Hi I was wondering if I could get some advice from you all! I previously posted last week about a brother and sister from one family having pnemonia. They have been on antibiotics but still have a cough..not severe but still there..anyway dcg3 was fine at drop off this morning then all of sudden became very whiney and crying..I noticed she felt warm and took her temp which was 102.2...I gave tylenol and called dad to pick her up. I know these parent seem to be getting frustrated about me calling because their kids are sick, I understand that they have jobs and its a inconvenience to them, but what else am I to do? None of my other dck or my own are not sick, only these two kids..they are ALWAYS sick...I am afraid of losing this family, (they are my highest paying family, can't afford to lose them). I am wondering what all of your polices are and what you would do in my situation??? Do you have parents sign a form regarding your sick policy? Thanks in advance

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My sick policy is a part of my contract. You are doing what I do too. i will keep if it's just a cough, but the fever they have to go home with.

If you are worried about them leaving, I would be very sympathetic when they pick the DCks up and say how much you want them to get better so you can get them back soon because they are a joy to have around.

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Oh, ugh! I feel bad for you, the kids and the parents! It's so hard when kids go through illnesses like that! You absolutely did the right thing - 102.2 is definately a fever and the child needed to go home.

My illness policy is in my contract so the parents agree to abide by it when they sign my contract. It stinks as a parent to have to leave work when your child is ill, but it's their job as parents.

I know from personal experience - I worked full time and had our four children in a home daycare. I ended up quitting my job because our children were sick at least once a week for MONTHS on end. (They have some special health concerns that contribute to that.) We had to make the decision for our family that it would be better for me to stay home until they are older (and hopefully healthier!). It wasn't a reflection on our provider at all, it was just life with children!

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This is definitely a situation where you have so send the child home. A temperature that high is no laughing matter. I, too, have my sick policy written into my contract, so that there's no question. I'm always very sympathetic to my daycare parents when they end up taking multiple days off work for illness, but I also reiterate to them that, while I understand that it can be difficult to take off work for a sick child, that ultimately they will miss less work if they keep their child home until they are completely well, rather than bringing them back to daycare too soon and risking a relapse.

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you did the right thing. I always feel if something happens in my care then I would be liable. Ex. seizure.

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I include it as part of my policies/contract. My dcps know if their child has a fever, expect to have him/her picked up within the hour. They actually get here faster than that, but it's good to put a time on it. If they don't work close to me, I have them give me a name and number of someone who can come pick up their child if they are not able to leave work. Sorry you're going through this....and hope it passes soon and that the parents are understanding.....

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the parents probably are frustrated, but not at you. i'm sure when i got calls at work to pick up my child, i didn't sound too happy. a million things are going through a parent's mind. they have to tell the boss that they have to leave work AGAIN which nobody likes doing - they have to get a doctor's appointment, they have to lose a day's pay, they still have to pay you, their child isn't feeling well and they're worried about them, they can't go back for 24 hours so they have to get a family member to babysit the following day or miss another day at work - all in the same minute. it can be stressful -but if the child is TRULY ill then there's no way they can be frustrated with YOU. in all honesty, if a child has been really sick, then the parents have probably given them tylenol or motrin before taking them to daycare "just incase" - so if they get a call about a fever - they know their child really is ill.

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thanks everyone for you advice, its a little more in depth then what i posted..I have these kids on their parents day off, dad is self employeed (a painter) and is home alot. Mom is off during the week often, but still brings the kids. I have had to call before because of sick kids on her day off and her response is that she had alot of things at home to do, that she couldn't pick them up until noon. It saddens me that parents don't wish to spend time with their own kids..I am going to right up a policy this weekend, and hand out to parents on monday for them to sign..thanks everyone have a great weekend

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Wow that really is sad. Here's what I have in my policies just so that you have an idea to go off of and to give you ideas.

Sick Policy
We at [Daycare Name] understand that all children have minor illnesses from time to time that do not prevent them from participating in daycare; however, there are certain circumstances where children should not attend.

Symptoms for Exclusion
A child will not be able to attend daycare if he/she exhibits any of the symptoms for exclusion such as those listed below without a physician’s note which clearly states that the child can participate in activities without transferring any sickness to another child. Those include but are not limited to:
Severe sore throat/coughing/colds or strep throat.
Fever of 100°F or above.
Green or yellow discharge from nose or eyes.
Ear discharge.
Head lice, nits or scabies.
Three or more watery stools within 24 hours.
Two or more occasions of vomiting within 24 hours.
Severe diaper rash.
Chicken pox.
Conjunctivitis (pink eye).
Mumps, measles, influenza, whooping cough, coupe, impetigo, tuberculosis, rubella, rosella etc.
Any type of body rash (if due to allergies then a doctor’s note will be needed).
Intestinal worms, ringworms, pin worms etc.
Anything contagious and transmittable.
Too tired or fussy to participate in normal activities.

Your child may return to the daycare 24 hours after the symptoms of the illness have subsided without the aid of medication and is not contagious and/or if accompanied by a physician’s note.
In the situation when a child arrives ill it will be under the childcare provider’s discretion as to whether the child is fit to attend or not. If the childcare provider deems that the child is not well enough to attend the child is to be taken home.
If a child becomes ill while at the childcare home the childcare provider will contact the child’s parent’s and ask to pick the child up within the hour. During the time spent waiting to be picked up the ill child will be separated from the other children, comforted and given the opportunity to rest in a quiet area.

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I can sympathize with the parent that is at work and afraid of losing a job due to too many absences caused by sick kids. That I can understand. This situation where there are no risks to the families income or livelihood - no sympathy. This is one of those, "you are the parent, you are responsible for your sick kid. And I refuse to let your selfishness (bringing a sick kid to daycare when there is someone at home to tend to him or her) cause my family or my other daycare families to suffer by catching what your kid has."

UGH!!! One of those situations I hated when I was doing daycare. It seemed that many (not all) of the parents seemed to just not understand that their sick kid can infect the other kids and cause problems for everyone else. But Heaven forbid, their kid gets sick after being exposed to another daycare kid! Then you never hear the end of it! So they don't want sick kids around THEIR child, but expect you to take their child when he or she is sick! The constant double standard.

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