difference, really. Colds and other illnesses are a fact of life in day care. The kids are in close contact with each other and playing with the same toys. This time, another child introduced illness to the day care. Next time, it could be her son who introduces it to everyone else. Most of the time, the kids are contagious before you even know they're sick. I'd review your sick policy with her, explain that you will remind the other parents of the policy as well but there is only so much you can do. While you feel bad her son became ill, it isn't fair of her to try to make you feel guilty about it.
marniewon 11:20 AM 12-08-2010
Originally Posted by countrymom:
I don't charge for sick days, maybe thats why when the kids are sick they stay home with their parents because they know they don't have to pay me, listen, I will take the reduction in pay rather then have them here get everyone sick, and then I would be out more money because more kids would be sick. Its worked so great for me. If this kid has some kind of history, why wasn't it disclosed to you.
I've thought of doing this too, except the one flaw you could run into is parents "calling in sick" every time grandma wants little one, or neighbor girl can watch him, etc. Now, giving them so many non-paid sick days a year would probably work well.