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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Too Sick For School = Too Sick For Daycare?
Indoorvoice 02:18 PM 10-16-2017
So one of my dck has a mild cold. She goes out for preschool and the teacher told me at pick up today that she needed to stay home tomorrow. It's seriously just a runny nose and mild cough. I get how that could be annoying with a whole class full of snot, but it's not something I would exclude from daycare for. I told dcm it was OK for dck to stay here tomorrow. Did I set a bad precedent? If she's too sick for school she should be too sick for daycare, but I feel like the teacher is overreacting because she has a lot of sick kids and this dck doesn't have symptoms I exclude for. What would you have done?
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Blackcat31 03:04 PM 10-16-2017
Originally Posted by Indoorvoice:
So one of my dck has a mild cold. She goes out for preschool and the teacher told me at pick up today that she needed to stay home tomorrow. It's seriously just a runny nose and mild cough. I get how that could be annoying with a whole class full of snot, but it's not something I would exclude from daycare for. I told dcm it was OK for dck to stay here tomorrow. Did I set a bad precedent? If she's too sick for school she should be too sick for daycare, but I feel like the teacher is overreacting because she has a lot of sick kids and this dck doesn't have symptoms I exclude for. What would you have done?
If it's something you wouldn't exclude for normally I would have done the same thing.

I would probably tell the parent that it is something you handle on a case by case basis just so there is no assumption that you will always take a child when they are "excluded" from school/preschool....kwim?

Otherwise I too would have done the same thing as you did.
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Indoorvoice 04:58 PM 10-16-2017
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
If it's something you wouldn't exclude for normally I would have done the same thing.

I would probably tell the parent that it is something you handle on a case by case basis just so there is no assumption that you will always take a child when they are "excluded" from school/preschool....kwim?

Otherwise I too would have done the same thing as you did.
Thank you! This makes me feel better. I immediately second guessed myself after I told dcm she could come tomorrow, but dcg completely handles her nose wiping and hand washing herself and covers her cough so I really feel this is no extra work for me. Plus it doesn't mess up my ratios and they are a generally good family. I'll let her know this doesn't mean every time, but this time for sure is OK.
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Ariana 05:44 PM 10-16-2017
It depends. She is with the teacher all day so maybe she is seeing something you’re not seeing? Daycare might be less stressful and she doesn’t need to be attentive know what I mean? I wouldn’t jump to the conclusion the teacher is overreacting. Maybe tell mom you will call for pickup if she is not doing well.
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finsup 06:11 PM 10-16-2017
If anyone says they are "too sick" for their regular care, I don't even consider it. BUT, respitory stuff is awful for my kids. And I take infants. I don't want a baby getting sick, or having to close because a drop in kid came sick. But seeing as you know the kid, good family etc and feel like it's manageable, then no problem. I would tell dcm to be prepared to pick up if she gets worse, spikes a fever etc and would let her know this is a case by case basis. Not a "back up care anytime dcg is sick."
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sharlan 07:24 PM 10-16-2017
I keep school aged girl if she's "sick". She occasionally throws up (?) In the bathroom at school. She then has to stay home the next day. I'm positive she faked it every time.

Of course when my grandkids are sick I have them as I'm the backup.
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midaycare 05:18 AM 10-17-2017
I would have done the same and then said as BC did, that if it happens again, we'll handle it on a case by case basis.
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CityGarden 09:44 AM 10-17-2017
In your shoes I would have done the same thing....

That said, my program has a very strict sick policy and I will exclude quickly even for an excessive clear runny nose. I find being strict about it makes me less sick and the other children less sick.
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daycarediva 11:18 AM 10-18-2017
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
If it's something you wouldn't exclude for normally I would have done the same thing.

I would probably tell the parent that it is something you handle on a case by case basis just so there is no assumption that you will always take a child when they are "excluded" from school/preschool....kwim?

Otherwise I too would have done the same thing as you did.

I agree here.

Does the preschool have a school nurse? Why didn't they call for pick up if she was 'too sick'? What is their illness policy?

I think it's pretty stupid to exclude her for the following day, without sending home. if she's sick- everyone is already exposed.
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Hunni Bee 11:52 AM 10-18-2017
Originally Posted by daycarediva:
I agree here.

Does the preschool have a school nurse? Why didn't they call for pick up if she was 'too sick'? What is their illness policy?

I think it's pretty stupid to exclude her for the following day, without sending home. if she's sick- everyone is already exposed.
Im guessing it was less of "she's contagious" than it was "not able to participate in normal activities". She probably didn't feel well and was sluggish but didn't have any exclude-able symptoms.

I have been known email a parent and "suggest" that they might want to pick up because our schedule is pretty busy and I didn't want to drag the child around not feeling well. But it wasn't enough to admit to the on-site clinic.
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daycarediva 04:17 AM 10-19-2017
Originally Posted by Hunni Bee:
Im guessing it was less of "she's contagious" than it was "not able to participate in normal activities". She probably didn't feel well and was sluggish but didn't have any exclude-able symptoms.

I have been known email a parent and "suggest" that they might want to pick up because our schedule is pretty busy and I didn't want to drag the child around not feeling well. But it wasn't enough to admit to the on-site clinic.
I send home for inability to participate. It's excludable for me. That's why I wondered about the illness policy and why someone wasn't called to pick up. We know how hard it is on a child to be in a busy environment when they can't keep up and aren't feeling well.
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Blackcat31 06:13 AM 10-19-2017
Originally Posted by daycarediva:
We know how hard it is on a child to be in a busy environment when they can't keep up and aren't feeling well.
I usually hear "They were acting fine at home..." type of comment.

To which I always explain to a parent that expecting a child that isn't 100% to participate as normal during the day at daycare is much like going to Walmart when you (the parent) have a migraine and trying to get some rest on a bench in the toy department.
Most of my parents immediately understand what I am saying.
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